Tag Archives: Hastings District Council

Youth connectors paves way to the top for job starter

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Topline Contracting managing director Taurus Taurima is leading from the front when it comes to upskilling and inspiring his 26 strong workforce.

Taurus has gone back to school, joining 10 of his team, to do the EIT Hawke’s Bay’s Infrastructure Works course.

“Many of the team don’t have formal qualifications from school or otherwise, so the EIT course was a good opportunity to gain a qualification that’s aligned to the work we do.

“I thought, why not join them? My main focus is to point them in the right direction and to create opportunities for these young men – most of whom are young Māori fathers – to become achievers and good examples for their children.”

The EIT certificate course covers industry specific skills, plant and equipment maintenance and operation, health and safety and first aid. Other workers are doing a similar course in Civil Trades through national industry training organisation (ITO) Connexis.

Taurus says it’s pretty hard to recruit skilled workers in a strong economy and he’s now worked out a plan of having a good mix of skilled and/or experienced staff while giving some young and inexperienced a chance.

One of these is Keil McClutchie, who was offered a labourer’s position as part Topline Contracting managing director Taurus Taurima with Keil McClutchie of the Hastings District Council’s Youth Connector initiative.

Keil had returned from five years working as a scaffolder in Australia but was struggling to find a permanent job.

At the same time Taurus was approached by the council’s Youth Connector team to see if he had any roles available, as he had previously taken on job seekers from Ministry of Social Development.

The timing was perfect. Keil was prepared for the interview by a council’s Youth Connector team member and he duly got the job.

For Taurus, who started out as a labourer himself over 10 years ago, he wanted someone with the right attitude; he would do the rest.

“You know if they’re not right if they’ve taken three days off in three weeks. Keil was really keen both to work and learn from others. I’ve partnered him with a good foreman and Keil’s doing everything right.

“Giving a young person a chance from the Youth Connector programme is worth it. There’s a support network that helps the transition into work.”

Keil is enjoying his new job and learning new skills. He’s recently been working on the enhancement of Flaxmere Park.

“It beats staying at home. I’m learning a trade and there’s a good bunch of guys here to work with. I’m keen to make my way up through the business and I’ve got a good boss who leads from the front.”

Hastings District Council started the Youth Connector programme in 2017. It was given a $1.7 million funding boost from the government in 2018.

Hastings District Council social and youth development manager Dennise Elers says the annual target is to place 80 youth in work. With three months to go, 77 have already been employed, with 28 current job seekers. Council has engaged with 45 businesses and 22 have signed up – the annual target is 30.

“We are really pleased with how the programme is going. We’re very close to achieving all our targets and we are thrilled that 22 local business are supporting it.”

She says there is a strong emphasis on pastoral care, both in preparing youth for employment opportunities as well as follow-ups once they’ve been placed in a job.

“We try to make it as easy as possible for both the worker and the business owner. You do get the good and the bad but we do everything we can to ensure we get the right match,” she says.

Get your business lean in 2019

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It sounds pretty simple, and it is: the leaner your business, the better it performs.

A lean business doesn’t mean fewer staff doing more; in fact, it’s about getting the best out of people, processes and equipment.

Steffan Kelly of The Lean Hub, says LEAN is “a way of thinking and acting”. It’s being focussed on performance and creating efficiencies.

And he has practiced what he preaches, having successfully adopted LEAN while working at a cashew nut food manufacturing plant in Bali, Indonesia.

“The business was going through rapid growth with 350 staff and we needed to make changes to become more efficient. I’d heard about LEAN and thought it would be worth giving it a go and the results this way of operating produced were outstanding.

The Lean Hub has now partnered with Hastings District Council’s economic development team to offer and deliver a 12-month tailored LEAN programme for local businesses.

Last year Hastings drainage business Drainways undertook the programme and experienced its significant positive impact on the growth of their business.

The family business headed by Mark Currie and his two brothers, Jaydon and Carlton, was looking for a step change in its performance and it took up the challenge to get LEAN.

