Student/Next Gen Membership

A Next Gen membership can kickstart your career journey with the best industry connections across the construction sector.

When you’re getting started, the right connections can open doors and give you a clearer view of where your career can go. And that’s what Building Institute Aotearoa does best; bringing people together across the construction sector so you can meet, learn and grow with confidence.

Free membership (with proof of current enrolment/training)
Free regional site visits and panel events
Free access to Light Lunch and Industry Insights webinars, podcasts and other Institute resources
Half price entry to regional social events
Discounted entry to national events
Monthly e-news and updates
Free copies of Building Today and Build magazines
The opportunity to enter the Next Gen Awards
The opportunity to apply for scholarships through the NZIOB Charitable Education Trust

Free Membership

Next Gen membership is for all those in training in the construction industry - students, cadets and apprentices. Kickstart your career journey with the best industry connections across the construction sector.

Not a member yet? Sign up now! You’ll need to show proof of current enrolment/training.

Events

Next Gen members get the same benefits as full members for free and discounted Institute events – check out what’s coming up.

Check out our Next Gen Welcome events on the events page.

DIGICOMM25

DigiComm25 was one-day conference on Thursday 20 March 2025 at Aotea Centre in Tāmaki | Auckland.

Thanks to the Institute’s Charitable Education Trust we were able to provide the funds for 24 of our Next Gen members to come along for free. Assisting our Next Gen in attending our major events is something we always aim to do so keep an eye out for opportunities in the future.

Resources

We have a bunch of resources you could find very helpful in your learning and career journey. Check out our Industry Insights seminars (45 minutes each), Light Lunch webinars (15 minutes each), and our Tall Stories podcast where you can hear about the varied and interesting career paths people in this industry have been down.

Next Gen Awards

Our Next Gen Awards gives you the chance to be recognised for your passion and potential with prize money and industry recognition.

Important dates:

Entries open 14th April 2026 (NOW OPEN)
Entries close 1st June 2026
Finalists announced 1st July 2026
Awards Ceremony in Tāmaki | Auckland 2026

Find out more.

MentorMIX

Following the success of last year’s programme, MentorMIX returns for 2026, proudly supported once again by GIB!

Key dates: Applications are now closed

Programme runs from May to October 2026.

About the programme:

The Institute of Building is a cross-industry organisation which means our members come from a range of backgrounds and roles. With the MentorMIX programme, our mentees (Next Gen members who sign up for the programme) will be able to meet a range of mentors through online and in person (location dependent) sessions. It will be nationwide and will give mentees a taste of different roles across the sector i.e. Project Managers, Architects, Design Managers, Site Managers.

Why join MentorMIX?

Meet diverse mentors from across the construction sector, including Project Managers, Architects, Design Managers, and Site Managers.
Flexible mentoring approach – connect with different mentors to gain insights from various roles and perspectives.
Career guidance & networking – build lasting relationships and gain practical advice to support your professional growth.
Online and in-person options – tailored to fit your schedule.

Applications for 2026 are now closed

Industry Opportunities

Further Study Scholarships

A new program that has been launched by BCTF providing financial support to individuals who are completing further study in courses aligned to the construction sector. The scholarships are provided to individuals to have successfully completed study up to Level 4 (NZQA) and are currently or wish to complete further study helping them and the industry improve and lift standards.

Find out more and apply at BCTF

Check out other scholarships currently open through BCITO. Applications close soon so be in to be considered – apprentices and employers.

Apprentice of the Year

Registered Master Builder's Apprentice of the year competition is open to all carpentry apprentices. Entries were open 8 March 2024 - 12 April 2024. Keep an eye out for 2025.

ArchEngBuild

Are you a final year student studying either architecture, engineering or construction management in New Zealand and interested in being part of the ArchEngBuild Challenge? ArchEngBuild offers a fantastic opportunity for students where they can expect an intense 3 days of hard but hugely rewarding hands-on work.

Nominations are open for 2025.

Find out more about being involved.