Master Builders NZ and Builders Academy NZ announce joint venture
This significant partnership marks a step towards developing a more robust and skilled workforce and offering more choice for aspiring carpentry apprentices in Aotearoa.
Registered Master Builders New Zealand and Builders Academy New Zealand (Builders Academy) today announce a newly formed joint venture aimed at lifting the quality and accessibility of vocational education to support a better built New Zealand. This significant partnership marks a step towards developing a more robust and skilled workforce and offering more choice for aspiring carpentry apprentices.
As the sector continues to focus on building a strong, highly skilled future workforce, both organisations recognised that industry involvement is critical to successful vocational training and a thriving construction sector workforce.
Master Builders’ CE David Kelly says, “During a time when we are training more apprentices than ever before, choice of education providers is extremely important. Our partnership with Builders Academy reflects our commitment to providing more choice and greater industry involvement when it comes to training and talent development. Working closely with Builders Academy is an opportunity for our members to help shape how we train our apprentices to best suit the needs of our sector.”
The partnership is founded on a shared vision for inclusive vocational education and training. General Manager of Builders Academy, Glenn Duncan explains its industry-led approach and deep understanding of the needs of building and construction employers. "We believe that industry involvement is pivotal to successful vocational training. This is part of our DNA – Builders Academy is laser focused on lifting the standards of the industry and optimising learning outcomes. From our Board down, we are focused on listening to, and serving the building and construction sector. This comes through in our approach to education that has been developed with builders in mind. As we continue to expand across New Zealand, having a partnership with Registered Master Builders is central to our growth. We want to make sure that we are delivering in a way that suits and supports Kiwi builders.”
As Master Builders widens its support across the vocational training network, it will continue to work with other workplace learning providers.
Builders Academy is part of UP Education, the leading independent vocational training provider in New Zealand with a 30+ year track record across a range of different education sectors such as tourism, early childhood education, health and hospitality. Now turning its focus to the building and construction industry, UP Education aims to drive an industry leading education service for carpentry apprentices.
Builders Academy is built around providing best in class service to apprentices and employers, with a minimum of six site visits per year per apprentice, a favourable apprentice-to-trainer ratio, additional pastoral care and learner support services to enhance the overall learner experience.
Builders Academy now operates nationwide with over 50 workplace educators and over 800 apprentices on its books and is encouraging more to sign on with a fee waiver for sign-ups before 30 June 2024.
As Master Builders widens its support across the vocational training network, it will continue work with other workplace learning providers in the vocational training network.
ENDS
About Registered Master Builders:
Registered Master Builders Association (RMBA) is the leading building membership association in New Zealand, representing more than 3,000 building companies across the commercial and residential sectors.
Our members have been building the foundations of this country, its homes, and workplaces for over 100 years. We are the voice of the building and construction industry. We represent quality-built environments where we live, work and play.
https://www.masterbuilder.org.nz/
About Builders Academy New Zealand:
Builders Academy is a modern on-site apprenticeship partner that works with you to build dependable, resilient professionals in carpentry. Since 2019, Builders Academy has supported construction employers to guide & inspire apprentices as they journey to become qualified carpenters.
With the construction industry grappling with skills shortages and an ageing workforce, it’s crucial we train new tradespeople to ensure sustained productivity. Builders Academy operates nationwide with over 50 workplace assessment educators providing workplace training to over 750 apprentices each year.
Builders Academy is part of UP Education,a leading independent tertiary education provider in New Zealand with unrivalled scale, and a strong Australian presence.UP Education’s independent colleges span hundreds of programmes, with an unwavering focus on delivering exceptional educational outcomes and sustainable employment for its diverse learners.