Media Release: Wednesday 20 June 2018

Horowhenua education providers collaborate on driver licence programme

An innovative student driver-training programme is to be set up to help Horowhenua tertiary and secondary school students achieve a successful transition to employment.

Horowhenua Learning Centre (HLC) chief executive officer Patrick Rennell said that during consultation for HLC’s recent strategic planning process, a key message from industry and employers was that the lack of a driver licence was impacting students’ ability to transition to employment.

“The clear challenge was to provide an opportunity for students to achieve a driver’s licence as part of their studies,” he said.

The new programme uses a combination of theory, practical driving lessons, observation and mentorship to enable students to graduate with a minimum of a restricted driver’s licence.

Horowhenua College principal Grant Congdon said the programme aims to improve career prospects for young people and remove barriers to entering the job market.

“Many entry-level jobs in Horowhenua require at least a restricted licence. Furthermore, driving without a licence or on an incorrect licence is a pathway into the justice system and can have a long-term adverse impact on employment prospects, especially in industries such as logistics and transportation,” Mr Congdon said.

As principal of Manawatu College, Bruce McIntyre has seen promising students miss out on opportunities because they lacked a driver’s licence.

“We had a student from Foxton who won a building apprenticeship in Levin but was forced to turn it down because he had no driver’s licence and no family car. He just couldn’t get there early enough every day.”

Horowhenua Learning Centre, Horowhenua College, Waiopehu College, Manawatu College and Police are working together to deliver the programme, with over 225 students to participate in the first 12 months.

Horowhenua Learning Centre will employ a qualified driving instructor and provide two vehicles to deliver the programme, and HLC and the three colleges will share the costs of lessons and petrol.

Community Wellbeing Committee Chair Councillor Barry Judd said the Community Wellbeing Committee is delighted to support this programme.

“The community has really got on board, with police officers offering to act as mentors for the students. It’s an excellent example of leaders in our community working together to improve prospects for our young people. We can achieve so much more by collaborating than we could by working alone,” he said.

Senior Sergeant Sarn Paroli not only saw the benefits in getting young people legally driving, but also saw the initiative as an opportunity to create positive relationships for young people with Police.

“Unfortunately for some young people their only encounters with Police are negative. This programme provides a further opportunity for Police to work with students to gain something positive for the student, the police and the wider community. We see this as a real opportunity to reduce the number of young people entering the justice system for driving-related offences, which can start them down a long term path of negative outcomes. The education and instruction being offered through the programme will also bring road safety benefits for the young drivers themselves and the general road using public,” he said.

The programme begins in Term 3 on Monday 23 July.

Waiopehu College principal Mark Robinson said all three colleges have committed to incorporate driver licencing theory education into their curriculums.

“Students will achieve their learner’s licence, and then have five practical driving lessons with a qualified driving instructor over a six month period. In between lessons, they will practice with mentors. Students can nominate a trusted adult full licence holder as a mentor. We will provide mentors for those who have no one suitable or no access to a vehicle at home,” he said.

Mr Robinson said the students will be paired up for driving lessons, with one driving and the other observing from the back seat, so they benefit from observation as well as direct driving experience.

The instructor will visit Horowhenua College and Waiopehu College for one full day each week, delivering seven lessons of 50 minutes’ duration each day, and will spend half a day each week at Manawatu College. Over the balance of the week, HLC will provide lessons for their students and clients.

While the mentorship and lessons will be free, students will need to pay for the licence fee, which for someone gaining their full licence is $338.20.

“Some of the most at-risk students are those who cannot afford to get their licence, so we are also looking at ways businesses and individuals can help financially support these students,” Mr Rennell said.

The Horowhenua programme expands on a successful pilot programme run in Hawkes Bay by Massey University and Central Hawkes Bay College, in which 20 students gained full licences.

As part of its election campaign the Labour party released a School Leavers’ Toolkit, which included a pledge of $50 million to support free driving lessons and cover licence-testing fees for all students. While there is still the possibility this may be rolled out nationally, Mr Rennell says Horowhenua students cannot wait.

“The colleges and HLC recently wrote to the Minister of Education seeking support for the programme. However, while we hope that central government still delivers its proposal, our local young people need the assistance now.”

ENDS

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