Plumbing Gasfitting and Drainlaying

About the Plumbing Gasfitting and Drainlaying Strategic Reference Group (PGD SRG)

The PGD SRG comprises 16 industry representatives, Waihanga Ara Rau, education providers and the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC).

Established in March 2022, the PGD SRG has been overseeing the activities of the PGD Covid-19 Recovery Project (PGD Project).

The PGD Project dates back to late 2021 when industry members expressed concerns about the Level 4 Apprenticeship and the adverse impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on learners. The prolonged pandemic had left many apprentices at risk of falling behind in their already lengthy apprenticeship journey, exacerbating the prevailing skills shortage in the PGD sector. Responding to these challenges, we commissioned a comprehensive sector report on behalf of the industry, paving the way for the initiation of the project activities in July 2022. These project activities concluded on 30 June 2023.

Key project activities included:

1. Apprentice Support: Approximately 175 overdue and at-risk PGD apprentices received personalised one-on-one support to help them catch up on their studies. As part of this initiative, we trialled workplace assessments, streamlining the learning process.
2. Provider Capability & Capacity Review: A comprehensive study was conducted to assess the current and future capabilities and capacities of all educational providers offering plumbing, gasfitting, and drainlaying training. This review resulted in reports for Te Pūkenga, NZMA and ICE.
3. Programme Framework Review: The existing PGD programmes underwent a thorough evaluation, leading to the proposal of a new programme. After several discovery sessions and extensive consultations with the PGD sector, the intent is to deliver one standardised programme across all providers. This standardised framework allows apprentices to transition seamlessly between different providers nationwide.

The SRG will continue to monitor outcomes and provide oversight from this project, and start to change its focus to a broader scope, which includes the future of plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying technologies, sustainability, and workforce development, to name a few.