(Article reposted with permission from Master Painters New Zealand).
Kiwi Can Do is looking for Master Painter painters who can offer “live” training sites where two or more wannabe painters (male and female) can jump on the first rung of the employment ladder and start a career as a painter and decorator.
The idea is to develop a course curriculum for a three-week programme with Master Painters and submit it to the BCITO to consider as a micro-qual that counts towards an apprenticeship.
Someone gave all of us a chance when we were young, green and keen. We’re looking for a small number of painting companies to jump on board to help pilot programmes in Wellington, Manawatu, Waikato, Bay of Plenty or Auckland to create opportunities for supervised entry-level job seekers.
We are working with Master Painters CE Paul Hallahan who has first-hand knowledge of on-boarding Kiwi Can Do trainees in his previous role and Phil Wilkinson who runs our lead management training to find out more.
Paul has advised that many owners are back on the tools to get through the backlog of work. Don’t let this become a barrier to talking to me, We may be able to provide some HR or financial support during the training phase.
The concept of Kiwi Can Do was developed eight years ago at a Master Painters conference and now operates North Island-wide. Covid means we no longer run large group training programmes and we’ve moved to region-by-region courses with smaller numbers.
Kiwi Can Do screens all applications closely. They must have a positive attitude, genuinely want to work, test drug free, show they’re Covid jabbed and work fit. Kiwi Can Do puts them through a week of workplace etiquette and behaviour, fits them out with PPE gear, checks their driving ability, build confidence and finds out about their backgrounds, interests, strengths and weaknesses, to ensure they’re a good fit with a prospective employer.
We drum into them three key factors for their success:
- Turn up for work on time, every day
- Put in an honest day’s work
- Listen to your boss or supervisor and follow their instructions.
The next step is putting them into work situations that are hosted by Master Painters who are in the market for entry level candidates. We want input from host painting companies and Master Painters field staff in developing two weeks active work to round out a Kiwi Can Do-Master Painters Entry into the Painting Industry.
Key points to support this concept:
- Kiwi Can Do facilitates a three-week programme that includes one week (on or off site) of soft skills i.e. Site Safe, lead-based paint certification, confidence building, career planning, budgeting, health and safety, workplace etiquette; two weeks of “live site” work training
- Kiwi Can Do recruits job seeker candidates who are interested in a painting career by promoting Master Painter jobs and the member (mainly on social media and via Work and Income offices)
- When applicants come through filtering processes we will determine drug status, personality type, level of desire to get into full-time work, health status, Covid vax status, general fitness, potential skill level, car and licence status, family details, criminal history, plus other relevant personal details
- The Master Painter “training partner” is invited to complete a second recruitment interview when the candidate is introduced to the work environment and before they are accepted onto a “course”
- At the completion of the three-week training programme the Master Painter training partner can choose to employ of not employ any member of the course before a trainee can accept any other position (the trainee will be trained and encouraged to apply for positions while on the course).
- Kiwi Can Do assist an employer gain a Ministry of Social Development flexiwage work subsidy and ultimately Mana in Mahi apprenticeship support when the candidate is place onto a formal training pathway
- Trainees graduate from the course at a graduation ceremony that would include a certificate and a highly prized Kiwi Can Do Resene branded t-shirt.
If you are interested in passing your knowledge onto the next generation and want to have input into the pilot programme, call me now.
Phone 021 688 668, or email [email protected].
Iain Morrison – Kiwi Can Do Managing Director