The skills the trades workforce needs

The national construction workforce excels in technical skills but could improve in business management, planning, organising and leadership, a new survey has found.

ConstrucTrend 2025 studies skill priorities and gaps, and the emerging technologies New Zealand’s carpenters, plumbers and electricians need to embrace. 

The clear message is to focus on continuous learning to help meet rising demand for new technologies and smarter ways of working. 

Trade-specific technical skills were widely seen as important, but 15% of employers said they felt recent graduates fell short of their expectations.

Employers note skill gaps in forecasting time, costs, and resources, especially among recent graduates (56% gap) and, to a lesser extent, experienced tradespeople (38%).

Organising and planning remain important, but are where gaps persist, particularly for more senior workers who may have less formal training in project organisation.

Developing constructive working relationships, training others, building trusted teams, coordinating others, and strong internal and customer-facing communication are valued across the board.

Some recent graduates show notable gaps in training others and coordinating work, while experienced tradespeople are generally closer to demand, though leadership and people management were flagged as areas for upskilling.

Managing finances, budgeting, and cash flow are crucial for business owners and are important for many tradespeople who aren’t business owners. Gaps here are more pronounced among non-owners (roughly 23% self-reported skill gaps) than among owners (about 13%).

Electricians, plumbers, and carpenters report many technology areas as important. EV charging, solar installation, renewable energy integration, smart-home systems, and AI-assisted tasks are among the areas with rising interest and some skill gaps.

Two-thirds of electricians have upskilled in one or more tech areas in the past year; plumbers also show strong engagement.

There’s a preference for quick, accessible learning options rather than long in-person courses, highlighting the value of flexible micro-credentials and peer-led learning to keep skills current.

Nearly half of trade business owners started within five years of completing their apprenticeship. Accounting and marketing skills remain important for those without business ownership, showing the need for early exposure to business and financial management in training programs.

The implications for leaders

Per the survey, to help the trades workforce build stronger skills, apprenticeships should include more real-world business and planning training early on.

Adding practical lessons in estimation, budgeting, scheduling, and project management would better prepare graduates to step confidently into work or start their own business. 

Making learning more flexible is also key: short online courses and micro-credentials in areas like EV charging, solar power, renewable systems, smart-home technology, and AI tools for project planning can help tradespeople keep up with fast-changing technology.

Employers can make a big difference, too. Providing easy-to-use templates, training, and software tools for quotes, budgeting, and cash-flow management saves time and improves accuracy. 

Encouraging leadership development, mentoring, and teamwork helps new tradies grow while giving experienced workers the chance to pass on their know-how.

Fostering collaboration and peer learning ensures everyone builds the communication, coordination, and management skills needed to thrive.