‘Jobs with a Future’ link for cycleway

Contractors’ Federation urges ‘Jobs with a Future’ link for cycleway

The New Zealand Contractors’ Federation has urged the Government to ensure that a percentage of workers on the planned National Cycleway routes should be from WINZ beneficiary lists.

The federation is supporting the proposed Department of Work and Income ‘Jobs with a Future’ Scheme designed to move people off benefits and into permanent work in the civil construction industry.

Federation chief executive Jeremy Sole said that engaging ‘Jobs with a Future’ in the cycleway project would have immediate benefits in terms of creating jobs - as well as long term advantages, ensuring skilled staff to build the nation’s infrastructure.

“WINZ is proposing an excellent scheme which will include induction, training and mentoring for the individuals that it moves off welfare benefit,” said Mr Sole.

“However, at this stage the future of the initiative is in question because the impact of the recession means the civil construction industry in New Zealand cannot offer sufficient jobs to make it viable.

“Linking the cycleway construction with ‘Jobs with a Future’ would provide a platform of security that would enable the federation to take up this opportunity and to roll the programme out across the country and add at least another 100 jobs over and above those engaged in the cycleway.”

Mr Sole has also written to Prime Minister John Key urging the Government to put the cycleway construction out for open tender to experienced civil construction and general contracting firms – perhaps through the NZTA tendering process.

“We would also like to see a stipulation that a minimum number of staff placements on cycleway projects be from WINZ beneficiary lists,” he said.

“The country needs a strong civil construction and general contracting industry. Experienced contractor firms are able to impart core construction industry skills which can be directly translated to working in the wider infrastructure building and maintenance industry.

“As the economy picks up these businesses are likely to be in a position to offer permanent work to cycleway construction staff beyond the length of the construction project.”

ENDS

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