The future of New Zealand’s electrical industry depends on the new generation of skilled workers. With growing demand in both residential and industrial sectors, it is essential to nurture and support the upcoming talent pool of electricians. At Aotea Electric Canterbury, we firmly believe that investing in apprenticeships is the key to ensuring the sustainability of our industry and addressing future skill shortages.
This means not only offering quality training but also providing our apprentices with a fair and liveable wage, ensuring they stay committed to their trade.
Why Apprenticeships Are Crucial for Our Industry
The electrical industry in New Zealand relies heavily on experienced tradespeople to deliver high-quality work. However, without proper succession planning and investment in the next generation, there is a real risk that we will face a significant skills gap in the years to come.
Training an apprentice is more than just passing on technical skills; it’s about fostering loyalty, building a company culture, and instilling values that shape the way apprentices approach their work. Apprentices who learn from seasoned professionals within their company develop an understanding of how their employer operates and can contribute to increasing efficiency and reducing rework. By training apprentices through training providers, such as Electrical Training Company (ETCO), we help pave the way for a well-trained, motivated workforce that will carry the industry forward.
At Aotea Electric Canterbury, we support between 20 and 30 apprentices every year, understanding the importance of investing in the future of our business and the industry as a whole.
The Living Wage: Keeping Apprentices Committed
One of the biggest challenges we face as an industry is retaining apprentices long enough for them to become skilled tradespeople. Many apprentices are paid below a living wage, often receiving a ‘training wage’ that is less than what they could earn in other entry-level jobs. Unfortunately, this disparity in earnings causes some apprentices to leave the trade, as they see their friends earning more at fast-food chains like McDonald’s, while they struggle to make ends meet.
At Aotea Electric Canterbury, we believe in paying our apprentices the living wage—not just a training wage. By doing this, we ensure that our apprentices feel valued, and we retain their skills long enough for them to see the bigger picture and the long-term benefits of their career. Offering fair pay isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s an investment in the future of our business and the industry.
The Importance of the Master Electricians Apprentice Challenge
We also encourage our apprentices to participate in the Master Electricians Apprentice Challenge every year, a competition that allows them to put their skills to the test in a high-pressure environment. With Domestic/Commercial and Industrial categories, apprentices from across New Zealand compete for the esteemed title of New Zealand’s Top Electrical Apprentice in each of the categories mentioned above.
This competition is more than just a challenge—it’s an educational experience. Apprentices get the opportunity to showcase their skills, try tasks they may not have encountered yet, they learn more about Health & Safety practices, initiative, and professionalism. Plus, the chance to compete at a national level, with awesome prizes and recognition this adds motivation and pride to their work. We’re proud to say that in 2023, Aotea Electric Canterbury’s very own Jack Norris won the Domestic/Commercial Apprentice of the Year title, a testament to the hard work and dedication of both Jack and our team. In 2024 we came first, second and third in the regional Domestic Commercial competition: 1st – Andy Cowan; 2nd – William Brownlie; 3rd – Ethan Ellis
Tim Kennedy and David Moon, two of our managers, have also been heavily involved in judging and organising the local and national competitions. Their dedication to the competition highlights our commitment to encouraging the growth and development of apprentices in the electrical industry.
Tim Kennedy interviewing Kieran Read at the Master Electrician’s Canterbury & Westland branch dinner at Wigram Airforce museum, held after the local ME Apprenticeship Challenge.
How the Apprenticeship Program Works
As an employer, we’ll provide the hands-on training onsite while a training provider delivers the resources, assessments, and off-job training courses to ensure apprentices meet industry standards.
Through this model, you can expand and grow your business by adding extra hands, secure your company’s future with loyal employees, and give back to the industry that has supported you by ensuring its sustainability.
Aotea Electric Canterbury Apprentices, Lea Tahapehi and Daniel Lovegrove being interviewed by ITVNZ at the 2024 Master Electrician Apprentice Challenge
Hosting an Apprentice with a Training Provider
Due to our fluctuating workloads, we often also utilise ETCO apprentices that are employed by ETCO and we become their apprentice’s host company. As a host employer, the provider manages the employment, onboarding process and their on and off job units. This partnership ensures that apprentices receive the support they need while gaining valuable hands-on experience within our company.
Conclusion
At Aotea Electric Canterbury, we believe in playing the long game. Supporting apprentices through proper training, paying a living wage, and encouraging them to participate in competitions like the Master Electricians Apprentice Challenge are vital steps in ensuring the sustainability of New Zealand’s electrical industry. By investing in apprenticeships, we’re not just securing the future of our business—we’re safeguarding the future of our industry as a whole.
Let’s build the future of the electrical trade together, one apprentice at a time.