ConCOVE, the Construction and Infrastructure Centre of Vocational Excellence, is excited to share that its project fund has supported a range of initiatives aimed at improving vocational education and training in New Zealand's construction and infrastructure sectors.

One of these initiatives is the Workforce Journey Indicators project, which aims to use data to understand and quantify workforce journeys through the sector. Journey mapping techniques will be used to identify where investment could improve outcomes for the workforce, particularly for priority and disadvantaged groups. This macro-level approach to understanding systems is a unique and innovative approach to workforce development in the construction and infrastructure sectors. Phase 1 is currently underway.

Recent projects funded via the ConCOVE's project fund include:

• A more effective model of support for Māori Level 4 Carpentry apprentices
• Where is the Front Door? An investigation into the workforce entry points within the construction and infrastructure sector
• Framework to support Māori into high-skill roles in the sector
• Offsite manufacturing workforce forecast

These projects aim to improve outcomes for Māori and make the construction and infrastructure sectors more accessible. Further projects are under review or at Request for Proposal stage, including a project in partnership with the Food and Fibre CoVE. 

Launched in October 2022, ConCOVE Project Fund is open to anyone in the construction and infrastructure industry and vocational education and training to apply.

ConCOVE’s project work assisting the construction and infrastructure sector (Photo: ConCOVE)

The ConCOVE Portfolio Management Office (PMO) reviews projects on a rolling basis, and to date, the PMO have reviewed more than 50 proposed projects, with many of these now progressing through the PMO Strategic Alignment Test.

The aim of ConCOVE Project Fund is to support innovative initiatives that improve vocational education and training outcomes in New Zealand's construction and infrastructure sectors.

For more information on ConCOVE's Project Fund and the projects it supports, please visit the ConCOVE website.