Young jobseekers in the Coromandel are being supported into work in the construction industry, thanks to local and national organisations.
Harataunga Marae in Kennedy Bay, Coromandel, recently welcomed a group of local jobseekers for an event aiming to introduce young people to a career in the construction industry, put on by Te Ahi Kaa and in collaboration with HEB Construction and Site Safe.
Te Ahi Kaa is a Kaupapa Māori Social Service Centre that provides employment opportunities, training, support, and guidance to young, unemployed, and disadvantaged people and their families in the Upper Coromandel Peninsula.
“Supporting our targeted client base of hard to reach and predominantly Māori whānau is a commitment that Te Ahi Kaa has made to make a difference to them and their whānau,” says Te Ahi Kaa chairperson Erica Burke.
Through a partnership with HEB Construction, Te Ahi Kaa provides resources and pathways into employment in the construction industry and acts on their mission to provide education for life and encourage healthy relationships.
“HEB Construction has had a long-standing relationship with Te Ahi Kaa that dates back to 2009 with the building of the replacement for the Kopu Bridge,” says Daniel Benson, Supervisor at HEB Construction.
“In every new town we go to, we don’t just ‘build a bridge’ – we build a community by offering locals work and training. We source what we can locally, giving back to the community so they can grow.”
Site Safe Southern Regional Manager David Smallwood and Industry Engagement Lead Leanne Stoutley were inspired by their visit to Harataunga Marae, where they and local jobseekers were welcomed and treated to exceptional food and hospitality and heard about opportunities for training and work in the construction industry.
“We saw first-hand how Te Ahi Kaa and HEB Construction are deeply committed to the future of local communities and our workforce,” says Leanne.
“One of our key takeaways was witnessing the importance of collective responsibility for empowering our young adults at a community level.”
For HEB Construction, providing access to training that gives workers the knowledge to stay safe onsite is an important step in ensuring they can continue working and supporting their families and communities.
“We are a family – if we lose someone, we lose a family member, so training and competence is key to keeping everyone safe,” says Daniel.
“All our workers do a Site Safe course before coming onto a site, and then do refreshers after that. None of our equipment is small, it will hurt or kill without proper training.”
Partnering with organisations such as Site Safe allow for Te Ahi Kaa and HEB Construction to tap into resources that already exist, further improving their services to their clients and resulting in a safer and more skilled workforce.
“Site Safe understands that safety is a fundamental part of any job,” says Leanne. “We’re committed to ensuring that young adults entering the industry have the knowledge and skills they need to work safely and get home to their whānau at the end of each day.”
Site Safe are looking forward to continuing to support Te Ahi Kaa and the work they do for their community. Site Safe and Te Ahi Kaa will be at the Coromandel Citizens Hall on Monday 30 October from 11:30am to promote the Zero Harm health and safety app and the Getting Work Ready programme.
For more information, visit https://zeroharmcoromandel.eventbrite.co.nz