“The business was reliant on the three brothers; Jaydon and Carlton working on the tools all day while Mark was organising the work, securing new business and managing all the office administration.

“With help from The Lean Hub we set up clear roles and responsibilities so that everyone including staff knew where they stood. By clearly defining all the roles and putting in place key performance measures and targets and staff are offered a greater challenge and in turn greater rewards.”

At Drainways the business had five drainlayers of varying skills and experience. Thanks

Lean Hub’s Steffan Kelly (left) with Mark Currie from Drainways and Lee Neville, Hastings District Council economic development manager

to LEAN the roles became more clearly defined to one skilled drainlayer, two digger operators and a general labourer.

The change provided career progression and ultimately business growth. Staff now have a career pathway with progression to more senior roles and the business has grown from eight to 18 employees.

“You get consistency of work and no impediments as staff are no longer frustrated because they now understand the bigger picture and how their role has an impact. At the end of the day the business owner and the employee want the same and that’s seeing a positive future in the business.

Mark Currie says local businesses should take up the opportunity of going up through the programme.

“Steffan did such an amazing job, 100 percent. He was proactive and very hands on. It wasn’t all text book stuff. He came out and observed the team on projects and that also helped refine our systems and processes.

“We were able to get some early runs on the board through making some small changes that built up to the bigger changes which boosted our turnover as well as create new jobs within the business.

“Some of the simple changes included getting staff to think about reducing downtime, for example previously they would forget to take something that would be needed on site that day. They were shown what the impact of that downtime was and they put in a process that stopped this from occurring, which then boosted productivity,” Mark says.

Hastings District Council economic development manager Lee Neville says the programme has had significant success for local businesses over the last two years.

He says that for council, the spin offs are creating job opportunities and career pathways for youth as well as ultimately boosting the economic vitality of the district.

“It’s about adding value to the district’s economy but we also want to support local business leaders in their personal development, which has a positive impact on their business and those whom they employ.

“Another spin off of growing local business is that direct local suppliers also benefit. That’s been the case with Drainways, whom having gone through the programme they now have the capacity and capability to secure larger projects. This in turn means they are sourcing more products and services from other local businesses.”

Steffan and his team help put in place plans and processes that support continuous business improvement as well as providing business owners with new skills and tools to create sustainable growth.

To engage with staff, Steffan’s team use a range of fun, effective and interactive tools. These tools help The Lean Hub really engage and connect the people in the business to the performance of the business.

“Growth, profits and loyalty rise exponentially when you have committed staff who continuously create and implement productive solutions.”

The programme is broken down into four game changing quarters starting with training and application followed by sustainability and growth.

Hastings businesses can apply for funding support to undertake the year long programme. Hastings District Council has invested $80,000 into the programme with four placements available for 2019. The council’s investment into each business undertaking the programme is matched dollar for dollar, up to a maximum of $20,000.

“It’s well worth the investment, our business has already seen a substantial return on the investment in a very short time and we are now in a position for sustainable growth,” says Mark.

To find out more about LEAN visit

www.theleanhub.co.nz/hdpp

Connecting youth and business

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There’s plenty of youth looking for work says Hastings District Council social and youth development manager Dennise Elers, “they’ve just got to be given a chance”.

That’s what Orsborn Roadmarkers has done becoming one of the first local businesses to employ a Hastings youth from the council’s Youth Connectors programme.

Orsborn Roadmarkers  owners  Angela and Lucas Orsborn bought the family business two years ago and decided when the opportunity arose, they would   look to provide jobs to local youth. Their first Youth Connector employee Keanu has been such a success they’re keen to employ more youngsters.

Hastings District Council started the Youth Connector programme in 2017 and it was given a $460,000 funding boost last year from the Government tO build on its already successful Connector model programme, which connects employers, local youth and whanau.

