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Wairarapa MP Georgina Beyer is welcoming new funding for industry training announced today.
The Government is to invest $85m over the next four years to boost the number of people learning on the job from the 107,000 doing so now to 150,000 during 2005. It will also fund a new campaign to promote the value of workplace learning to businesses and workers.
Ms Beyer said the Labour-Progressive Government has invested heavily in vocational education and training since the change of government in 1999.
"The much vaunted 'knowledge economy' isn't only built in universities and polytechnics. There are approximately 7000 workplace training places in the Wellington area, including Wairarapa, making an equally big contribution by upskilling workers in our community and enabling local businesses to produce smarter and more profitable products.
"The extra funding will directly benefit our region by increasing the number of local training places.
"Along with other initiatives like Modern Apprenticeships it is a visible sign of the Government's commitment to helping all New Zealanders to prepare for a more demanding workforce in this new century.
"It is also appropriate that on May Day the Government also announced a new partnership with unions and business organisations to promote the value of industry training. Labour wants to move from the 150,000 trainees the new funding will support in workplace learning during 2005 to a quarter of a million trainees during 2007. To meet this target many more local firms will need to join the industry training programme.
"The campaign involving unions and business announced today will be essential if they are to be persuaded to do so," Ms Beyer said.
| Region |
Industry Trainees |
| Bay of Plenty |
8,600 |
| Canterbury |
8,600 |
| Central |
8,000 |
| Eastern Coast |
5,000 |
| Manukau |
3,300 |
| Nelson / Marlborough / West Coast |
5,300 |
| Northland |
4,000 |
| Southern |
8,800 |
| Tamaki Makaurau |
15,000 |
| Waikato |
9,000 |
| Wellington |
7,000 |
(Note: unfortunately these regions cannot be broken down any further - see this map for boundaries)
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