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Wairarapa school leavers now considering their future are being urged by Wairarapa MP Georgina Beyer to think about taking up a trade.
She says Wairarapa needs on-the-job-trained plumbers, printers and electricians, just as much as it needs dentists, doctors and lawyers.
"The Wellington region's economy is cruising along, with growth in the year to September at 2.7 per cent as measured by the National Bank's Regional Trends Survey.
"In the same period, the number of people in training in the wider Wellington region has cracked 9,300. The process engineering (Competenz) industry alone is training 1,461 mostly young people in the region. Another 1,173 are in training in electrotechnology and a further 554 in community support services, 549 in building & construction, 497 in road transport, 411 in forestry, and 405 in hospitality."
"I urge any school leaver or any other young person looking for a future to seriously consider taking up a trade, where they can earn while they learn.
A good starting point is the Career Services - www.kiwicareers.govt.nz"
Nationally, at the end of September there were 98,906 industry trainees, compared with 95,952 at the end of June. There were also 7,088 Modern Apprentices, when in June there were 6,874.
Georgina Beyer says she is not trying to dissuade people who want to enter a profession or a career that requires a university education.
"Wairarapa needs both; it's no good having architects designing houses if there aren't enough builders, plasterers and electricians."
The MP points to a recent survey showing some people with skills had enjoyed good pay rises last year - such as electricians, whose average wages increased by about 11 per cent to nearly $48,700 a year.
"Bright sparks such as these are mostly earning good money without having to pay student loans," said Georgina Beyer.
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