78 | Work experience for Ashburton students T from page 76 Geoff Read Ltd Ashburton ITM - Proudly supplying Geoff Read with building materials 5 RANGE STREET, ASHBURTON | 03 307 0412 WWW.ITM.CO.NZ ASHBURTON “We’ll see you right” 027 282 8909 | www.ashpainters.org | info@ashpainters.co.nz Interior and exterior prep & painting • Gib-stopping • Wallpapering Water-blasting • Liquid lead paint removal • Silicon sealing • Roofs You name it, we can do it! CONSTRUCTION Reaching New Heights Contact us: 027 419 2554 | Email: ashburtoncranes2015@gmail.com 76 Bremners Road, Ashburton | Visit our website: www.ashburtoncranehire.co.nz Phone: 03 983 5500 waterfordpress.co.nz Your Business, Your Industry, Your News. DO OUR READERS KNOW YOU EXIST? Rural construction is a major income stream for Geoff Read Ltd. A dedicated joinery factory using CNC technology produces kitchens, wardrobes and laundry cabinetry as well as bespoke items such as solid wood vanities, and staircases. “We also work with Ashburton College and Mount Hutt College, giving students the opportunity for work experience a couple of days a term so that they can get a feel for what we do and the industry.” “Including everyone in the office, we have a staff of about thirty and tend to self-perform as many items on the projects as possible, allowing us to keep control of the quality and finish as well as offer our employees a broad range of experiences and skills. “ Other than the standard subtrades of painting, plastering, plumbing and electrical we try to do everything. For example, we draw up the timber frames and we have a big shed in which they are built. We place the concrete, hang the gib board and put the roof on.” Lachlan says with the high demand for construction services, the current labour market is extremely tight and it can be very difficult to hire experienced staff. “Generally our approach has been to employ school leavers looking to make a career of carpentry or joinery. “We take them on as apprentices and train them on the job. It’s important that the construction industry is seen as a place where you can have an exciting career, to attract more people into the industry. “It is good to see that the Government is supporting industry with the Apprenticeship Boost programme. We also work with Ashburton College and Mount Hutt College, giving students the opportunity for work experience a couple of days a term so that they can get a feel for what we do and the industry.” Initiatives from the government such Work & Income’s Apprenticeship Boost which provides employers with a payment to help employers take on new apprentices, play a very important role in assisting industry to take on new people with no previous experience, says Lachlan. The Boost initiative was introduced to assist employers of first and second year apprentices, while the economy recovered from the effects of COVID-19. First year apprentices qualified for $1000 a month, while second year apprentices qualify for $500 a month. The initiative ends in December 2023. “It can take someone six to twelve months experience on the job in the construction industry to pick up enough skills to be proficient. “When the minimum wage is so high, the Boost program helps employers bridge this gap and enable the hourly charge-out rate to be discounted.” Reflecting on what have been the cornerstones of successful operation over the last sixty years, Lachlan says it has been about diversification in a broad range of projects, along with the Geoff Read team. “If we were not able to go from building a high-end architectural home to a large warehouse and complete the work to a very high quality then it would be difficult to maintain a consistent workflow in a smaller market outside of the main centres.” A virtuous circle; Geoff Read’s diversity of projects, including design and build, continually feeds the diversity of skills of its team, which feeds the quality and scope of work undertaken.
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