All cisterns go - Ross's Plumbing pipeline of potenetial youth employees
For 2024, Wiri Business Association is focussing on youth employment at our local Wiri businesses. In the Spring 2023 edition, we heard from Pete Jones, Manurewa High School Principal, on how the school is looking for opportunities to support and grow their rangatahi (young people). Below is the take from Ross Collins-Wright, owner of local business Ross’s plumbing on why employing rangatahi is good for business and good for the community.
Ross has had a 50-year career in the plumbing industry, starting off as an adult apprentice. As you can imagine, he has seen a few changes in the job and he’s always learning.
‘When I started, all the pipe work I was doing was in copper. All waste pipe work was in cast iron and lead. Then it slowly changed to PVC, now there is nearly 50 different plumbing systems on the market and we are supposed to know each one’.
As a past student of Manurewa High School, Ross was open to giving back to his former school.
‘We’ve been involved in the Business Academy trade programme for the last five years after we were approached by Manurewa High. Someone gave me a hand and took me under their wing when I started my career in plumbing. It’s my opportunity to do the same and show them what the plumbing trade is all about’.
Mindset and the willingness to learn and get stuck in is what Ross’s Plumbing are looking for in the young people that come through their doors.
‘If someone interested and keen, I’ll take them on’.
‘We help them grow their confidence, along with their skills and work ethic – to see that blossom is really great to see’.
The commitment by Ross’s Plumbing has been ongoing and Ross emphasizes that businesses that get behind youth employment initiatives need to be involved for the right reasons.
‘We take students for one day a week, for nine months of the school year (excluding school holidays).
‘It’s not about digging trenches – we don’t use this as an opportunity for free labour. They do renovations, maintenance and the full spectrum of plumbing’.
Ross’s Plumbing are extremely proud that they’ve helped four people gain their trade certifications and registrations through their company. They have all gone off to start their own businesses.
‘When I see one of the guys, he always comes up to me to shake my hand and say thanks. Because the experience, the knowledge that he gained with us put him in good stead for starting his own business’.
Ross is behind the work that schools like Manurewa High and others are doing to reach out to businesses.