The Trades Reference Group looks after the needs of tradespeople in our union, uniting representatives from the different sectors and industries for workers, such as council electricians, hospital chefs, and aviation engineers.
The Trades Reference Group wants to ensure Kiwis have the best opportunities by making training and upskilling readily available. Skill shortages should be able to be filled by the local workforce but it requires government and industry action to ensure that people have the skills and knowledge to do the job.
“In E tū, we have a huge diversity of types of employment in our membership. One thing is clear, our group will benefit from more diverse representation that acknowledges the skills and training needed for many jobs, whether they are traditional trades or not.”
– Trades Reference Group member and Whakatane Hospital chef, Neil McCarthy