Tracey Martin MP

Spokesperson for Education
2 DECEMBER 2016

Filling Jobs in Hawke’s Bay’s Horticultural Industry

As Hawke’s Bay calls out for more horticultural workers New Zealand First challenges the government to adopt its Business Linked Internship Scheme to fill these employment gaps.

“We ran a trial in Warkworth in 2013,” says New Zealand First Education Spokesperson Tracey Martin.

“It stands up to the rigours of real life. It benefits both small and medium-sized businesses and young people of the area.

“The scheme can be adopted quickly:

“First, as the ‘interns’ are under the supervision of Industry Training Organisations, NZQA needs to accept a clockin/clock out card as an attendance record for the registration of qualifications.

“Second, the government needs to embrace New Zealand First’s policy of a Universal Student Allowance to support on-the-job learning.

“The combination of our Business Linked Internship Scheme with apprenticeships that are now available will increase the number of young Kiwis with skills, which Pipfruit New Zealand business development manager Gary Jones rightly acknowledges can be used anywhere in the world,” says Ms Martin.

Pilot “In Work” Education Programme trialled in Warkworth in 2013

Business Linked Internship Scheme

Start Small and Build on Success

This pilot sought to co-ordinate, administer and manage a business linked internship scheme to service the Warkworth Township to create a real-life test of a New Zealand First policy direction. This programme is based on the highly effective “Otorohanga Model” championed by Mayor Dale Williams but with a local variation replacing direct student access to WINTEC with internships, that is, the ability for local young people to continue their academic learning post-secondary schooling by establishing or maintaining connections with their local business community.

Diverse Approaches

The Business Linked Internship Scheme (BLIS) aims to occupy the vacant space identified within a township and surrounding area for the 40% to 70% of young people not directly supported through other community programmes or initiatives. To that end, BLIS does not compete with other local providers.

ENDS

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