News & Updates
NZTA’s SH2 Wainui Road to Opotiki project has so far resulted in full-time employment for 15 local people with civil construction company Splice Construction. And there’s more to come.
The successful local engagement is a direct result of a strong partnership established between Splice Construction Owner Graeme Rush and Te Whanau A Apanui (Iwi) representative Maxie Kemara, which Graeme initiated soon after winning the tender.
“The Splice ethos is to hire and develop local to support the communities we work in” explains Graeme. “To achieve this, we consult with and value the guidance of local leaders.
“We count the Wainui project as an evolving success story, thanks to their input and support in getting the right message out through local channels and establishing trust in our company.”
Maxie advertised the employment opportunities on three community Facebook pages: Omaio Marae, Te Whanau a Apanui (Iwi) and the Opotiki Community page. Splice was offering full-time employment along with specific industry training and vehicle licensing training.
Within three days, Maxie fielded 62 requests for employment which he forwarded to Splice. Three of the applicants came from the Department of Corrections and Graeme is proud to count two of them amongst the local Splice team now working on the Wainui roading project.
With Splice Construction set to work on further projects in the region, along with continued collaboration with local iwi leaders and the community, they anticipate lots more openings for local people to upskill and gain long-term employment.
“We really want to offer opportunities to upskill people so they can develop a career that takes them as far as they want to go” concludes Graeme. “This is just the start of what we hope to achieve. We are humbled by both the support and positive feedback we’ve received from the community and we’re extremely proud of the work being done.”
