Training part of the big picture

The country’s largest union says that increased skills training should be part of a wider vision for New Zealand’s future.

Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union national secretary Andrew Little says that the Government’s announcement that it will spend millions more on workplace training is good news, but it should be linked to economic strategies and directions.

“We need to know, for example, what the Government’s vision is for manufacturing so that we know what skills will be needed in the future, and, therefore, where we should invest the training dollar.”

Mr Little, who is also a member of the Tertiary Education Commission, said that there needed to be a concerted effort to teach young people that trade training was a viable option to university.

“This is a huge gap in the Government’s policy,” he said.

He also urged employers to do their bit in up-skilling the workforce.

© Scoop Media

EPMU - Engineering Printing and Manufacturing Union

Proudly representing New Zealand workers

The EPMU is a democratic union representing over thirty thousand members in ten industries across New Zealand.
By standing together in a union workers get higher wages and better conditions.
As the country's biggest private sector union the EPMU can provide members with workplace representation, legal advice, a freephone support centre, work rights education and broad representation through the EPMU's campaigning and research work.
We campaign for fairness at work and a strong economy based on skilled jobs and investment in manufacturing.

CONTACT EPMU - ENGINEERING PRINTING AND MANUFACTURING UNION

• Website - www.epmu.org.nz/
• Media Contact - Stephanie Rodgers
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