Local businesses have looked outside the district and offshore to recruit additional resources as pressure mounts on staffing numbers.
Breen Construction managing director Lindsay Breen said there was ''pressure''
across the business, including carpenters and civil engineers.
He confirmed there was a shortage across the industry ''in terms of trade''.
One of a ''handful'' of bricklayers in Central Otago, Cromwell bricklaying company owner Kirk Stuart said ''things are mad''.
''People [customers] just have to wait.''
Retaining young staff members due to the nature of the work had also been a challenge for the outfit, Mr Stuart said.
''It's a hard job. Most of them don't want to know about it.
''They last about a week and then they're gone.''
In Alexandra, McLellan's Plumbing & Heating founding director Rory McLellan said things were starting to slow down after a hectic five-year period ''which had been a bit of a struggle''.
''We've been through probably the busiest stretch we're going to see for a long time.''
The pinch had also been felt in the automotive industry.
Alexandra-based automotive repairer Vincent Holdings Ltd has regularly trained apprentices.
Director Albie Robertson feared the Government's plan to centralise regional polytechnics, which would direct industry training and apprenticeships back to polytechnics, would would cause further strain.
''It's going to make it harder for us in the rural areas,'' he said.
''We have got apprentices on the go. It's extremely hard to get qualified staff.''
Local employers had resorted to offshore recruitment which had brought mixed results.
Mr Breen confirmed a Filipino man had been employed until his visa ran out.
Mr McLellan tried recruiting overseas, which was ''unsuccessful''.
''The quality of staff I had was really disappointing,'' he said.
Mr Robertson said Vincent had employed four staff from the Philippines, including one who provided 10 years' service.
''One of them is trying to get residency and the Government is making that harder, so it's even harder to get overseas staff now. You just can't get enough [skilled staff] in New Zealand.''
