Trades industries are seeking young talent as they look towards the future of their businesses.
For 18-year-old Anton Overy, a week’s work experience at a local engineering company convinced him he wanted a career in engineering. The Aucklander is in his first year of a mechanical engineering apprenticeship at L & M Engineering in Stanmore Bay, Auckland.
Like many senior students, Anton was unsure on what he wanted to do once he finished school.
He heard about the apprenticeship from his careers’ office at school and was connected with the Competenz Careers team and Competenz account manager Raoul Britow, who approached L & M Engineering.
The opportunity to earn and learn played a big part in Anton’s decision to do an apprenticeship.
“I like working with my hands, and working with tools. Engineering is what I want to do. A lot of my friends have gone onto university to do law and commerce degrees. Uni just wasn’t for me,” Anton says.
In 2013 61% of the mechanical engineering workforce was aged 40 and over. Anton is an example of emerging young talent that is much needed in our trades industries.
Competenz, the industry training organisation (ITO) for New Zealand’s engineering and manufacturing industries, invests a significant amount of resources into promoting and educating schools and students about careers in the sectors we represent. Our careers team work with over 200 schools across the country and attend multiple career expos to promote careers in the trades.
We’re focussing on linking schools with industry to provide a career pathway for students, expanding our Gateway programmes from seven programmes to nine so more students can gain work experience, and providing opportunities for students to get excited about engineering through our Toolbox Challenge competition.
Our aim is to get more young people, like Anton, interested in a trades career. We’re working with your industries to ensure the future of our trades industries are in secure hands.
www.competenz.org.nz ; www.toolboxchallenge.co.nz
