Vertical Horizonz New Zealand

21/03/2026

We had an EPIC time at the NZ Rural Games in Palmy. We had two of our Trainer's on site, who split this group up in two to compete in a relay race. 🏃🏼‍♂️The teams had to correctly put on their PPE, run to the chainsaw the fastest, then start it. We love that this crew learnt some safety basics and got to work together. Thanks heaps for all of the participation!

19/03/2026

Good morning from the Hamilton Centre. We've had 5 cups of coffees and it's only 8.30am. What about you?

19/03/2026

💡 Sometimes the best ideas come from the apprentices themselves.

Our roofing trainees noticed something didn’t feel right. They were building high-quality training structures… only to dismantle them once the assessment was finished.

So, they asked a simple question: why not build something useful instead?

That idea swiftly became the VHNZ Garden Shed Project.

Apprentices still learn and demonstrate the same roofing skills, but now the sheds they build are gifted to local organisations.

Block C in Hastings with trainer Pat recently completed two sheds, with one proudly gifted to Bay Roofing Hastings, which owner Wayne Harvey was very thankful to receive.

What a great way to turn training into something meaningful. 👏

17/03/2026

We know questions don’t wait for the next visit. That’s why we’ve made support easier to access for our apprentices. Read more here!

At Vertical Horizonz New Zealand (VHNZ), we know apprenticeships move quickly. Most learners balance time on site, block courses, the demands of everyday work, and a personal life.

13/03/2026

This team is on fire!🔥 And we don't just mean that they're doing really well… The foam here is helping our learners understand fire behaviour on this course down in Wellington. Suited up and diving into an overwhelmingly foamy room, they build confidence in dealing with unexpected situations and what wading through fire might feel like.

12/03/2026

We love seeing an apprentice complete their training and start a new chapter of their journey 🎉 Kereama Taaka‑Te Kaute from POU Limited was awarded his Scaffolding Level 4 certificate this month. He showed true passion for his craft, with his VH Training Advisor, Craven, saying: "Kereama's professionalism, reliability and work ethic really makes him a role model for others. He's a proper credit to the industry.”

Kereama's employer, Lori King, also said: "We were incredibly proud to see Kereama complete his apprenticeship. His achievement reflects the exceptional standard he maintained throughout his training."

Incredible mahi! Strengthening the industry one apprentice at a time 💪

Matawhaanui Trust
Genesis

11/03/2026

Big congrats to Hawkins, the winner of the 2026 Vertical Horizonz Safety Innovation Award at the Site Safe New Zealand Awards! 🚧🏆

Hawkins received the award for tackling a common site risk by routing power conduits underground. The change removes trip hazards from busy work areas and keeps access ways clearer for crews moving through the site. Great mahi from the Hawkins team. Our crew had a good night celebrating with the wider industry and acknowledging the people pushing safety forward on site.

10/03/2026

VHNZ was thrilled for Hawkins to be awarded for their innovative approach to safer, smarter worksites! Our team had a great time celebrating the Site Safe New Zealand Awards last week - Congratulations to everyone involved!

A big congratulations to Hawkins, our winner of the 2026 Vertical Horizonz Safety Innovation Award for a large business (50+ employees).

This award is for a large company demonstrating the best new thinking in health, safety and wellbeing. This could be an innovative way of doing things, a new technology, a leading-edge product or forward-thinking initiative to drive improvements in health and safety systems or behaviours, address or manage a specific hazard or risk, create a design solution to address a problem, or to improve productivity.

We are honouring Hawkins for eliminating trip hazards by routing power conduits underground.

Keep up the great work team!

09/03/2026

Apprenticeship support sessions!

Training Advisor drop-in sessions are now available. If you're an apprentice, this is a great opportunity for you to access more regular support throughout your apprenticeship. Book online for a one-on-one session with your Training Advisor. You can join an online session or attend an in-person drop-in.

You can use the session to talk through anything on your mind. 💭Questions about your training, something you are stuck on, or a quick check-in to see how things are going. Enquire now or book your session online. ✉️training@vhnz.co.nz

08/03/2026

We know every day should be International Women’s Day. But it's still a good reason to stop and recognise the wāhine shaping our industry. Construction and high-risk training have a long way to go when it comes to representation. Real change happens when companies take practical steps that make it easier for women to enter the industry AND stay in it.

Across our training centres we provide free period products in our bathrooms. It might sound like a small change, but it removes a barrier that shouldn't exist in the first place. We also cover NAWIC memberships for our female apprentices so they can connect with other women in the industry and build networks early in their careers.

We also marked National Association of Women in Construction (NZ) Women in Construction Week with a morning tea at our centres with our friends from Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation. We're proud to celebrate the wāhine of VHNZ and the many women across construction who are helping shape the future of the industry. ✨

07/03/2026

“You don’t have to have everything figured out. Back yourself and don’t be afraid to make mistakes, they’re often where the best lessons come from.”

International Women’s Day is coming up, and we’re celebrating VH wāhine all week! 👷🏽‍♀️Today we’re spotlighting Jess, our National Customer Service Manager. After many years with VHNZ, Jess has a deep understanding of how the business runs day to day and is often the person people go to for guidance, problem solving, or just a sanity check.

One of the biggest lessons she’s learned over time is the value of staying calm. Earlier in her career she was quick to react, but she realised you do not need to fight fire with fire. Taking a step back, listening first, and standing your ground without reacting emotionally usually gets a better result and keeps your integrity intact.

Jess says a supportive workplace is one where women are respected and trusted with the same opportunities as anyone else. She values being surrounded by strong wāhine across the organisation who lift each other up and stand confidently alongside their teammates.

For Jess, a big part of IWD is about recognising the people who helped her get where is now. She credits her whānau as her biggest support system. Raised by a strong single mum, she learned early that nothing comes free and you work for what you want. During a time when she felt a bit lost, her aunty and uncle helped guide her into a Business and Administration course, setting her on the path she’s still on today.

06/03/2026

“It’s great more women are getting into construction, but we also need to make sure we create a space where we actually want to stay.”

International Women’s Day is coming up, and we’re celebrating VH wāhine all week! 👷🏽‍♀️Today we’re spotlighting Ruby, our Marketing Lead and a member of the NAWIC Waikato branch. For Ruby, IWD is less about one day and more of a self-check. The responsibility for equality doesn’t sit with women alone. Culture shifts when everyone takes ownership of it. “At some point you’ll hear a comment that doesn’t sit right, even if it seems minor. Call it out early and get ahead of it. We need to back each other when that happens, guys included. It goes both ways.”

Ruby credits her mum as her biggest supporter and strongest female influence, who taught her from a young age to back herself and trust her voice, alongside the strong male figures in her life who have always had her back. That support is something she now tries to create for others in her workplace.

She believes getting women into the industry is only half the job. The real measure is whether they stay. Women still make up only around 15 percent of New Zealand’s construction workforce, and many leave within the first few years. Things that sound basic, proper bathrooms, changing rooms and access to sanitary products, are still not standard everywhere, but those details make a real difference to whether a workplace feels supportive.

“We need the next woman walking through the door to feel like she belongs from day one, where she can show up, do the job well, and not have to prove she deserves to be there.”