Since then council has engaged with 89 youth with 45 going into work and two into training. The remainder are being mentored in the programme to link them to employers like Angela and Lucas.

“We have a workforce here now, we just need to do a bit of work with them to prepare them. It’s about giving them a chance.”

Angela and Lucas have been busy building up their business which over the years has painted road markings on nearly every road across the Central East Coast of the North lsland.

Angela says the y were keen to employ youth both as the business grew and when the time came replace retiring staff.

“We’ve heard about the Youth Connectors programme and decided to give Hastings District Council a call and it was a good decision,” Angela says.

As part of Youth Connectors, both parties – the employee and the employer are connected with the council’s Youth Connectors team.

Dennise says there is a strong emphasis on pastoral care, both in preparing youth for employment opportunities as well as follow ups once they’ve been placed in a job .

”We also offer this co the business to make it as easy as possible for them to give someone a chance,” she says.

Already you th have been placed with a good mi.” of businesses across Hastings from fencing firms, to horticulture businesses

as well as being placed in council managed facilities such as Splash Planet and the libraries.

“We get employee referrals from City Assist, community centres, Work and Income and we’re trying co strongly engage with local businesses.

“Business people are busy and sometimes they don’t have the time to provide support for a young potential employee.”

Based on the success with Keanu Angela and Lucas arc keen to employ more youth from the programme.

“Without a doubt, we would give other youngsters a chance and we’ve also referred Youth Connectors to other local businesses.

 

Irongate takes shape as industrial hub

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Hastings District Council recently signed off a newly created industrial zone south of Hastings as well as negotiating with property owners a palatable development contribution rate, that has enabled construction progress.

Long term property owner John Roil was a key figure in the negotiations and has recommenced construction on two sites and welcomed a couple of new tenants.

John’s son Mark has reinvigorated the Cottages NZ brand under the company name MSR Construction and the business has been benefitting from the uplift in the economy. Cottages NZ has been at the forefront of prefabricated building for over a decade – building houses, holiday homes, worker accommodation and commercial premises.

It has built an additional 800m2 factory and large outdoor concrete pad on the Maraekakaho road fronted site and a large concrete pad outside the existing 600m2 facility.

“We’ve now got the ability to have eight or more buildings under construction at any one time both within a factory setting but also do some of the finishing outside.

The 4 hectare site is also capable of storing up to 40 buildings and also has a consent for a further 1800m2 of factory-style buildings.

John has also developed 4ha in Irongate Road where laser cutting business Axis is based.

A shipping container and scaffolding business has also taken a site while John has plans for a further 1800m2 construction facility on the property.

The road and services into the property has also enabled it to be future proofed with potential for a further four sites.

Further down the road Sunfruit Group has opened a 12,000m2 packhouse and coolstore complex which has created 50 new jobs and more could be added with future expansions.

Other fruit growers have their eyes on Irongate and as reported in the May issue of The Profit, Rockit Global Limited and Bostock New Zealand are likely to build at some stage.

The council’s has stated that its overall vision for the 118-hectare Irongate Industrial Zone is to provide a suitable zone for ‘dry’ industries requiring a large land area and from small to large building areas. The required average lot size is one hectare, with a minimum of 5000m2.

John Roil is still holding out hope that the Hastings Saleyards will relocate from Stortford Lodge to Irongate at some stage in the future.

John suggested the idea over 15 years ago when he presented options to the users of the saleyards. His view hasn’t changed that it would release the existing site to be used for residential or commercial development and enable a modern and future-proof sale yards facility.

“It was a good idea at the time and nothing has changed. It still is, and in fact it might be more relevant to move today with the pressure on residential housing in Hastings.”

Strong passenger growth spurs Hawke’s Bay Airport Expansion upgrade

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The Hawke’s Bay Airport terminal expansion has been given an upgrade, boosted by the latest passenger growth figures and the target of one million passengers by 2025.

Last September the airport announced a redevelopment of the airport terminal increasing its size from 2500m2 to 3800m2 to accommodate the growth in passenger movements and visitors to the airport.

