A pilot that gives high school students manufacturing industry experience will expand to new regions. Launched in Waikato in February, the ‘Earn as You Learn’ initiative gives students paid, real-world experience while they study.  “We know that meaningful, well-paid employment is one of the most powerful ways to change a person’s life and open doors […]

By Praneel Hira, MATES Communications and Events Advisor In July 2025, MATES worked alongside the wider construction, manufacturing, and infrastructure industries, hearing from over 3,300 workers through the MATES Industry Well-being Survey, supported by ASB. The 2025 survey revealed a workforce proud of what they do and deeply connected to the meaning in their mahi. […]

Showing how building costs have surged ahead of other common costs, national construction costs have increased by about 61% since 2015, compared with a 33% increase in the CPI. The Consumer Price Index is a measure of inflation for the nation’s households that records changes in the price of goods and services. New Zealand’s construction […]

For many business owners, the idea of taking a proper holiday feels risky. What if clients are unhappy? What if operations falter? For entrepreneurs whose personal drive powers their company, stepping away can seem almost unthinkable. But research tells a different story. Studies show that founders who take regular breaks make better long-term decisions and […]

When US President Donald Trump unveiled a new round of import tariffs in April 2025, New Zealand wood exporters were relieved to learn their products had been spared. Timber and wood products were temporarily exempt from the initial 10% tariff due to a pending trade investigation into US lumber imports. Although the exemption is only […]

Wellington has never been a city that settles. Wedged between harbour and hills, shaped by wind and weather, it has always demanded more from its buildings. As construction activity accelerates across the region, the question of how we build and who we trust to do it beckons a refreshed answer. The focus is no longer […]