Action plan will address NZ's 30,000 construction worker shortfall

October 4, 2018

The plan, developed by six Ministers, focuses on six priority areas.

The Government has revealed its Construction Skills Action plan to improve the industry's ability to deliver jobs, careers and build more houses.

Six Government ministers have developed the plan, which is made up of six priority areas including addressing the lack of skilled workers in the industry.

The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment has estimated New Zealand is of short nearly 30,000 construction workers.

During a press conference today at a Housing New Zealand site in Auckland's Otara, Building and Construction Minister Jenny Salesa said it's an important first step in delivering the skills needed for the future.

"The projection from MB is that the boom is going to continue up until at least the end of December 2023," she said. "So in boom cycles we also have the issue of not having enough staff."

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Ms Salesa says the Government's taken the issue of labour shortages in the sector very seriously, describing the action plan as the first time New Zealand has had "such a coordinated, collaborative and forward-looking approach to construction skills".

She acknowledged that building a sustainable construction workforce "will take a sustained effort over time".

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