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The scourge of residual youth unemployment is being tackled head-on by Budget 2003 announcements on youth training, says Georgina Beyer, MP for Wairarapa.
Prime Minister Helen Clark and Social Services and Employment Minister Steve Maharey have announced a $56 million Budget package to get all 15 to 19 year olds in to education, training, work or other options by 2007. These include expanding the Gateway and Modern Apprenticeships programmes, as well as specialised support from Work and Income.
Ms Beyer said that as part of the package, the Gateway programme would become available to Makoura College, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori O Tamaki Ni A Rua, Dannevirke High School and Totara College of Accelerated Learning by 2007. Kuranui College is already part of the Gateway programme. Nationally, Gateway will progressively be made available to all 1-5 decile schools by 2007. It is expected that most will take up the opportunity to put senior students into workplaces.
"The Gateway programme prepares young people for the world of work while they are still at school. Senior secondary students get to start work-based qualifications and they learn the disciplines of work," said Georgina Beyer.
"The budget package also expands the popular Modern Apprenticeships scheme. This has been a great success in Wairarapa. At the end of March, there were 92 Modern Apprenticeships in our region and 5,102 nationally. That compares very favourably to last September, when there were 69 Modern Apprentices locally and 3810 nationally.
The Government expects to see a 50 percent increase in the number of Modern Apprentices to increase to 7,500 places a year by 2006.
"Growth in the local economy will be helped if employers and educators in Wairarapa do their utmost to secure as many as possible of these extra Modern Apprentices.
"These initiatives - and the others in the youth training package - mean the government will meet the goal it agreed with the Mayors' Taskforce For Jobs; that by 2007, all 15-19 year olds will be engaged in appropriate education, training, work or other options which will lead to long term economic independence and well-being.
"I welcome this youth training package because it specifically targets those young people who do not go on to university or polytechnic and enables them to learn the skills necessary for today's workforce," said Georgina Beyer.
Education and Training Leaving Age package
Key elements:
- expanding the Gateway programme to all 1-5 decile secondary schools and some by 12,000 students annually 2007
- increasing the number of Modern Apprentices from the current 5,000 to 7,500 from 2006 onwards
- piloting an intensive support programme in the Auckland region for 100 young people annually who are leaving state care to help them live independently
- regionalised Work and Income programmes targeting early school leavers to assist them to enter training, further education or paid employment
- more support for young people who have completed youth training programmes and are now in the workforce to ensure they stay there
- reintroducing student allowances for some 16 and 17 year olds
- piloting a individualised support programme young people in three communities to test different ways of supporting them in to work or further training
Modern Apprenticeships - local statistics - AS AT 31 MARCH 2003
| Carterton District |
Agriculture |
3 |
| |
Building & construction |
1 |
| |
Flooring |
1 |
| 6 |
Motor engineering |
1 |
| Masterton District |
Agriculture |
4 |
| |
Baking |
2 |
| |
Building & construction |
2 |
| |
Contracting |
5 |
| |
Engineering |
1 |
| |
Flooring |
2 |
| |
Forest industries |
15 |
| |
Motor engineering |
4 |
| |
Printing |
1 |
| 37 |
Tourism |
1 |
| South Wairarapa District |
Agriculture |
3 |
| |
Building & construction |
2 |
| |
Forest industries |
3 |
| |
Horticulture |
2 |
| 11 |
Hospitality |
1 |
| Tararua District |
Agriculture |
8 |
| |
Building & construction |
3 |
| |
Engineering |
9 |
| |
Forest industries |
5 |
| 38 |
Motor engineering |
13 |
| |
Grand total |
92 |
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