As of 1 November 2024, New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi no longer registers some TTM warrants, as part of a shift to the new risk-based approach to TTM outlined in the NZ Guide to Temporary Traffic Management (NZGTTM).

Existing TTM warrants gained up to and including 31 October 2024, remain valid and recognised and stay on the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi TTM warranted workers database.

Some workers may wish to recognise their warrants against the unit standards by applying for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). This simply recognises that the TTM specialist already has met the skills and knowledge required by the unit standards.

The new RPL process needs to be completed by an NZQA-approved provider. Connexis is encouraging assessors working with TTM specialists interested in taking up the RPL, to direct them to the TTM page on the Connexis website to get started.

Find out more:

Apply for TTM recognition of prior learning

Read more about Waihanga Ara Rau’s retirement of prerequisite unit standards

Read more about the new NZQA-approved changes to TTM micro-credentials

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Temporary Traffic Management (TTM) is a core skill requirement affecting almost any infrastructure project, whether it is building new roads, or maintaining the country’s energy, water and telecommunications networks.

The micro-credential, which is aimed at those who design, plan and develop TTM ensuring safe outcomes for activities conducted in or impacting the road corridor, is the first of a new suite of micro-credentials to be rolled out in the coming months, all of which have been developed to meet a new risk-based approach to TTM as outlined in the NZTA Waka Kotahi New Zealand Guide to Temporary Traffic Management (NZGTTM).

Connexis Executive Director Kaarin Gaukrodger says the training programme for the micro-credential is aimed at staff who have a health and safety role or responsibility, which is critical to keeping workers as well as the public safe.

“At Connexis we are excited to be a part of implementing this new approach to traffic safety,” Gaukrodger says.

The Temporary Traffic Management Risk Assessment (Level 4, 15 credits) micro-credential contains two unit standards that must be achieved before it is awarded:

• 33252 Describe the principles and process for managing risk for an activity requiring temporary traffic management (Level 4, credit 5)
  
  
• 33253 Complete a risk assessment for an activity requiring temporary traffic management (Level 4, credit 10)

For more details on industry changes to the delivery of TTM training, and the new Temporary Traffic Management Risk Assessment (Level 4) micro-credential, please visit the TTM page on our website or contact a Customer Service Account Manager near you.

Image credit: Danny Wood, NZTA

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For much of the past seven months many of you, across civil, energy, telecommunications, and water, have been actively engaged in helping your communities rebuild, repair and recover after what has, at times, seemed like a continual series of weather events.

Thank you for all your hard work through the first half of 2023 and the critical role you have played for all New Zealanders, ensuring power and communications are reconnected, key roading routes are repaired and water systems are protected in the wake of often devastating storms.

As we are now over halfway through the year, it’s a perfect time to refocus on yourself, your goals and what your hopes were when you started your training journey with us. It’s a good time to recommit to those goals and if required, reset your weekly routine to ensure you are spending some time each week progressing your training programme. It’s the little effort made regularly that will make your training journey enjoyable and successful. Remember, if you are struggling and need some support, please do speak to your Connexis account manager.

If you need personal support outside of your training whether that be in terms of relationships, finances or any other issue that may be holding you back, all learners of Connexis have access to free support through Vitae. We do invite you to use this service anytime you may require by calling 0508 664 981 or visiting vitae.co.nz.

Visibility over the vital work you and your teams carry out is an extremely important part of attracting more workers into infrastructure careers and building a highly skilled local workforce.

At Connexis | Te Pūkenga, we have been working to amplify the visibility of your industry by showcasing the individual like yourself and businesses taking on that crucial rebuild work.

To attract more people to the industry, we are highlighting the skills and expertise involved, and the opportunities available to train in roles that support local communities, not just in times of crisis, but every day.

A huge thanks to those who have put their hand up to work with us on amplifying the industry, sharing stories about your success, your career and showcasing what your teams are doing for your community. If you are keen to share your story or your teams then do feel free to contact our marketing team on marketing@connexis.org.nz.

This year we once again worked with employers and schools to run our Girls with Hi-Vis® month in June.  This year’s event was a huge success with close to 620 female students from 69 schools – including a large number of schools involved for the first time – attending over 30 events hosted by more than 20 employers around the country to experience infrastructure jobs first-hand. This year, for the first time, we also partnered with other training providers such as the specialist trades managed by EarnLearn (showcasing scaffolding, electrical and plumbing) and BCITO to extend the scheme beyond infrastructure.

