Addressing challenges in New Zealand’s construction and infrastructure apprenticeship support system: insights from policy analysis

Enrollment in construction and infrastructure apprenticeships in New Zealand has not kept up with demand, and completion rates are low by international standards. The Construction and Infrastructure Centre of Vocational Excellence (ConCOVE) commissioned a study into what improvements are required, focussed on public policy settings and government funding of apprenticeship support programs. The mixed-methods research approach included document and literature review, data analysis, international comparison, interviews with 38 stakeholders and interviews and focus groups with eight apprentices and six employers. Eight critical areas requiring intervention were identified: overlapping policy initiatives prioritizing participation over completion, persistent apprentice financial barriers, inconsistent pastoral care delivery, variable employer training quality, misaligned economic and financial incentives, fragmented apprenticeship resources, poor role clarity between government, employers, and training providers, and unclear national strategic direction of apprenticeships. Recommendations offered aim to improve system efficiency and ensure the system better delivers for employers, learners, and national labor productivity.