Australia and New Zealand are taking different approaches to building their skilled trades workforce, from training people at home to attracting experienced tradespeople from overseas. But attracting people is only half the job. Retaining them, developing their skills and helping them build lasting careers is the bigger opportunity and challenge.
In Australia, the Government’s free TAFE construction program attracted 24,616 enrolments between January 2025 and March 2026, exceeding its two-year target by more than 4600 students. Jobs and Skills Australia estimate the country’s construction workforce stood at 1.348 million in May 2025, and is projected to grow to 1.508 million by May 2035. 5485 temporary skilled visas were granted for positions in construction in 2024-25.
New data from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) shows that just 58.7% of trade apprenticeships started in Australia in 2019 were completed within six years. More recent figures show a mixed picture — active trade apprentice and trainee contracts fell 5.6% in the year to March 2026, but trade completions rose 9.9%, and quarterly commencements increased by 2%.
Commencements also grew in several shortage occupations, including electricians, carpenters and joiners, and plumbers. Almost 95% of trade apprenticeship completers were employed after finishing their training, highlighting the strong employment pathway apprenticeships can provide.
NZ sector under pressure
New Zealand’s construction sector — spanning electricians, plumbers, builders and painters – employs 295,100 people, around 10% of the entire workforce. But the sector is under pressure — construction activity has contracted from $63 billion in 2023 to $55.7 billion in 2025, with a forecast recovery to $65.4 billion by 2030.
Skilled tradespeople are in short supply and, in response, the New Zealand Government introduced the Trades and Technician residence pathway in August 2026, creating a direct route to residency for qualified tradespeople with New Zealand work experience.
Business management software platform, Tradify, is calling for greater focus on the full career pathway, not just attracting people into trades but retaining them through training. It also means creating opportunities for qualified tradies to upskill and become business owners, employers, and mentors.
Tradify chief executive Michael Steckler says attracting more people to the trades is an important first step, but retaining them and showing them a clear career path is just as important.
“Getting more people into trades matters, but keeping them there matters more. That means backing apprentices through their training, helping qualified tradies keep developing, and building real pathways into ownership, mentoring and long-term careers. A strong trades workforce isn’t about filling jobs, it’s about building futures,” Steckler says.
For those who complete their training, the trades can offer a pathway from apprentice to qualified tradesperson, business owner, and employer. Making that progression sustainable requires more than technical skills. The right systems and support can help tradies navigate the business side of the industry at each stage of their career.
Tradify ambassador Daniel Lukic, owner of Lukic Services, has spent more than three decades in the trades — from stonemason to business owner — and knows first-hand what that progression takes.
“I’ve experienced both the rewards and challenges of building a long-term career in the industry. The trades can provide enormous satisfaction, independence and opportunity, but running a successful trade business also requires far more than practical ability. Quoting, scheduling, communication, compliance and financial management all become important parts of the job,” Lukic says.
Immigration can help
Immigration can help address immediate skills shortages, but there is an opportunity to think beyond simply filling vacancies. Skilled tradespeople who establish and grow their own businesses can create jobs for others, helping expand the workforce from within the industry.
The most recent data from Tradify’s September research shows Australian sole traders average between A$188,000 and A$562,000 in annual invoiced revenue. Small teams of two to four average between A$334,000 and A$840,000. Medium-sized teams of five to 12 average between $752,000 and $1.3 million.
In New Zealand, sole traders average between NZ$235,000 and NZ$563,000, rising to between NZ$334,000 and NZ$626,000 for small teams, and between NZ$751,000 and NZ$1.6 million for medium-sized teams.
The business potential is real, and it scales. Growing the team is often the first move. Among 667 Australian businesses that added at least one additional user, average monthly revenue jumped 52% — from A$27,350 to A$41,576, while monthly job volumes rose from 13.7 to 19.9. In New Zealand, 103 businesses who added at least one user saw a 46% average revenue increase, from NZ$27,380 to NZ$40,003, and job volumes rose from 17% to 23.3%.
“Progression from skilled worker to business owner and employer is an important part of building a sustainable workforce. The people entering the trades today could be the business owners, employers and mentors bringing the next generation through tomorrow,” Steckler says.
“If we want to solve the skills shortage for the long term, we need to think beyond filling today’s vacancies, and create an industry where people can see a future for themselves. For those making that transition, Tradify can help make the move from the tools to running a business more manageable.”
Attracting more people to the trades is critical, but building the workforce Australia and New Zealand need means looking beyond the first day on the job. Supporting people from apprentice to qualified tradie, business owner and employer will not only strengthen the industry today, but help create the next generation of skilled workers.
Tradify is calling on industry, government, and training providers to think beyond enrolment numbers, and focus on what keeps people in the trades for the long term.
