The Progress and the Gap
The proportion of Maori workers in New Zealand’s building and construction sector has grown from 12 percent in 2018 to 17 percent — a meaningful increase that reflects both demographic change and deliberate workforce development effort. BCITO Director Greg Durkin has noted this growth as evidence that the sector is becoming more accessible and appealing to Maori workers.
But a persistent qualification completion gap remains. In 2021, 48 percent of Maori learners completed their qualifications at polytechnics, compared to 57 percent for non-Maori, non-Pasifika learners. A completion gap of that size is not attributable to ability — it reflects the structural factors that make the first year of an apprenticeship, in particular, more challenging for Maori learners who may not have the same employer relationships, financial buffers, or institutional support networks as their counterparts.
The Kahukura Programme
BCITO’s Kahukura programme specifically targets first-year Maori apprentices — the period when the risk of dropout is highest. The programme provides dedicated mentoring from people who understand both the trades and the Maori experience of navigating predominantly Pakeha workplaces and training institutions. The mentoring relationship gives learners a specific person they can contact when the combination of demanding physical work, new financial responsibilities, and training requirements becomes overwhelming.
Recent graduate Josh Davis’s message to prospective apprentices captures the programme’s spirit: “It’s not too late to start your apprenticeship and get qualified.” The trades do not have the age-structured entry that university pathways create — people can start at different life stages, with support structures adapted to their circumstances.
Beyond Completion: Leadership and Business Ownership
BCITO’s programme extends beyond completion to leadership development and business ownership. Young Maori tradespeople who complete their qualifications are offered pathways into advanced training, scholarships for further qualifications, and leadership development that explicitly supports the goal of Maori business ownership in the construction sector.
The partnership with Stronghold Group — a Maori-led construction employer with 19 BCITO apprentices — demonstrates what employer alignment looks like in practice. A Maori-led business that employs and trains Maori apprentices, in partnership with an ITF that provides dedicated Maori support structures, creates the conditions for completion and advancement that general-purpose systems have historically not delivered consistently.
