Canvas is accessible only within New Zealand and Australia.
Canvas is accessible only within New Zealand and Australia.
March 13, 2026
At Competenz, supporting apprentices is only part of the story. Equally important is supporting the employers and workplace trainers who guide them every day. When employers have the right tools and confidence to train effectively, apprentices are more likely to succeed — and businesses grow stronger as a result.
That focus was at the heart of Competenz 2025 Train the Trainer Workshops, designed to equip workplace trainers with practical coaching techniques they can use on the job.
Apprentices spend the majority of their learning time in the workplace. That means the people supervising, mentoring and training them playa critical role in their development. The workshop focused on helping trainers strengthen those skills through practical approaches such as the GROW coaching model, buddy systems, and active learning techniques.
Post-workshop feedback shows the programme is making a real difference. Most participants reported increased confidence in their ability to train apprentices, and many said they had already begun applying the tools in their workplaces.
Post-workshop feedback shows the programme is making a meaningful difference.
Of the employers surveyed:
For some employers, the workshop also provided reassurance that the training systems they already had in place were working well.
One participant shared that the workshop “provided confidence that our training procedures stacked up,” while another noted it helped them become “a more attentive listener and consider the individual challenges that my trainee might be dealing with.”
The workshop creates a valuable peer learning environment, allowing employers to share challenges and solutions related to apprentice training.
When employers strengthen their training capability, the impact is quickly felt on the workshop floor.
Employers reported noticeable improvements in their apprentices after applying the tools from the workshop. These included stronger communication, clearer goal setting, and greater willingness from apprentices to ask questions and take on new tasks.
Many businesses also introduced new support systems for their learners, including mentoring arrangements, internal study groups, and more structured coaching conversations between trainers and apprentices.
This reflects Competenz broader commitment to supporting both learners and the employers who train them. By investing in the capability of workplace trainers, businesses can create stronger learning environments that benefit apprentices, teams and the wider industry.
The response to the Train the Trainer Workshops has been overwhelmingly positive, with 95% of participants saying they would recommend the programme to other employers.
Due to strong demand, Competenz is expanding the workshops to additional regions:
For more information or to register your interest, contact us at events@competenz.org.nz. Further workshops will also be rolled out in more regions later in the year.
Through initiatives like these, Competenz continues to work alongside industry to build confident trainers, stronger workplaces, and the next generation of skilled tradespeople.
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