Mature students, later life learners, ‘Second Chance Charlies’, there are plenty of terms applied to those who choose to pick up new skills and career pathways later in life than the post-school norm.
For many, the Building, Construction and Allied Trades Skills (BCATS) programme, which provides learning resources and assessment opportunities to support later life learners, has provided a welcome, path-changing boost.
A mix of theory blended with on-the-job practical learning, BCATS is a collaboration between community initiatives and BCITO, Te Pūkenga, which develops programmes tailored to need. Local initiatives approach BCITO, often through the Ministry of Social Development, for support and resources. BCITO then equips these initiatives with the resources that support the learners to be able to move forward with employment.
The programme was set up with funding from the Ministry of Social Development to provide more support for people who had little work experience on their CV, to help them in their search for work. BCITO tailored the standards for the programme.
Firstly, the learners were evaluated so that the unit standards would meet their specific needs, time was then spent analysing which learning approaches would be best suited. Six standards were then developed, which included workshop-based projects to provide the appropriate skills, which would be recognised under a formal qualification.
Paul McDowall is a Kaitohutohu Māori, a Māori learning advisor who has been directly involved with ‘Building Futures’ project. He highlighted how these short duration programmes benefit those transitioning into the construction industry.
“The collaboration between BCITO and ‘Building Futures’ has been really beneficial for the learners in the community, as it’s provided opportunities for people who perhaps weren’t suited to the traditional school system,” Paul says. “We’re able to give them the confidence to apply themselves and learn valuable skills that lead to employment.”
BCITO’s Implementation and Transition Manager, Mark Chalmers, has been key to several initiatives.
"The collaboration between BCITO and ‘Building Futures’ has been really beneficial for the learners in the community, as it’s provided opportunities for people who perhaps weren’t suited to the traditional school system."
It is a widely held belief across the sector that Aotearoa New Zealand needs more people to upskill and grow their knowledge to create much-needed quality homes and infrastructure. Giving opportunities to later life learners and career changers is one strand that can be woven into the bigger picture of making a richer, better resourced Kiwi construction industry.
