Industry seeks green list support
An industry organisation is calling on government officials to recognise the skills of “journeymen” mechanics overseas as the industry seeks to plug gaps in the workforce.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and Michael Wood, Minister of Immigration, are currently reviewing the green list with a view to possibly adding petrol and diesel light-vehicle mechanics, and heavy-vehicle electrical technicians.
Heavy motor-vehicle mechanics are already on the list, but businesses across the automotive industry are keen to see this expanded as they battle labour shortages.
The Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association (VIA) was among representatives from the sector to attend a meeting with the Ministry of Transport in March to discuss the green list.
Other attendees included staff from the Motor Industry Association, Motor Trade Association, vehicle-inspection companies, Hanga-Aro-Rau Workforce Development Council and training organisation Mito.
Malcom Yorston, VIA’s technical manager, says the minister is looking at broadening the green list or the visa conditions for people to come into the motor industry.
“Heavy-vehicle mechanics are already on the green list. Light vehicle and motorcycle mechanics are now being proposed for it and there are also calls to extend that to vehicle inspectors,” he told Autofile Online.
“One of the challenges is that we’re competing in the same talent pool as a lot of other industries to get people in. A general shortage of mechanics has been a problem for a number of years and you’ll regularly find 10 or 12 employers looking for the same person.”
Yorston adds MBIE is examining overseas automotive qualifications and how those might correlate with New Zealand Qualifications Authority settings to ensure certain standards are met by any incoming workers.
However, he told officials at the recent meeting that there should also be a way to assess the skills of mechanics who may have not gone through traditional qualification pathways.
“I have some issues over people having to have trade qualifications because there are a number who have gone into the motor trade and become motor mechanics or panel beaters because they are practical people and can excel on the tools,” says Yorston.
“There are many out there who are good mechanics and shouldn’t be overlooked for lack of a formal qualification. We’ve recommended MBIE set up some sort of criteria for those not trade qualified to have them assessed against certain skillsets.”
The government has given no firm indication as to how soon it will decide what other tradespeople make it onto the green list, but Yorston says it has suggested it wants to get the matters “resolved as soon as possible”.
He notes there are mechanics in South Africa and in the UK who have expressed an interest in coming to New Zealand, while some of the key service delivery providers that provide vehicle-inspection services have been actively trying to recruit overseas.
“As the workforce is ageing and baby-boomers reach retirement, those people are exiting the industry’s talent pool, but at the same time there are still the same number if not more cars on the road,” adds Yorston. “We have got to replace those exiting the industry to keep the industry going.
“The wait times to get into a garage to get a car fixed is growing. You can’t rock on up and get your vehicle fixed straight away these days. You’ve got to book it in and it could be two or three weeks before you can get it seen for whatever is required. That’s all because of a lack of experienced staff.”
