The apprenticeship bottleneck we’re not talking about
“You can’t get a job without experience. But you can’t get experience without a job.”
This is the paradox too many Māori and Pasifika trades trainees face. Systemic barriers stand between them and meaningful, stable careers. The same issues are constraining our businesses, industries and nation.
Skills shortages in the trades are well-documented and persistent, especially in new construction, along with the mechanical, infrastructure and electrical fields. The same problem exists in hospitality, advanced manufacturing and primary sector industries, particularly in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. Sam Sefuiva, Mana Whakapai for Māori and Pasifika Trades Training (MPTT) says that without urgent and coordinated attention, this issue will plague our future.
Sefuiva spent more than a decade as the country’s principal adviser for race relations and is a board commissioner for the Tertiary Education Commission. It’s a space he understands deeply.
“The unmet skills demand isn’t for beginners. It’s for fully qualified and experienced workers. And that’s the problem: how do we expect a new generation to fill those gaps if we don’t give them a real chance to gain experience?”
The bottleneck between training and work
Each year, hundreds of rangatahi complete pre-trade programmes. Many gain support from initiatives like Māori and Pasifika Trades Training (MPTT). MPTT learners are motivated and dedicated. They’ve shown up, studied, passed, and proven they’re ready for the next step.
Yet at the next step, finding an apprenticeship, many are left waiting. And the result? Some end up in unrelated jobs. Others shift into unskilled labour. A few drop out altogether.
Our pipeline
is leaking
Workforce forecasts show construction and infrastructure projects will require a peak workforce of over 590,000 by the end of 2026. That’s almost twice as many workers as we have right now. In fact, it’s the entire population of South Auckland. Frustratingly, the talent is there to be unlocked, we just need to open the door.
We’re doing the work to train the right people. However, our Māori and Pasifika pre-trades graduates need to find the apprenticeships that allow them to become qualified tradespeople. If we don’t connect the start to the finish, we’ll always be playing catch-up.
“When I sit with our MPTT tauira and hear their stories, I know they have what’s needed for the mahi. But the road from classroom to site is too long on their own. We need more partners opening doors.
“Every employer who gives our rangatahi a real go helps us all move forward,” comments Sefuiva.
Industry leaders and researchers recognise Māori and Pasifika as a key solution; these communities are a vast untapped resource.
Māori and Pasifika populations together are already a quarter of the country’s working-age population, and by 2043 will be around 30% of New Zealand workers.
Unlocking the potential among Māori and Pasifika benefits all Aotearoa. As the rest of Aotearoa ages, these young, growing populations are crucial to sustaining our future workforce, rate and tax bases.
MPTT is focused on impact
MPTT exists to support Māori and Pasifika into trades careers that are high-value and high-need.
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland is home to the largest Māori and Pasifika population in the Southern Hemisphere, with a young and growing workforce that holds immense potential for economic uplift. These communities have been disproportionately underemployed, even as trade industries face a shortage of skilled workers.
MPTT is on a mission to bridge this gap, creating opportunity for communities while meeting our region’s workforce needs. We’re connecting people with training and preparing them to successfully transition into sustainable employment.
MPTT Auckland is the largest of 14 national consortia networks. We represent vocational education providers, both public and private, key industries across 15 trade sectors, and Māori and Pasifika communities. Our purpose is to create long-lasting social and economic transformation by building Māori and Pasifika leadership through careers in the skilled trades.
We provide wraparound support: culturally-focused mentoring, scholarships, and transition-to-employment guidance. In a system once designed without a cultural perspective, this has been a game-changer. At last, our learners can see faces like their own and learn from trainers who understand their worlds. It has revolutionised a training sector that did not cater well for Māori and Pasifika, so it logically saw poor outcomes for them. We work with employers to deliver what they’re looking for.
Cecelia Tuala, Programme Delivery Lead at Downer New Zealand, notes that MPTT’s focus on work readiness benefits employers, which is why they continue to seek MPTT graduates.
“Downer looks for employees who have a strong focus on health and safety, technical skills, and professionalism. Big projects mean a big focus on managing risk and keeping people safe. Health and safety are huge for us. But the biggest thing is attitude, how you turn up every day within our business.”
Earning qualifications takes time
Building a talent pipeline is not a quick win; neither is building trades careers. The pre-trade training takes a year. Gaining a full qualification can take another three to five years, depending on the employer, trade, and contract.
During that time, government support mechanisms can change. Initiatives like Fees Free, the Targeted Training and Apprenticeship Fund (TTAF), and Apprenticeship Boost have all been introduced – and then altered, reduced, or phased out.
For learners, this means uncertainty. For employers, it makes it harder to commit. This inconsistency works against a strong, sustainable supply of talent.
