Earlier this week, the Industry Training Federation reported there were more apprentices nationwide this year, driven by industry demand.
Otago Chamber of Commerce 4Trades apprenticeships facilitator Bruce Dunn organised apprenticeships with business partners ranging from panelbeaters to painters and decorators, and the Dunedin Botanic Garden.
He said Dunedin businesses were "screaming out" for plumbers, builders, spray-painters and mechanics.
However, he felt at a recent career expo he attended the idea was still being pushed for "naughty little Sarah or Jimmy" who could not concentrate at school.
It was frustrating as much work went into learning a trade, particularly the theory - and some tradesmen and women were "brilliant in their own right", he said.
"There's some amazing builders out there, and amazing plumbers and horticulturists."
At present he had 32 apprentices around Otago in training.
Hairdressing, Beauty and Barbering Industry Training Organisation chief executive Kay Nelson said yesterday she had seen an increase in apprentices in the wider Otago region, numbers being up 17% on the year before, while Service IQ said its apprentices in the Otago region now exceeded 1000, up nearly 100 apprentices from 2017.
Competenz - which spans industries from food and beverages to engineering and forestry - said Otago apprentice numbers were on track to exceed both 2017 and 2016 figures, and Oamaru was going through a particularly "buoyant period".
However, botanic garden collections supervisor Barbara Wheeler said it was getting "harder and harder" to find horticultural apprentices.
It would be great to see more competition for spots available in the garden's apprenticeship programme, which had produced award-winning gardeners and took on three new people every year, she said.
Morgan Hampton (22), who completed his apprenticeship at the botanic garden and now had his own business, Bluestone Gardeners and Nursery, - and who was also 2018 Young Amenity Sector Horticulturist of the Year - said he had recommended apprenticeships to many people.
"It's training that you can't get anywhere else.
"It's a good way to get knowledge and experience and get paid," he said.
