New Zealand Certified Builders Association

The 2025 NZCB Apprentice Challenge – Powered by Our Incredible Sponsors! 🎉 The NZCB Apprentice Challenge wouldn’t be possible without the support of our amazing sponsors. Their generosity helps us celebrate the next generation of Kiwi builders and reward their hard work with some seriously impressive prizes! 🏆 Major Sponsor: Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation – Supporting apprentices to build their futures and progress in the industry. We’re thrilled to have BCITO as our main sponsor this year! 🏅 Prize & Materials Sponsors: Mitre10 Trade – Supplying materials for all competitors valued at $40,000 and sponsoring the National 1st Place prize of $10,000, plus regional goodie bags for all 100 competitors! Milwaukee – Sponsoring the National 2nd Place prize of $7,000. GIB® (Winstone Wallboards Ltd) – Sponsoring the National 3rd Place prize of $5,000. Paslode – Recognising character and teamwork with the National Personality Award of $3,000. Sika – Supplying epic national goodie bags for all finalists. Mitre 10 Trade & @Makita NZ – Sponsoring regional 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes, with a total regional prize package worth $22,000! A special shoutout to Vertical Horizonz New Zealand for providing a fantastic venue for the Christchurch Apprentice Challenge! Their ongoing support for education and apprenticeships is truly valued, offering top-notch training spaces whenever we need them. A great family-owned, grassroots Kiwi organisation—we appreciate your commitment to the industry! Regional heats taking place on 12 April, and the final comp in Hamilton on 6-7 June at the NZCB Conference, this year’s competition is set to be one for the books!

 🚨 LAST CHANCE: Early Bird for NZCB Conference & Expo Closes This Friday! 🚨 Keen to get the best rate for the 2025 NZCB Conference & Expo? Time is running out! Register before this Friday, 15 March to secure your spot at the must-attend event for NZCB members. Join us at the award-winning Claudelands Event Centre, Hamilton, on 6-7 June 2025 for two days of expert insights, interactive panels, and top-tier networking. From sustainability-focused sessions to industry-leading speakers - and, of course, the Friday Happy Hour and Saturday Gala Dinner - this is your chance to connect, learn, and be inspired. Don’t miss out! Register now: https://lnkd.in/dyxm7MSr

Great to have Black Steel Mobile Ltd join us for our latest Burgers, Beers, and Banter event! These gatherings are all about bringing the NZCB community together—connecting builders, sharing insights, and learning from industry experts. It was fantastic to hear from the Black Steel Mobile team about their journey in structural steel, their commitment to quality, and the impact of evolving industry standards. At NZCB, we’re proud to support our members with opportunities to network, upskill, and stay ahead in the industry. If you haven’t been to one of our events yet, keep an eye out—we’d love to see you there! #NZCB #IndustryConnections #QualityMatters #ResidentialConstruction #Networking #ProfessionalDevelopment

BCITO joins as major sponsor for the NZCB Apprentice Challenge 2025! We’re excited to welcome Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO) as the major sponsor for this year’s NZCB Apprentice Challenge. The competition is a great way for apprentices to test their skills, gain recognition, and take their careers to the next level. Regional heats take place on 12 April around the country, with finalists heading to the NZCB Conference in Hamilton on 6-7 June to compete for $10,000 in prizes! Entries open 1 February and close 20 March – so if you’re an apprentice (or know one who should enter), get involved!  Register now: www.apprenticechallenge.nz

📢 Join the NZCB Apprentice Trust Board! 📢 Are you passionate about making a difference in the not-for-profit sector? We’re looking for two trustees to join our governance team and contribute to the strategic direction and oversight of the NZCB Apprentice Trust. The NZCB Apprentice Trust supports construction trainees and others, removing barriers that would otherwise prevent them from pursuing their training and gaining the qualifications they need to succeed. You don’t need to be a member of NZCB, and we encourage applications from outside the NZCB network. Whether you’re new to governance or an experienced trustee, we want to hear from you! Find out more about the NZCB Apprentice Trust on our website. To apply to become a Trustee, please email trust@nzcb.nz by 10 February 2025. Be sure to include your CV and a cover letter detailing your interest and relevant experience. https://lnkd.in/geh6E8ub

A 2016 report by World Economic Forum found that while overall business productivity in the US had increased by 153% since the 1960s, construction labour productivity had declined by 19%. That's partly because construction hasn't embraced technological change. NZCB Chief Executive Malcolm Fleming argues for greater innovation in the building industry in The Post this morning - from greater uptake of app-based reporting and ordering, to better waste management processes, to increased use of robotics. https://lnkd.in/gSxMrCNM

Building Minister Chris Penk has listened to industry feedback, shifting from a potential rollback of insulation standards to a smarter, build-specific calculation method. This ensures new homes remain warm, energy-efficient, and cost-effective.   NZCB’s research, using NZCB Studio plans, demonstrated the minimal costs and significant benefits of H1 standards. We’re proud to see evidence-based decision-making shaping better outcomes for Kiwis.   👉 Read more about NZCB’s role in this important decision: https://lnkd.in/g3vjzs4N

Big changes are on the horizon for building inspections in New Zealand 🏠 The Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE) is exploring ways to incorporate remote inspections in the building process.    At NZCB, we see a real opportunity for remote inspections to speed up builds by reducing wait times, make builds cheaper for clients, and help qualified builders work more efficiently. But it's crucial we strike the right balance between remote and in-person checks to ensure the integrity of projects."   NZCB will continue advocating for a system that supports skilled, trade-qualified builders and protects homeowners. Learn more about what this could mean for you in our full submission here: https://lnkd.in/gVwCxFbu

Building consents data released today shows the number of new dwellings consented in September 2024 rose 2.6 percent. "This shows you need to get onto a builder quick if you have work you want done in the coming months" according to New Zealand Certified Builders Chief Executive Malcolm Fleming. Combined with falling interest rates, NZCB is predicting a large uptick in building work early next year.   “Right now, many of the best trade-qualified builders in the country have openings, but it won’t stay that way." “Now is a fantastic time to get a builder in for that kitchen refit, or just to check on the insulation issues you noticed over winter." Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gPia5-VB

NZCB In The News – 29 October 2024 – Newstalk ZB (Auckland) New Zealand’s Minister for Building and Construction, Chris Penk, announces a new policy allowing trusted builders to sign off on …. Continuing its crusade to speed up building in this country. Now announcing that it plans to let some builders, only trusted builders, sign off on their own building work rather than forcing them to wait for a council inspection. Chris Pink is the minister for Building and Construction. Hey, Chris G'day, Heather. How do builders become trusted? Click Below to Learn More https://lnkd.in/gTtjW6PP