21 May 2002 Media Statement

Government, business and unions to join forces on skills

The government has accepted an invitation from Business New Zealand and the Council of Trade Unions to establish a new tripartite partnership on skills and lifelong learning.

In a keynote address to Work in Progress, New Directions in Workplace Learning international vocational education and training conference in Wellington, Steve Maharey said the government was delighted to have received the approach and is moving to make it a reality.

“Business New Zealand and the Council of Trade Unions share a common view on many of the key issues which need to be addressed in post-school education and training.

“They have identified the importance of improving the quantity, quality and relevance of workplace learning, both for enterprises and individual workers.

“They also share a strong interest in ensuring that the government and government agencies, such as the new Tertiary Education Commission, recognize the importance of lifelong and workplace learning can make to improving the standards of living of New Zealanders.

“The new tripartite work programme on skills we are jointly establishing will focus on promoting lifelong and workplace learning. From our initial discussions it seems likely that in the first instance we will concentrate on building the capability of enterprises, particularly small and medium enterprises, to engage in workplace learning,” Steve Maharey said.

ENDS

© Scoop Media