Recently appointed Hawke’s Bay Airport chief executive Stuart Ainslie said that due to continued passenger growth, potential new revenue opportunities and future security screening requirements, an independent review recommended upscaling the terminal by a further 540m2.

“The airport has reported strong passenger growth and we’ve also set a target of reaching one million passengers a year by 2025. At the same time, we reviewed the proposed floorplan and amenities and have made some generous modifications.

“It’s important that we create a sense of place and that visitors get a true taste of Hawke’s Bay either by visually promoting the region within the terminal or via retail offerings of Hawke’s Bay products such as food and beverages (wine),” Stuart said.

The airport has experienced strong passenger growth with 652,000 passenger movements recorded in the financial year ending 30 June 2017. The current expansion plan was set to cater for up to 800,000 passengers, which it was initially forecasted to hit in 2024, but has since been revised to 2020.

In the last week Air New Zealand has announced an additional 12 one-way flights between Napier and Auckland, while Origin Air is introducing new flights from Napier to New Plymouth, Palmerston North and Nelson.

Stuart has been in lead roles in the redevelopment of two international airports – Darwin, Australia and Port Morseby in Papua New Guinea. He commissioned a globally reputable airport planning consultancy Airbiz to review the existing terminal and apron design in relation to the current terminal construction plans.

“Based on the current ‘busy hour’ figures we are already at the anticipated capacity for when the redeveloped airport opens, so it’s important that we add additional floor space now.

The review also highlighted that the existing facility on opening will be constrained in three key areas – baggage makeup, commercial/passenger circulation space and Aviation Security, which is highly likely to become a regulatory requirement within the next 2 -3 years.

Stuart said the revised construction additions will lift the budget by $4.5m to $20.2m and push back the full terminal completion date to the second quarter of 2020. The increased investment, funded by Hawke’s Bay Airport Limited has been approved by current shareholders Napier City Council, Hastings District Council and the Crown.

Arrow International commenced the expansion construction in January this year and the first stage, the reconfigured arrivals hall will be completed and operational by late 2018.

Arrow International’s Central Region General Manager Chris Goldsbury, says the arrivals area would open as originally planned and that although the expansion had been upgraded, it didn’t create any inefficiencies.

“The team have made great progress so far. On many major construction projects you can expect variations and it’s far better to make the changes now, rather than towards the end. Arrow have been working very closely with airport staff, the project manager and sub-contractors, so it’s business as usual.”

Napier City Council mayor Bill Dalton said the council supports the additional expansion plans for the airport.

“There has been substantial growth in passenger numbers over recent years with Air New Zealand adding extra flights and increasing plane size and the arrival of Jetstar. We want to ensure that the airport has the capacity to meet continued growth predictions while at the same time being a welcoming and enjoyable gateway to the region,” he said.

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said “this is an exciting project for Hawke’s Bay and we share the airport’s vision to create the best provincial airport in New Zealand.  The Hawke’s Bay Airport is being very proactive in meeting the future needs given the predicted passenger number growth and the overall growth of the region.  Hastings District Council is delighted to support the new expansion plans.”

Stuart said an airport masterplan is also underway, which will safeguard the airport into the future. It will also enable the realization of new development opportunities both commercially, increased capacity by incumbent airlines and new entrants.  The Master plan process will include a reasonable period for community and stakeholder engagement.

“Our vision is to be the most vibrant and successful regional airport in New Zealand. We are also very aware of our environmental role in Ahuriri and surrounding areas and it’s important that we have an active environmental management plan.

The terminal has been designed in the shape of a Kuaka (godwit) bird in flight by local architects PMA with supporting design inspiration from local artist and Mana Ahuriri representative Jacob Scott.

“It’s important that we incorporate a strong sense of place with reference to the Kuaka and reflecting the Gateway Te Hau- Te Waharoa and Mana Ahuriri and Ngati Kahungunu Iwi aspirations.

