Got a Trade Week raises awareness of careers in trades and services

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Got a Trade Week returned to schools and communities in August to raise awareness of careers that exist in 140 trades and services in New Zealand.

Held from August 22-26, the week celebrated the talents and achievements of Kiwi apprentices making headway in their vocation, and focused on the future demand expected for skilled workers across all trades and services.

Got a Trade Week chair Andrew Robertson says New Zealand’s skills shortage is real, and needs to be urgently addressed if the economy is to stay buoyant into the future.

“The national campaign promotes New Zealand’s need for more skilled people in trades and services. According to 2015 Immigration NZ data, one third of the occupations on the Long-Term Skills Shortage List are trades and services,” Mr Robertson says.

“There is a worrying trend of major shortfalls being predicted, and by 2020 there will be high demand for employment created by industry growth and replacement demand across all sectors,” he says.

“There are genuine and exciting career opportunities in more than 140 trades and services for young people who are willing to ‘earn and learn’.

“We encourage everyone to visit
www.gotatrade.co.nz and take a good look at the tremendous opportunity these viable career paths offer,” Mr Robertson says.

Got a Trade Week 2016 spoke to school leavers, as well as parents and teachers. More than 75,000 young New Zealanders aged 15 to 24 years are not currently working, studying or training, accounting for 41% of the country’s unemployed.*

They are not developing the skills they need to compete in the workforce.

“Only 28% of school leavers go to university. Got a Trade Week is about showcasing the opportunities that exist out there for the other 72%,” Mr Robertson says.

“Trades and services typically refer to jobs that require practical skills and on-the-job training. This includes everything from construction, engineering and transport, to hairdressing, hospitality, aged care workers and retail.

“There are hundreds of roles to choose from, and long-term career prospects for young people who are keen to work and who are willing to learn. This is an important conversation for jobseekers, for educators and for whanau.

“We all need to work together — in the home and in the classroom — to steer our kids in the direction of real job opportunities and to ensure New Zealand’s industries can survive.”

 

* Household Labour Force Survey (Statistics NZ).

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