I’m an apprentice carpenter based in Wellington, NZ. I’ve worked for two seperate employers over the last two years and have encountered numerous problems with the industry. Worker exploitation, drug use, unethical building etc…
First gig was with an employer that would pay me (as an employee on wages) every second or third week, despite contract stating weekly. Conversations about this were difficult due to his hot head personality. Eventually, after three weeks of no pay before xmas 2024, I left.
Second employer would have me working on people’s homes alone, doing a variety of work from cladding to structural framing, solo. I told them I wanted to be working under a qualified builder and was told I was competent enough to do the tasks without supervision. This, however, was not reflected in my apprenticeship progress where the areas mentioned were deliberately withheld during competency sign offs. On top of this, we have had recent bouts of bad weather. Whenever we had rain, my boss would call the day off and I’d go about my day unpaid. This was frustrating as bills became difficult to manage after multiple rain days in a week. Since the start of this year, I have worked two full weeks at 40 hours which is why my contract states.
I’m over it. The industry is such a mess. I don’t understand how an employer is the only one who can sign you off and also continue to pay peanuts based on your progress. Very easy to see how young people aren’t attracted to the trade anymore and even easier to see why depression/suicide in construction so high.