Government and construction industry to build big

Delivering the workforce and productivity gains required to build the houses, schools, roads, rail and hospitals New Zealand needs will become easier with the Government-industry Construction Sector Transformation Plan, Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa says.“The action plan delivers on the Government’s Construction Sector Accord promise in April to develop a tangible plan that ensures industry has the right skills, the right people, and the right internal coordination to lift its productivity and take advantage of the quarter of a trillion dollars of public and private construction work expected over the next five years,” Jenny Salesa says.The Construction Sector Transformation Plan will see Government and industry:

• create a long-term workforce plan;
• strengthen industry’s voice in training: to shape the Reform of Vocational Education (RoVE), and through the new Workforce Development Councils;
• drive cooperation through information sharing and education programmes to improve culture and performance;
• promote simpler, shorter contracts that don’t overburden subcontractors in their dealings with bigger companies;
• develop a mental health strategy and expanding Mates in Construction to support better mental health in the trades;
• run diversity campaigns to encourage women and young people into construction.