As we look to the second half of 2023, we are excited to be taking the Annual Connection event for the energy sector to a new region. This year’s three-day programme of line mechanic and cable jointer competitions, and the Excellence awards, recognising the country’s best trainees, will be hosted by PowerNet in Invercargill.

It is shaping up to be one of our biggest events yet, with teams and individuals registered from around the country. It’s another fitting celebration of industry best-practice and the skills embedded in our infrastructure workforce, as well as the perfect platform to showcase career opportunities. If you are down in Invercargill between 19 and 21 September you are more than welcome to drop into Donovan Park and see the action for yourself.

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This programme aims to give current leaders and supervisors the opportunity to develop their leadership and operational skills, to make work better for all on construction sites.

Learn more and apply today at https://www.chasnz.org/leadon 

Applications close 20 June 2023.

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Apprenticeship Boost is a payment made to employers to help them keep and take on new apprentices. 

Connexis Executive Director Kaarin Gaukrodger says the extension is welcome news. “New Zealand is facing a significant infrastructure deficit. Apprenticeship Boost provides much-needed support to employers, who continue to face increased supply costs, to continue to invest in upskilling the workforce through taking on and retaining apprentices.” 

Peter Winder, Tumuaki | Chief Executive of Te Pūkenga New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology, says the extension “will be warmly welcomed by learners and employers, and contribute to meeting national skills needs.” 

What is Apprenticeship Boost 

• Apprenticeship Boost provides employers with subsidies to support their first and second-year apprentices while they work towards a qualification. 
• The payment is made directly to employers. It means apprentices can keep earning while training towards their qualifications. 

• Employers can get $500 a month, per apprentice, not including GST.  
• It is available for a maximum of 24 months per apprentice or until the initiative ends in December 2024. 

To find out more about Apprenticeship Boost or to apply for the scheme, visit the Work and Income website: https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/employers/subsidies-training-and-other-help/apprenticeship-boost/index.html 

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The creation of this fund was made possible thanks to a grant from the Infrastructure Education & Training Charitable Trust (IETCT) setup by Connexis ITO on transitioning into Te Pūkenga. The Financial Assistance Fund is to support learners that are experiencing struggles in progressing through their training programme. The funds are to provide extra support to the learner and help them be successful at work, at home and in completing their training programme. This could be due to access to resources, access to learning support or the pressure of managing work, family and learning.

We understand that some of our learners are working long hours and are having to balance their learning in amongst their household commitments with no other support at home. This fund can provide support to those learners that maybe struggling to free up spare time each week to commit to their studies.

Successful applicants can receive up to $3,000 to help with their specific needs, whether that be towards study materials, home support, technology, learning support or anything that can support you through your training journey.

For more information, view the page

Applications close May 11^th, 2023

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The skills experience was part of the three-day Annual Connection event. The event, hosted by infrastructure training provider Connexis and sponsored by local power company Electra, celebrates the skills and capability found in New Zealand’s Electricity Supply Industry (ESI) workforce.

While on-site the almost 70 students from Horowhenua College and Waiopehu College were also able to see Electricity Supply Industry (ESI) line mechanics and cable jointers pit their skills against each other, in competitions that showcase their knowledge and expertise.

This year’s Annual Connection school tours were put on in conjunction with Futures Day, a Get-Go Horowhenua initiative that exposes local students to local industry and some of the career pathways available to them.

Get-Go workplace coordinator, Fraser Daysh, says Annual Connections offered students a unique opportunity to learn more about infrastructure careers.

“The students thought it was really cool to get some hands-on experiences, they were exceptionally well-treated by the organisers of the event and they came away with a lot more of an understanding about the infrastructure industry.”

Activities for the students were organised by Electra, Waimea Group and Safeworx.

Electra training and development advisor Alison McNab says as well as getting hands-on experience, the students were exposed to a wide range of real-life jobs within the ESI and potential employers.

“It was great to see the glint in their eyes when they were able to start the chainsaw, but it was just as great to give them lots of opportunities for conversations with different people doing different jobs in our business.

“We were thrilled to see an increasing number of young women taking an interest in the industry as we know from the awards evening that our wahine are right up there with the best the industry has to offer. 

“They would have come away from the event with a good understanding of the qualifications available and how to develop a career in the industry.”

