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Hot Topic EARNINGS
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Heavy duty skills shortage causes headaches

Heavy machinery company Gough Group is struggling to find enough skilled staff to meet demand from the booming mining and forestry sectors, and has run job seminars across the country to fill the vacancies on its books.Following the two biggest sales in i

NZPA
Tue, 30 Nov 2010

Heavy machinery company Gough Group is struggling to find enough skilled staff to meet demand from the booming mining and forestry sectors, and has run job seminars across the country to fill the vacancies on its books.

Following the two biggest sales in its history -- supplying $120 million worth of machinery to Solid Energy's Stockton opencast coal mine near Westport -- the company was short of heavy diesel mechanics and technicians, Gough Group chief executive Karl Smith said.

The company has 40 vacancies, including 20 for heavy duty mechanics and technicians.

"The Goughs Group is well aware of this skill shortage and is doing everything to both attract and train staff to look after our present needs, and also in anticipation of future growth," Mr Smith said.

The company was the largest employers of heavy diesel apprentices in the country, taking on 13 last year and currently training a further 32 people in its four-year course.

Qualified mechanics were lost to Australia and other countries, but a surprising number came back to New Zealand.

NZPA
Tue, 30 Nov 2010
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Heavy duty skills shortage causes headaches
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