The terminal when complete will be 74 percent larger than the existing footprint and will include new airline check in areas, an automated baggage handling system, a dedicated arrivals gate, a central hospitality and retail area; new bathrooms, airline offices and an expanded Air New Zealand regional lounge. The rental car concierge area will also be relocated within the terminal.

The new entranceway to the airport at the intersection of Watchman Road, SH2 and Meeanee Quay is also close to completion and is due to open by the end of September 2018.

 

 

 

Airport Expansion takes off

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A major redevelopment of the Hawke’s Bay Airport is underway that will ensure the terminal is fit for purpose after a 37 percent increase in passengers over the last two years.

The airport is flying high at the moment, having reported a record net profit of $1.7m on a turnover of $6.1 million for the year ended June 2017. The Airport Company achieved all its financial performance targets, with revenue up 16 percent from the previous year.

Construction will be in full swing over summer, with a temporary arrivals hall being set up in the area formally used for rental car parking to enable a new arrivals area to be built at the southern end of the terminal.

Hawke’s Bay Airport chief executive Nick Story says strong passenger growth and the resulting demands on existing airport infrastructure is the catalyst for the multimillion-dollar expansion. In the last two years passenger movements have risen 37 per cent to 652,000 passengers.

There was an 11 percent increase in aircraft movements for the year with a total of 14,256.

“We have had exponential growth over the last couple of years due to a significant increase in airline capacity, driven by the arrival of a second airline in Jetstar and Air New Zealand switching to larger capacity aircrafts, all of which has created competition for passengers and enabled growth of the region’s business and tourism sectors.”

The expanded terminal will increase in size from 2,500 m2 to 3,800 m2 to accommodate the growth in passenger movements and visitors to the airport.

“The airport is a major gateway for the region, so as well as catering for increased passengers and visitors, the expansion is also about enhancing their experience,” Nick says.

As The Profit was going to print, the lead construction contractor was due to be confimed. A local project manager, Steve Birkhead, has been involved through the final design stages of the project and will continue in this role through to the terminal being fully operational in early 2019.

The staged construction project will see the new check-in area constructed at the southern end of the terminal, followed by a central area with a large cafe accommodating 110 people, visitor seating and new bathrooms.

Stage 3 will be a new automated baggage handling system at the northern end, a dedicated arrivals gate, new offices for Air New Zealand, Jetstar and Sound Air, as well as a substantially expanded Air New Zealand regional lounge and rental car concierge area.

During construction Air New Zealand will relocate its regional lounge to a pre-fabricated building to be situated in the current staff car park area.

“We are aiming to keep the airport operating on a business as usual basis. There will be disruptions but our aim is to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible.

“We will have something exciting to look forward to in 2019, a larger, more functional and vibrant terminal.”

Nick says the design enables future growth with the majority of the complex design elements in the centre of the building, making additional expansion to the north simple and cost-efficient.

The project is to be internally funded by Hawke’s Bay Airport Limited, enabled by the airport company’s strong financial performance, and will not require any financial support from current shareholders Napier City Council, Hastings District Council and the Crown.

The new-look terminal has been designed by local architects Paris Magdalinos Architects. PMA architect Chris Ainsworth said the terminal has been designed in the shape of a Kuaka (godwit) bird in flight.

“A key consideration of the brief was to tell the story of the Hawke’s Bay area, which had to be integrated into the building’s architecture and not simply applied later on by using artwork. It is important to tell our story, in what is one of the key gateways into the Hawke’s Bay.

“The Kuaka achieves some amazing feats, flying over 8,000 kilometres every year to Alaska, which is pretty incredible for such a small bird,” says Chris.

The Kuaka-inspired shape will be further showcased inside the terminal using a modern approach to traditional Maori carving.

A new entranceway to the airport is also progressing well and under development at the intersection of Watchman Road, SH2 and Meeanee Quay. This project will be completed by August 2018.

Watch video announcement here