More than 700 builders are gathering in Rotorua today to discuss the critical shortage of skilled workers in the industry.

It's the 20th anniversary of the New Zealand Certified Builders and they'll be solving serious issues while they celebrate.

The industry is currently going through a shortage, which Chief Executive Grant Florence says is part of building's boom bust nature of the industry.

However, he says it's not an easy fix.

"Obviously, we're in a boom now. If the industry at maximum capacity, it will only really be time that fixes that."

New Zealand may need to look off shore to ease pressure on the building industry.

Florence says it's what helped during the Canterbury rebuild, and we may need to look in that direction again.

He says if we're going to address the housing shortage, it makes sense to look offshore for help.

"If we want to decrease the housing shortage and address potential KiwiBuild, it just makes sense that we'd look to offshore."