The Global Search for Skilled Workers
“New Zealand is undergoing the biggest infrastructure build in the nation’s history,” writes Jeff Kerns in MachineDesign. “As such, a group of private companies and government organizations has launched a campaign seeking engineers.
“After a five-year national audit on its infrastructure, New Zealand is undergoing the biggest infrastructure build in the nation’s history. As such, a group of private companies and government organizations has launched a campaign seeking engineers,” writes Kerns.
“The country’s Immigration is rolling out the dedicated initiative NZNow to attract U.S. talent with specific in-demand skill sets beyond the construction and engineering sectors” and “the new Labor-led Government is introducing a special “KiwiBuild” fast-track visa system to facilitate the search for top construction talent, spearheaded by” the LookSee Build New Zealand campaign.
LookSee Build NZ aims “to attract some of the more than 56,000 construction and engineering staff, including 2,200 high-end specialist positions, that New Zealand needs for the more than NZ$125 billion program of infrastructure works over the next decade.”
“A broad range of specialist skills are required across the board. Engineers, particularly in the areas of geotechnical, seismic, civil, and structural, are at top of New Zealand’s shopping list,” as reported in the article.
Kerns noted that “The global search for skilled workers has countries looking inside the U.S., creating an even bigger skills gap problem on the home front.”
These are three of the projects underway or nearly underway in New Zealand.
- Taiwhanga Rehia – “Slated for construction in the city of Christchurch, the finished facility will be New Zealand’s largest indoor public recreation venue” with over 30,000 square meters.
- Transmission Gully Motorway – “Currently under construction and leading toward the nation’s capital of Wellington, the 27-km, four-lane motorway is designed to meet demanding specifications.”
- Auckland City Rail Link – This Auckland project is the largest single infrastructure project ever undertaken by New Zealand. “Scheduled for completion in 2023, the project dramatically expands the city’s current rail system and will relieve growing capacity concerns for other forms of public transportation in Auckland.”
Article Source: MachineDesign, Jeff Kerns, January 9, 2018
Image Source: Twitter – Auckland Build Expo
