Skills Group is taking proactive steps to support New Zealand’s future trades workforce as apprenticeship numbers in key sectors decline.
Skills Group’s own data shows Electrical Level 4 apprentice enrolments have fallen by around 16% between December 2023 and June 2025, while plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying Level 4 enrolments are down 8% over the same period - reflecting the impact of the construction slow-down and rising unemployment.
Skills Group Director of Trades School Di Lithgow says the organisation is responding with targeted, long-term solutions that aim to stabilise and future-proof the trades training system.
“The numbers show pressure on the pipeline but they also show why our recent investments matter,” says Lithgow.
“As a provider with national scale, a substantial campus footprint and the ability to deliver training anywhere in New Zealand, we have the flexibility to respond quickly to shifts in demand. That’s why we’ve invested in new facilities in Highbrook, Dunedin, Christchurch and soon Hamilton - this infrastructure positions us to meet workforce needs as they change.”
Among Skills Group’s recent initiatives are a $4.5 million purpose-built campus in Highbrook, Auckland which was opened to support electrical trades. New campuses in Christchurch and Dunedin have expanded access in key regions, while a Hamilton campus is currently in development, alongside a planned move to larger premises in Wellington.
Lithgow says pre-trade training is now playing a critical role in maintaining a strong pipeline of skilled workers particularly in electrical.
“In response to strong learner demand throughout the year, we recently introduced a six-month pre-trade electrical programme. This is another way we’re making effective use of our campus facilities to provide learners with a fast, practical pathway into apprenticeships.”
The introduction of short course and micro-credential options, including in emerging areas like solar energy systems, is also helping tradespeople upskill faster and more flexibly.
In parallel, Skills Group is working with schools, employers and industry to promote trades pathways and make them more accessible to younger learners and career changers.
“We’re not standing still. We’re redesigning how trade education works to meet the needs of both learners and the economy,” says Lithgow.
“Every facility we build, every micro course we launch, every new partnership we forge is part of the solution.”
Skills Group is calling for continued industry engagement that supports sustained apprentice training during economic slowdowns when dropout risk is highest.
“If we wait until demand surges again, we’ll be too late,” says Lithgow.
“The work we do now will shape whether New Zealand has the skilled workers it needs tomorrow.”
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