Waiopehu College careers/Gateway manager Joanne Holland said students who attended Annual Connections really enjoyed the interactive and hands-on nature of the onsite activities.

“The people hosting the activities were great at really engaging the students, talking to them like adults and making the connection between paying attention in school and getting the jobs, like this, that they might want.”

Connexis director Kaarin Gaukrodger says events like Annual Connections, with opportunities to invite and involve schools are essential to make students aware of possible pathways to enter infrastructure careers.

“Not only do they get a glimpse of the skills and the variety of work available, they connect with the businesses who are offering those jobs in their local areas.

“They also get to see just how infrastructure careers play a significant part in keeping their local community connected and running smoothly.”

Photos: The Horowhenua Company

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This year, we have been lucky enough to partner with a number of our WBL whānau organisations – including MITO, ServiceIQ, and Competenz – and the Ministry of Health to bring eight SpeedMeet events to Aotearoa New Zealand.

SpeedMeet has provided employers with the opportunity to attract new talent by meeting with secondary school students looking for a career. Think job-hunting, speed-dating style!

We’d like to extend a massive thank you to all involved – from the organising team at MITO, to our amazing infrastructure employers and attending schools.

This year, we hosted in these regions:

• Wellington
• Queenstown
• Auckland
• New Plymouth
• Hastings
• Christchurch
• Dunedin
• Whangarei

Check out some snaps from these events below!

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AN IMPORTANT UPDATE REGARDING: CONNEXIS 2023 PRICING SCHEDULE

With the government ending the Targeted Training and Apprenticeship fund (TTAF) on the 31st December 2022, Connexis will resume charging fees from 1 January 2023 in line with TEC funding requirements. 

You will note that we have made a change to the management of our learner’s training programme, which is reflected in our 2023 fee structure.

When TTAF was released in 2020, we made a significant change to our service-level approach.  In response to TTAF, we packaged up all fees associated with enrolment and completion of a training programme, and these were on charged to TEC.

We are continuing this approach with all costs included in enrolling and completing a training programme, including assessment and block courses, now included within our fee structure. This approach provides increased certainty around total cost for a learner to enrol and complete a training programme. We know our employers have been asking for more certainty around these costs at time of enrolment to assist with managing their training budget.

 Key points to note: 

• Connexis will manage all third-party fees for external contract assessment and off-job training, where applicable. This means that from the start of 2023, all learner training fees are paid directly to Connexis.  
• Connexis will be responsible for payment to third party providers keeping the process simplified for you and your business. In addition, Connexis will also be taking more responsibility for managing the quality of provision being provided.   
• Our new pricing structure allows fees to be paid over two years, whereby the programme is longer than 15 months and where fees are $3000 or more.
• We have made provision for those employers that operate an in-house assessment model. If an additional external assessor is needed to assist your in-house assessor, additional fees will apply.

Overall Connexis fees are not changing significantly. What you will receive now, is greater upfront visibility of the full cost of training as we now include third-party fees you were previously managing and paying separately. 

Exclusions / Exceptions: 

• Incidental costs such as travel and accommodation for block courses are not covered by the fees paid to Connexis.

Current learners continuing into 2023
For your current learners carrying on their training programmes into 2023, Connexis will calculate the 2023 fee on a pro-rate basis.
 
This calculation of fees is based on the duration of the programme, and the number of months remaining of training in 2023.
 
What this means for your learners:

• Learners that are due to carry on training programmes into 2023, we will send you a notification by early December advising you of the transition fee to be paid. 
• For those of you who run a purchase order system, this notification will also include a request for a PO number.  This is so that we can include this in our invoicing in early 2023.
• We will be delaying the invoicing for all learners that are nearing completion (less than 20 credits to achieve in January 2023), to give learners who are almost complete a chance to do so without incurring further fees.
• For all other current learners that are due to carry on training programmes into 2023, invoices will be sent in Q1 of 2023.

Fees Free
We are expecting that Fees Free will be available to eligible learners in 2023, however, the conditions around eligibility will not be released by TEC until sometime in November. We will notify you as soon as we have more details.

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‘Girls with Hi-Vis^®‘ (GWHV) has seen events held nationwide throughout June to offer young women the opportunity to visit infrastructure companies in their region with their school, to try first-hand some of the skills the sector requires and to hear from other women already succeeding in the industry.

