Learning curve
Upskilling? Looking at moving to another role within the industry? Helping a colleague with their career development? Career Services is the place to go for information and advice on jobs, training and study.
The best way to find out how Career Services can help you and your employees is to go to their website: www.careers.govt.nz Formerly known as Kiwi Careers, this is the most comprehensive careers website in New Zealand, and the only place to go for comprehensive and impartial information.
For example, there are the 670 job profiles on the Career Services website. These are based on interviews with people actually doing the job.
Click on B for 'Building' and you'll find 18 profiles of people working in the industry. Roles covered include Building Approvals Officer, Building Estimator, Building Design Technician - and Builder. The site also profiles Design Engineers, Interior Designers, Carpenters and Construction Site Managers.
Each profile links to advice on personal requirements, working conditions, how to enter the job, related jobs, and relevant courses and training. There is also up-to-date information about the job market. Job market information covers topics such as shortages, registration changing skill requirements and turnover. This information is also broken down by regions across the country.
Career Services also offers a free telephone advice line (0800 222 733) and face-to-face help in 17 offices around New Zealand.
Are you a building control expert?
Would you or your organisation like:
- some paid time away to learn about how other building control systems work?
- an opportunity to contribute to improving building controls throughout New Zealand?
The Building Act 2004 (the Act) established accreditation and registration of building consent authorities as a two stage process for ensuring that such organisations meet appropriate technical standards, are competent to perform certain tasks, are 'fit and proper' and operate their businesses in a way that provides a higher standard of consumer protection.The Building (Accreditation of Building Consent Authorities) Regulations 2006 prescribe accreditation criteria and standards that must be met by all building consent authorities.
International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ) has been appointed by the Chief Executive of the Department of Building and Housing as the Building Consent Accreditation Body. IANZ seeks suitably qualified and experienced people to join a pool of 'technical experts' that may be called upon to assist with assessments of one or more territorial and regional authorities and private organisations that apply for accreditation.
Accreditation is a specialised activity. It involves a team of expert assessors who review consent documents and inspection records, make site visits of completed buildings, interview people, accompany staff on inspections and prepare reports. An assessment team will consist of a lead assessor who has accreditation and management systems expertise and technical experts. The technical experts will have detailed knowledge and experience of the Building Act, Building Regulations, Building Code and building control systems. For more details on the building consent authority accreditation scheme refer to www.dbh.govt.nz
All technical expert assignments will be for a relatively short period. You will not be required to be away from your other work for more than a few days at a time. You, or your employer, will be paid for the time you spend as a technical expert (plus actual and reasonable expenses).
Technical experts must be able work quickly and efficiently under pressure in a supportive team environment, as well as have the following key attributes:
- appropriate qualifications, skills and experience corresponding to industry good practice.
- knowledge, skills, and practical experience to be able to adequately assess, recognise, and respond appropriately to any technical issue likely to arise in the course of an accreditation assessment.
Please refer to the technical expert specifications below and send IANZ a completed application form and supporting information explaining how you fit the specification.
Please send the application form and supporting information to:
Geoff Hallam
Programme Manager - Inspection Body Accreditation
International Accreditation New Zealand,
Private Bag 28908,
Remuera, Auckland 1136
ghallam@ianz.govt.nz
09 525 6655
David Sidwell
Accreditation Officer
International Accreditation New Zealand,
Private Bag 28908,
Remuera, Auckland 1136
dsidwell@ianz.govt.nz
09 525 6655
An accreditation technical expert must have sufficient knowledge, skills, and practical experience to be able to adequately assess, recognise, and respond appropriately to any technical issue likely to arise in the course of an accreditation assessment.
Technical Expert Specification
Introduction
An accreditation technical expert must have sufficient knowledge, skills, and practical experience to be able to adequately assess, recognise, and respond appropriately to any technical issue likely to arise in the course of an accreditation assessment. As such, the technical expert's qualifications, skills and experience must correspond to industry good practice and to the needs of IANZ as the Building Consent Accreditation Body.
Responsibilities and key tasks of the technical experts
The responsibilities (and restrictions on such responsibilities) and key tasks of technical experts shall be in accordance with the relevant and current IANZ technical guidance publication for accreditation assessors.
Qualifications and skills
The qualifications and experience required of a technical expert must be directly relevant and appropriate to the work in which they are engaged. A technical expert must be able to meet the following criteria to the satisfaction of the IANZ and the Department of Building and Housing before being appointed as a technical expert.
Relevant experience
A technical expert must have the following experience:
- Relevant and current experience in building controls (at least five years working in this field).
- Previous experience in the building industry (eg, working as a building constructor, architectural designer, quantity surveyor, building surveyor, project manager, foreman, etc.).
- Previous senior responsibility for building control and compliance decisions including day-to-day technical involvement in consent processing, inspection work and review, sign-off and approval of building consents, code compliance certificates, compliance schedules, and/or notices to fix.
- Previous practical ability to effectively perform, process, and approve building consents and undertake credible inspections and to adequately record observations.
Knowledge skills, and technical competence
A technical expert must have a comprehensive knowledge of the:
- Relevant technical requirements of building consents being processed, inspected, signed off, and approved and the significance of any noted observations.
- Relevant legislation, specifications, and other reference documents (eg, Building Act 2004, Building Regulations, the Building Code, other related legislation such as the Local Government Act 2002, and the Resource Management Act 1991, the Fire Service Act, relevant standards, manufacturer's instructions, technical literature, product appraisals, etc.).
- Quality assurance system principles and the application of these to building consent authority systems.
- Building (Accreditation of Building Consent Authorities) Regulations 2006.
- Duties and responsibilities of a technical leader/manager, building official and trainee building official.
A Technical Expert participating as a member of an accreditation assessment team must also have:
- The ability to identify the types of technical compliance non-conformances able to be found in a building consent authority's systems, policies and procedures.
- The ability to comprehensively document and record findings and decisions.
- Sound judgement in evaluation of findings.
- A demonstrated ability to:
i. think and plan strategically;
ii. produce high quality work under pressure;
iii. effectively manage time and demanding workloads;
iv. effectively communicate (by both oral and written means)and work with a range of people from different organisations and cultural backgrounds; and
v. work effectively, either independently or as a member of a team.
Formal Qualifications
It is desirable that a technical expert has appropriate formal qualifications in subjects related to building control (eg, a National Trade Certificate, National Certificate or National Diploma in building-related fields such as carpentry, architectural design, quantity surveying or plumbing and drainage; or relevant Bachelor degree qualifications in Construction Management, Project Management, Engineering, Building Science, Architecture, or Building Surveying etc).
Continued professional development
A technical expert engaged by IANZ on an ongoing basis must maintain an appropriate level of building control and building compliance/science continuing professional development, each year. Technical experts must stay abreast of changes within the regulatory environment, and with any significant changes to building construction practices and building compliance requirements.
Sustainable Building Conference (SB07) 2007
New Zealand - Transforming Our Built Environment14-16 November 2007, Auckland
Who Should Attend?
This conference will be useful for:
- building owners, specifiers and managers
- designers and engineers
- developers and builders
- suppliers of products and services
- central and local government policy makers, and planners
- researchers and academics.
Registration
Registration is available online now. Please note the cost below includes GST.
For more information please contact
Shelley Cunningham
Convention Management Services Ltd
shelley@cmsl.co.nz
64 9 835 1533
Adrian Bennett
Building Research
a.bennett@bres.org.nz
64 4 495 7761