The Ucol reception entrance in Masterton. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
ARTHUR HAWKES
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Ucol in Masterton and Business Wairarapa, the chamber of commerce, teamed up to provide an exciting new opportunity for industry figures to engage with the college on training needs, and to tour the campus and meet staff yesterday.
The event, Business after Five, comes after calls from industry leaders that training institutions, such as Ucol, should forge closer working relationships with hirers to ensure that graduates looking to stay in Wairarapa are adequately qualified to fulfil the region’s employment needs – and to take advantage of lucrative gaps in the job market.
Speaking to the Times-Age last month, Paul Southey of the Master Builders Association, said establishing this communication was essential, especially since regional construction was booming.
“We want to reach out to the colleges and build a better relationship between the industry and the schools,” Southey said.
“With the construction industry going so well, there’s a huge push at the moment for new workers.”
Ucol Wairarapa was one such learning establishment, which fed skilled individuals to the wider community – a community which Ucol’s senior communications team leader, Shivarn Stewart, said they were “fully embedded” within.
“Our focus is to always create work-ready graduates,” Stewart said.
“We’re supporting local by creating graduates that meet local needs. We want them to have fulfilling work when they leave us.
“So, rather than having them travel out to find work, it’s about being able to connect them with their local network.”
Stewart said employers and industry figures who attended the event last night, gained an insight into the college’s training facilities, and an opportunity to voice their respective employment and training needs.
