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Thread: Skilled workers still in demand

  1. #1
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    Default Skilled workers still in demand

    Skilled workers still in demand

    05.04.05
    by Brian Fallow


    Expect shortages of skilled workers to persist, the Department of Labour warns.

    It has surveyed firms seeking skilled workers in 16 trades and found shortages in all of them.

    Only four out of 10 vacancies were filled within six to eight weeks of their being advertised.

    The supply of fully qualified new people entering trades through training or immigration is not keeping up with losses from retirement, emigration or people switching occupations, it found.

    The trades reviewed were: automotive electricians, bakers, boat builders, bricklayers, butchers, cabinet makers, carpenters, diesel mechanics, electricians, fitters and turners, fitter-welders, hairdressers, motor mechanics, panel beaters, plumbers and sheetmetal workers.

    For every 1000 people in those trades only 18 fully qualified people joined them in 2003, compared with 28 in New South Wales, which also considers it has skill shortage problems.

    It is only marginally above than the rate at which people are retiring from them - 13 for every 1000 in 2003.

    "Supply would be further reduced through some tradespeople moving into other occupations, though net inward migration made a small positive contribution," the department said.

    "Employers told us that changes ot the apprenticeship system in the 1990s impacted heavily on training.

    "Other factors mentioned including the winding down of many government-based apprentice training initiatives, economic recession and the rising proportion of young people embarking on tertiary academic study."

    The proportion of vacancies filled within six to eight weeks was lowest for automotive electricians (15 per cent) but highest for motor mechanics (72 per cent).

    People in the building trades were in notably short supply with only 23 per cent of bricklayer jobs filled within six to eight week, 32 per cent of plumbers and and 38 per cent of carpenters.

    Some of the employers surveyed by the department mentioned working conditions in some trades as discouraging people.

    Employers noted bakers have early start times, boat-builders sometimes have to work with unpleasant chemicals and hairdressers are often not well paid.

    * Are you affected by the skills shortage? Email your comments to: bronwyn.sell@nzherald.co.nz

  2. #2
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    typical the plasterer left out in the cold.


    Dan

  3. #3
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    Sorry Dan !!

  4. #4
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    Same as ever. The poor old Decorator is not regarded as "skilled".
    I thought you had a job on the table Dan??

  5. #5
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    Dan, based on what I've read about New Zealand construction, I can't imagine that there would be much demand for a plasterer. Since walls are made of drywall (like North America), it would basically be an un-needed talent.. Sorry!

  6. #6
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    Job is on the table, and Iam a fibrous plasterer, cornices elaborate ceiling etc Typically we are such a specialised commoditity that even survey takers would not be able to gather a statistic from such as small proportion of the industry.


    Dan

  7. #7
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    Whew I'm in luck as I am a qualified panelbeater, who also has a British standard coding in welding, that makes me feel a bit happier about our new adventure

  8. #8
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    Wayne,

    Our friend is a welder (stainless steel), he got 2 job offers just from visiting the jobs fair at Olympia in 2003. He now lives in Blenheim working for a company supplying vats to wine makers, and loves it!!

    As far as I am aware welders are still in BIG demand, not sure about the panel beating though.

    Mark. :P

  9. #9
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    Can someone tell me what a "panel beater" is? And while we're at it, I've seen mention of HGV drivers--can you unravel that acronym for me?

    Thanks!
    John

  10. #10
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    Panel Beater=the person who bashes out the dents and scrapes on your car after you reverse it into the garage door (or whatever)

    HGV driver=Heavy Goods Vehicle driver. IE The main reason for traffic jams here in uk.







    C`mon Kim. I`m waiting for it.

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