A Case Study: Cook Brothers Apprentice Academy
This case study examines the Cook Brothers’ Construction Apprenticeship Academy.
Through a series of interviews with current apprentices and Cook Brothers’ staff, including carpenters, site managers, and senior executives, we take a deep dive into their apprenticeship programme: what makes it unique, what makes it successful, how it supports apprentices and the overall value it adds to Cook Brothers as a business.
The case study also highlights the programme’s key benefits and challenges and provides recommendations for the Construction industry and vocational education system to design and improve apprenticeship models across Aotearoa.
The issue
The construction industry often struggles to attract and retain apprentice. Furthermore, it is common to hear that people in the sector don’t necessarily know what others are doing. This case study shares a real-world example of an effective academy model in New Zealand with learnings for others in the sector.
Intended outcomes
- Showcase an exemplar of excellent practice in training and retaining apprentices
- Demonstrate the importance and value of funding and resourcing pastoral care in apprenticeships
- Define and demonstrate what effective pastoral care looks like in an apprenticeship programme
- Share a successful apprenticeship model that could be adopted and adapted by others in the construction industry.
The steps
Step one:
- In depth interviews with apprentices, carpenters, site managers and senior leaders at Cook Brothers
- Analysis of interviews
Step two:
- Draft report
Step three:
- Final report
Project status and expected delivery date: July 2024
Lead organisation: ConCOVE
Collaborators: Cook Brothers
The Cook Brothers is a national commercial construction company, started in 2005 in Dunedin.
Project Status: Complete
Contract Research Organisation: ConCOVE
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