Enrolments are up; we’re letting graduates down
Despite the challenges, MPTT and many of our partners brought visibility to the benefits of a trades career. Interest is up and enrolments are rising. Yet, New Zealand’s overall apprenticeship completion rates remain low compared to other similar countries. This is the pinch point, and it’s hurting us all.
We need employers to be supported to train, mentor, and hire so our young people can gain the experience they need to become qualified, securing futures for their whānau and our industries.
The employers who step up will be the first to benefit. The greater strength of diversity in your team is well-known; it boosts resilience, problem-solving and efficiency. Furthermore, MPTT graduates come highly recommended by our industry-experienced Navigators who know them well. Graduates are ready with tools, safety certifications and clear expectations about punctuality and work ethic.
Today’s short-term pressures bring long-term consequences
We know that most construction businesses in New Zealand are small and run lean. When the market contracts, it’s the unqualified workers and apprentices who are first to go. When it rebounds, employers tend to stick with short-term labour hires rather than commit to long-term training.
The consequences are delayed projects and ballooning costs and reliance on transient or migrant labour. Tinkering with immigration laws doesn’t do anything to build a strong skills pipeline or create an environment that retains our best performers. Instead, these things continue to perpetuate the situation, keeping us in a skills deficit.
All the while, sitting on the sidelines are young Māori and Pasifika with the potential to be our next generation of trades leaders. The irony is startling.
We can act today
We need systemic change – and shared commitment. The recent ConCOVE report (Construction & Infrastructure Centre of Vocational Excellence) made it clear: our current approach is fragmented, short-term, and doesn’t prioritise completion. These are all things we can address if we work together and start now. We’re not purporting to have all the answers, but we know the strength of an industry pulling together.
1. Give long-term certainty to policy
We need secure, bipartisan support for apprenticeship incentives that outlast election cycles.
“We’ve seen this cycle before. Look at the original Māori Trades Training Scheme. When political priorities shift, programmes get cut or restructured, and we lose the institutional knowledge and relationships that took years to build. Our employers remember that uncertainty, and it makes them hesitant to invest deeply in training pathways,” says Sefuiva.
2. Commit as big employers
Larger firms working on long-term infrastructure projects are uniquely positioned to lead. They should be incentivised to take on apprentices and invest in training — and many are.
At Ventia, their size is their strength when it comes to growing talent. The company is big enough to hire groups of new ‘tradies’ together.
“Most MPTT candidates come to Ventia as a cohort. They learn and grow together, and they have peers who understand where they’re at,” says Ricky Steedman, Kaitohutohu Māori and Strategic Relationships Manager.
“If you start out with Ventia, you’ll have the opportunity to go through a whole range of industries and roles if you want to. For example, you could start in transport, go into a team lead role and transition across to other management positions in other sectors.”
3. Strengthen employer-education partnerships
The best outcomes come from partnerships when employers, educators, and support providers work together with aligned expectations and accountability.
“We also need to fund small employers in ways that make taking on apprentices a viable and supported option rather than a risk. New Zealand’s construction sector is overwhelmingly made up of small firms — 97%, and most apprenticeship opportunities inevitably sit with them.
“Targeted support can turn that from a risk into a viable, well-supported pathway,” says Sefuiva.
Consistent investment and support for Maori and Pasifika ownership and vocational education providers, employers and others involved in the VET system is vital. A Maori and Pasifika “centric” approach not only works for everyone, it is the best way to ensure no-one is left behind.
4. Invest in completions, not just starts
Much of our system incentivises participation. But what good is an entry without a finish line? Apprenticeship completion rates in Aotearoa range from 39% to 58%. We’re far behind countries like Germany and Ireland, where the rates range from 65% to 75%. This needs to change.
5. Ensure equity in outcomes
Let’s not overlook who is most affected by the ‘leaky pipe’ of apprenticeships. The systemic issues impact all learners, but they fall heaviest on Māori and Pasifika youth who are statistically more likely to face financial hardship, live in multigenerational households, and need to earn while they learn. That doesn’t mean they’re less capable. But it does mean they need a system that meets them where they are.
We must value completion as much as enrolment — and provide support, pastoral care, and employer training that reflects that.
Sefuiva explains, “Completing an apprenticeship creates lasting benefits for both the trainee and the industry. With those qualifications comes endorsement of their skills and real pride. It gives them options for their future and something to build on.
“From the industry perspective, every apprentice who completes brings fresh capability to the workforce. Apprenticeship opportunities support ongoing business success and help safeguard the future of trades in our communities. They help us make sure there are enough skilled people for our future.”
Now is the time for leadership
Who is responsible? Is it the government’s job? Employers? Industry bodies? The answer is all of us. But who will take the lead?
Sefuiva says, “We’re doing our part. But a young person’s future can’t depend on timing the economic cycle right. If we want to grow a skilled workforce, we need to grow it purposefully.”
