Where could a trade take you?
It is 'Got a Trade' Week, where a wide range of training and career opportunities in the trades and services industries are highlighted.
But why focus on raising awareness of the trades and services industries? Simply put, they are industries that we can’t afford to ignore. Overall, they account for 75% of all employment in New Zealand!
However, for various reasons, jobs in these industries don’t feature in the plans of many young people. At the same time, many young people go to university and gain qualifications that are not relevant to the jobs that they end up working in. A further 90,000 young Kiwis aged 15 to 24 years are not in employment, education or training.
The ‘Got a Trade? Got it Made!’ campaign presents a number of different trades and services occupations to young people to highlight the positive opportunities for young people in these areas.
Plumbing – a ticket to a Lamborghini
The broader construction sector is booming and this is expected to continue over the next four years with strong demand for a range of trades roles including plumbers. Infometrics forecasts that over 2,300 plumbers will be required between now and 2021 due to new job growth and people leaving their jobs (e.g. retiring).
The average plumber earned $57,000 in 2016, similar to the average of all workers. However, once a plumber receives a level 4 qualification and becomes trade qualified, the earning potential of plumbers can grow exponentially, as shown in the following video:
Automotive technicians – living life in the fast lane
When most people think about automotive technicians, they think of their local mechanic. But the world is fast changing and cars and trucks rely on fast changing technology. The automotive sector is forecast to require 13,000 people between now and 2021 due to new job growth and people leaving their jobs. Young people have strong pathways into the sector, and as the following video shows, it is a sector that allows people to combine their interests and strengths with a career where no two cars are the same.
The above are just two examples of the many trades and services industries that are being showcased as part of the Got a Trade week. For more information, visit the Got a Trade? Got it Made! website www.gotatrade.co.nz .