The ultimate goal of GWHV^® is to attract more women into trade and technical roles in infrastructure industries of Civil, Energy, Telco and Water, where skills shortages are critical, and where women are under-represented in the workforce. For example, less than 14%^* of the civil construction workforce are women, compared to 46.8%^* of New Zealand’s total workforce.

Around 400 students from more than 60 schools attended dozens of GWHV^® events around the country hosted by infrastructure companies. Events were held in Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Wellington, Christchurch, McKenzie, Otago and Southland.

GWHV^® is an initiative of infrastructure training provider Connexis, which arranges, delivers, supports, and assesses work-based infrastructure learning as a division of Te Pūkenga, New Zealand’s largest tertiary education provider.

Connexis director Kaarin Gaukrodger says young women making career decisions often don’t realise a career in the infrastructure sector is even an option for them.

“GWHV^® events not only make students away of infrastructure career possibilities, they connect the students with potential future employers in their local region so they have a tangible path to follow,”

– KAARIN GAUKRODGER, DIRECTOR

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“Jobs within infrastructure beyond administration haven’t traditionally been presented as an option to young women considering their career options. Yet, every year we see at GWHV^® that the opportunity to work in a varied, active and often physical job, working as part of a team, and challenging their minds with problem solving really enthuses the students.

“Working in infrastructure also involves travelling to remote parts of New Zealand that a lot of people never get to see and importantly earning a good income, and gaining a tertiary qualification while training on the job,”  Gaukrodger says.

“Given the shortage of skilled workers across infrastructure and the lack of gender diversity, making infrastructure appealing and accessible to today’s female high school students will be essential to the successful completion of New Zealand’s major infrastructure projects.  Females bring a different perspective to the industry and this will be crucial to stepping up New Zealand’s infrastructure for the future.”

She adds that females bring valuable diversity of thought to the workplace and while the industry needs more skilled workers the future of work with environmental and technological changes means they need innovation and new ways of working, and this is where females are key.

An estimated 44,000 additional workers are needed over the next five years to complete roading projects, water pipe upgrades, power line maintenance and fibre installation projects, among others.

“GWHV^® events not only make students away of infrastructure career possibilities, they connect the students with potential future employers in their local region so they have a tangible path to follow,” Gaukrodger says.

“And they’re able to see for themselves how the work these different infrastructure companies are doing, benefits them and their local communities.”

This year a record number of businesses participated in GWHV^®, including HEB Construction, Fletcher Construction, Higgins, Downer NZ, Waiotahi Contractors, Civtec, Fulton Hogan, Watercare Services Ltd, Citycare Water, CPB Contractors, Genesis Energy, Meridian Energy, Link Alliance, and Geotechnics.

Feedback from GWHV 2022 events:

Meridian Energy, West Wind Farm, Mākara, Wellington

“I could see myself doing this and now that I have attended this event I am more inspired to go down this path.” – Manuela, St Catherine’s College.

“I have a sore face from smiling after seeing the girls have such a great time.” – Jodene Fitness, teacher, Hutt Valley High School.

“It was a great day because there was a lot of practical things to experience.  It’s nice for the girls to learn about other jobs available to them outside of the gender stereotypes,” – Heather Miller, teacher, St Catherine’s College.

HEB Construction, Wanaka

“I’m really keen to get as many girls involved and that’s why it’s awesome having all these girls out here today, being able to have a go and find out what it is like to work in this industry,”
– Tess Allen, HEB Construction graduate engineer and event organiser.

Higgins, Palmerston North
“It was a truly amazing opportunity to connect with young females, share our stories, industry and opportunities.  Watching the students fully immerse themselves in the practical experiences was a real highlight. I look forward to continuing engagement and welcoming those females taking the next step into one of our Early In Career opportunities.”
– Alexcia Dellabarca, Higgins – Fletcher Construction  Training and Development programme lead and GWHV speaker.

Downer, Gisborne
“You don’t really notice all the females until you get to see inside the company, and here they are helping everything along and everything to work.”
– Catherine Moles, student Campion College.

“I came here today to show my brothers up! It’s known as a male industry but that doesn’t mean a wahine can’t do it herself. My stepbrother works in forestry and drives haulers and diggers. I thought it would be cool to get an insight into what it would be like if I joined something like this.”
– Taylah Kingi, student, Campion College.

*Figures from Infometrics/Statistics NZ April 2022.

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