Are you ready?
As employers, for Aotearoa New Zealand, and certainly for Māori and Pasifika rangatahi, we need to stop thinking short-term. Now is the time to start building the workforce we want in five, ten, and twenty years. At MPTT, we think this means working together across government, training, and industry to build clear, connected, and culturally responsive pathways. A collaborative pathway has already proven its worth in getting people interested and trained for the trades. Now let’s talk about getting them working.
If you’re an employer, policymaker, or part of the vocational education system, let’s talk.
Is your organisation facing these challenges? Have you found solutions that are working?
It’s time to build a system that delivers for everyone — industry, employers, and our future Māori and Pasifika tradespeople.
Meet the people waiting in the wings
Eseta, Jazlin, Jonah and Loma are real MPTT graduates whose futures are on hold, not for lack of motivation, but because the next step — the apprenticeship — remains out of reach. We’re sharing their stories to show the human face of the issues we’ve discussed. If you’re an employer, you could be the one to unlock that potential.
Eseta Lafaele is known for being one of the most engaged students in her cohort while studying Level 3 Construction – Carpentry at MIT. She’s taken every opportunity to connect with the industry and build her work readiness skills. Although she has worked as an assistant accountant for several years, she loves working with her hands and is passionate about becoming a licensed builder.
Skills:
- Safe work practices and meeting compliance requirements
- Effective communications with colleagues and customers
- Specs and drawings for construction projects
- Simple calculations for construction work
- Understanding of basic building materials and technology
- Carpentry and building construction, and installation processes and techniques
- Delivering work in a project environment
Eseta says constant knockbacks are disheartening, but she maintains her motivation. “I’m now doing the level four qualification, and I’m also doing a lot of carpentry work at home to practise my skills.
“Most ads are looking for people with experience. But we all have to start from the very bottom and work our way up. If an employer can give someone like me the opportunity to learn, we will grow and be able to offer so much.”
Jonah Leota is a Level 3 Construction Carpentry graduate who stands out as a dedicated worker and genuine leader.
While completing his pre-trades training at NZMA, he was elected to be Class Rep by his peers. He also led his class project team with a humble and inclusive approach. He’s eager to take any learning opportunity and takes the initiative to grow or look for opportunities. His attendance was consistent, and tutors found he’d often go out of his way to help them.
The results he’s gained in the classroom and with practical skills show his attitude and industriousness have paid off.
In looking for an apprenticeship, Jonah has brought the same effort and focus. He keeps in touch with tutors about any building roles and also seeks feedback and improvements for his CV. In October 2024, his course finished. He went door-knocking and applied for many apprenticeship roles. He’s found some labouring work from time to time, but his dream of being a builder is gradually fading.
Skills:
- Communication and timekeeping
- Reading project specs and plans
- Basic building calculations
- Core construction skills
- Best practice health and safety
Jazlin Bing is highly qualified and capable. Her employer will be delighted to snap her up; she just needs a shot. Jazlin has pre-trade training in both Automotive Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. She wants to become a mechanic and work on light vehicles, bringing a unique breadth of skills.
Skills:
- Knowledge of compliance and regulation
- Engine maintenance and driveline systems
- Operation and minor repairs on electric and electronic vehicle systems
- Maintenance of steering, suspension and brakes
- Steel, stainless steel and aluminium welding
- Steel cutting, forming and pipe bending
- Operation of industrial-sized lathes, milling machines and drilling machines
As her studies near their end, Jazlin has been door-knocking and applying online for an apprenticeship role – she’s applied for more than 50 jobs.
“Almost all my friends are in very similar positions. The only person I know who has found a job was through pure luck; she went door-knocking and chanced upon a place that was going to advertise the next day. I just need my chance to prove myself.”
Apisaloma (Loma) Henry is an engaged and eager learner who’s quick to pick up new skills. His pre-trade training in Level 3 Electrical Engineering has revealed his strong practical aptitude.
In October, he’ll graduate from NZMA. However, he’s already work-ready with a solid work history behind him. Apisaloma worked for years in printing, but has gathered experience in labouring that has included everything from asbestos removal and demolition work to scaffolding.
He’ll be an asset to the team he joins. He’s never afraid to ask questions and keeps an eye out for where his help is needed.
Apisaloma has the maturity of a new father, and he takes his responsibilities seriously. He’s driven to support his family and start saving for a house by building his electrical career. So far, he’s spent plenty of time cold-calling and applying for apprentice roles.
Skills:
- Basic electrical theory and trade practice.
- Workplace safety
- Knowledge of NZ electricity supply.
- Basic practical skills required by electricians.
- Drawing and interpreting electrical diagrams.
- Knowledge of switchboards and electric motors
- Installation of cables and electrical equipment
- Electrical Testing and diagnosis