PRESS RELEASE
08.11.2011
Unitec
Unitec to offer more student places in building trades next year
New Zealand’s largest provider of construction and trade training, Unitec, has announced plans to significantly boost
student places in 2012 – welcome news for an economy in need of a growing construction workforce.
Unitec will offer 34% more student places across a range of construction, civil engineering and trade programmes at Post
Graduate, Bachelor, Diploma and Certificate levels next year (1).
Over a thousand additional students will have the opportunity to take up training opportunities in construction, civil
engineering, carpentry, electrical engineering, plumbing and gasfitting and quantity surveying.
Interest in trade, construction and civil engineering training among students has been strong recently. Enrolments on
courses starting in August have shown an increase of more than 30% on 2010 second semester student numbers.
“The recovery of Christchurch and the growth of the national economy is dependant on companies having access to
qualified staff who can get construction projects off the ground,” says David Nummy, Executive Dean of Unitec’s Faculty
of Technology and Built Environment.
“As New Zealand’s largest construction and trade training provider we have a leading role to play in boosting and
upskilling the construction workforce.”
In August Unitec opened a new Northern Campus at Albany which offers a number of trade and other programmes. 18 year old
Paul Garland is one of the Northern Campus’ new students and is completing a Certificate in Multiskill Building
Construction. Paul plans to enrol in Unitec's Certificate in Applied Technology in Carpentry next and then complete an
apprenticeship. "I really enjoy building and I think the construction industry is a good career option. I would like to
eventually set up my own business," he says.
From March 2012 additional places in a number of programmes will be available to students. Unitec will also offer a new
Graduate Diploma in Construction Project Management, making it the first tertiary education provider in Auckland to
offer this level of qualification.
The Diploma is targeted at people working in the construction industry who want to move into a project management role.
It provides students with the skills to solve complex problems in a construction environment and provide leadership in a
team environment.
"Although the course doesn't commence for another six months, there has been very strong interest from prospective
students already," says Mr Nummy.
The Government sponsored draft Built Environment Skills Strategy, released in July, highlights the need to develop
management training in the construction sector. The Strategy's objective is to support an increase in productivity in
the construction sector by 20% by 2020.
"We have received very strong support from the construction sector for the establishment of the Graduate Diploma
programme. There is a strong demand for individuals with construction project management skills, both because of the
scale of rebuilding required in Christchurch and here in Auckland as new infrastructure is developed and remedial work
continues to fix leaky buildings," says Mr Nummy.
This October Unitec will also offer additional Carpentry and Eletrotechnology programmes to enable a greater number of
students to gain trade qualifications. Information about courses is available online at www.unitec.ac.nz.
Notes to Editors
(1) Currently approximately 1,770 equivalent full time students (EFTS) study construction, civil engineering and
trades programmes at Unitec. In 2012, Unitec has announced plans to offer 2,378 EFTS places in these disciplines. The
actual number of students enrolled at Unitec studying these programmes is much higher, with over 5,500 students enrolled
in programmes at the Faculty of Technology and Built Environment. Many students combine part time study with work.