Featured in the Tauranga RSA Newsletter.
A “Dad’s Army” of retired but still active tradesmen is part of a highly successful Kiwi Can Do programme that helps train and get beneficiaries work-ready for jobs in construction and now the company behind the initiative is looking for more “old school” tradies to join the team in Tauranga.
Kiwi Can Do managing director Iain Morrison is looking for retired but active builders, painters, plasterers, scaffolders, plumbers, roofers, or electricians.
“Ideally our Dad’s Army will be fit, with decades of experience and knowledge, they’ve trained apprentices, brought up families, taught their kids how to play sport and now they’ve got time on their hands,” Mr Morrison said.
“They’re probably sick of drinking tea, watching the history channel or replays of Coronation Street and they welcome an opportunity to get a paid tutoring and mentoring job for a few weeks or few months at a time.”
Mr Morrison said the Dad’s Army tradies were great role models and they related to the trainees in the manner of a favourite uncle or grandfather and were delighted to make a positive contribution and pass on their knowledge to a new generation.
“There is a lot of respect for age and experience from the predominantly Pasifika and Maori trainees and this helps cement strong relationships and learning experiences.
“Our Dad’s Army helps them build their confidence, feel comfortable wearing their safety gear and handling the tools, and have some knowledge of how a workplace operates and what is expected of them. Using semi-retired tradesmen also means we’re not side-tracking active and productive tradies away from their tools for early on-the-job training stages.”
Tradies wanting to register their interest to join the Kiwi Can Do team will find an online form on www.kiwi-can-do.co.nz Or talk to the front office staff at the RSA to ask when Iain is next in town and staying at the RSA.