Nathaniel Lua was one of the first to complete the programme and had taken a job as a machine operator at APL Manufacturing. Photo: Supplied
The manufacturing industry and government have come up with a plan to address the chronic and increasing shortage of skilled staff with a programme described as recruitment speed dating.
The Earn as You Learn programme was trialed earlier this year by Waikato manufacturers, Advancing Manufacturing Aotearoa, WINTEC, the Waikato Engineering Careers Association and Workforce Development Council Hanga-Aro-Rau.
The industry employed 220,000 people across 23,000 firms and contributed 8 percent of GDP and 60 percent of the country's exports.
The initiative was developed to address New Zealand's worsening manufacturing skills shortage at a time when the manufacturing, engineering and logistics sectors were facing a projected shortfall of 157,000 workers over the next five years.
Hanga-Aro-Rau deputy chief executive Samantha McNaughton said the model worked because it combined the strengths of classroom learning with on-the-job training.
"This programme brings together the strengths of classroom learning and in-work training in a way that genuinely reflects what employers need.
"Learners gain a recognised qualification while being paid, and employers get to see how they perform in real workplaces, which creates a practical and scalable way to close the workforce gap," she said.
The 30-week model combined paid workplace rotations with classroom study, giving students two days a week at WINTEC's Rotokauri campus and three days in hands-on roles across some of the region's most advanced manufacturing firms.
Over the course of the programme, students rotate through three employers, gaining exposure to different production environments and technologies.
Employers said the training programme was expected to cut the costs of hiring staff, after delivering one of the highest completion and employment rates seen in the manufacturing sector.
APL Manufacturing general manager Howard Fountaine said one of the biggest surprises had been the calibre of people coming through the programme.
APL Manufacturing general manager Howard Fountaine. Photo: Supplied
"This is the closest thing to speed dating for recruitment. Instead of a half-hour interview, we get ten weeks with each learner, so the risk almost disappears because we already know how they work before offering them a job," he said.
"These kids have genuinely surprised us with their engagement, aptitude and on-the-job analysis, and some have come in well above what we would normally expect at entry level.
"Of the ten students we hosted, we would have hired nine if positions were available, and we even held vacancies open because the calibre coming through was so strong."
Of the 17 learners who met all course requirements, nine had secured full-time roles with their host companies.
A further two learners were already employed prior to joining the course.
"Two have already stepped straight into trainee leading hand roles, which shows the capability in this group. It is rare for a pilot to need almost no changes, but we may have got the recipe close to right because the structure has absolutely proved itself," Fountaine said.
Nathaniel Lua was one of the first to complete the programme and had taken a job as a machine operator at APL Manufacturing.
He said the company had already offered him leadership training, which was something he never imagined straight out of school.
"It showed me I could build a long-term career at home, stay close to my family and still aim high," he said.
Other employers had reported similar results, including Longveld Engineering, Hansa Products, Stainless Design and NZ Aero.
Fountaine said the success in Waikato had accelerated the national expansion of the initiative, with a regional steering group overseeing expansion to Lower Hutt, Canterbury and Auckland.
The goal was to grow graduate numbers from 17 in year one to between 100 and 150 by 2027.
Lower Hutt will run the programme next year, followed by Canterbury in 2027.
Exposure to industry-leading Waikato businesses also included Gallagher Group, ES Plastics, Stafford Engineering, Action Manufacturing, Loadscan and Supreme Stainless.
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