The construction and infrastructure sector is the backbone of New Zealand's economy, with an estimated $206 billion of infrastructure in the pipeline and hundreds of thousands of workers needed to deliver it. Yet retention remains one of the sector's most pressing challenges: of workers who entered the industry in 2018, 26% left within their first year, and only 23% remained after five years. Mental health pressures, misaligned expectations, and unsupportive workplace relationships are consistently identified as key drivers of this early attrition.
 

Losing a worker is expensive. Employers invest an estimated $10,000 to $50,000 in training each apprentice, so every early departure represents a real loss of time, money, and project capability. The return on getting support right is well evidenced. Investing in the people who build New Zealand secures the sector's future...