Northpower powering on with apprenticeship drive

Northpower is reporting strong progress in the recruitment and training of apprentices for the electricity sector.

Northpower has long been an advocate for developing talent – women and men – for the electricity sector to help address an ongoing skills shortage.

In late 2020 the company received a significant boost when it was granted $1.5 million under the Regional Apprenticeship Initiative (RAI), to help bring 40 people into the electricity sector by the end of 2022.

Northpower covers the remainder of the programme costs (around 70 per cent) during the two year RAI and provides electricity trade jobs for the successful cadets.

The company also continues to recruit through iwi connections, with a high percentage of Maori representation. Northpower remains focussed on prioritising Maori and Pasifika employees, along with Covid and other displaced workers, including those who have undertaken pre-trades training and are looking for work.

However, the programme will be open to all other workers (including existing employees interested in apprenticeships) when this demand has been met – adding to the diversity of Northpower’s workforce.

For Northpower training manager Mackenzie Ashby, the funding was an exciting opportunity to develop a sustainable training model to continue developing qualified employees within the workforce. And that started with the appointment of apprentices in Northland.

“Ultimately this funding allows Northpower to contribute back into the communities within the regions we work in and where our crews are on call 24/7 to keep the power on and keep people safe.

“It is really satisfying seeing people on this journey – they carry such a sense of pride and are adding to our culture while contributing to helping grow our business.”

Northpower already has 13 apprentices progressing well under the RAI – two in Rotorua (with two more trainee Electrical Engineering Technicians to be appointed soon), two in Tauranga, one in Hamilton, three in Warkworth and five at the company’s head office in Whangarei.

The Regional Apprentice Project (MBIE contract) supports Northpower to employ trainees in nine of its depots across the North Island. A distribution line mechanic is about to join the Maungaturoto depot while two distribution line mechanics will begin in Matamata shortly. Other Northpower depots to be served by the scheme are Dargaville and Paraparaumu, says Ashby.

“We have a lot of work to do over the next 18-months and we are very excited about the end success of this programme. Our aim is to continue working with Government and other partners to ensure this talent develop continues beyond 2022 and is sustainable for many years beyond that time.

People Potential has been working collaboratively with Northpower helping develop apprentices since 2018, with the first cadetship programme running from Whangarei in 2019.

“Having worked alongside Northpower for many years, it is nice to be able to give more people a chance to embark on careers they might not have otherwise had the chance to,” says People Potential’s Academic Director Bronwyn Ronayne.

People Potential is a Category One provider with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and has a significant history in working successfully in this type of education provision.

“I love the fact that the cadets actually gain a qualification before they even start with Northpower,” says Ronayne.

“It gives them a set of skills that are useful in the Electricity Supply industry, and also ensures there is time to embed the other important life skills they are learning, with a genuine career opportunity at the end of the programme.

“We have been thrilled to be involved in a programme that is making a real difference.”

n Want to know more? Contact Mackenzie Ashby (Northpower) mackenzie.ashby@northpower.com, or Bronwyn Ronayne (People Potential) bronwynr@peoplepotential.co.nz

“Ultimately this funding allows Northpower to contribute back into the communities within the regions we work in…”

- Mackenzie Ashby, Northpower