Innovative programme contributes to skilled labour force in NZ

What: “Trades At School” Programme Launch
When: Thursday 23rd September 2010
Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Where: Pacific Business Trust Centre, 733 Great South Road, Otahuhu, Auckland

C-Me Mentoring Foundation Trust has successfully partnered with Steel Construction New Zealand (SCNZ) to integrate secondary education and industry apprenticeships in the innovative “Trades At School” programme.

Through participating in the model programme, “Trades At School,” fourteen Year-13 students will graduate with a year-one apprenticeship for ten different trades in addition to their NCEA Level 2. The National Certificate in Mechanical Engineering Level 2 is a tertiary trade skills qualification that has already opened doors to full-time employment for five of these students before the first full term of the programme has ended.

Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, Hon Georgina te Heuheu QSO will join industry, government, education and community leaders to celebrate this historic achievement of “Trades At School “as a model for improving educational achievement, and developing a future workforce of the highest calibre and motivation.

John Kotoisuva, Chief Executive Officer of C-Me Mentoring Foundation Trust says, “It costs the government $93,000 to keep just one young person in prison. For a fraction of that, we can turn them into educated and productive contributors to society before they leave secondary school by presenting a future that they can visualise, personalise and emotionalise.”

The impact for companies, especially in the trade industries, is significant. “It’s a very good system in that it’s a no obligation and in the beginning a no cost option for the employer.” says David Moore, General Manager of Graysons Engineering. “We want good people. We want to be able to train them up to the cutting edge of where the world is. We have chronic shortages of the right sort of people to the extent where I’ve have had to bring a number of migrant people from overseas.”

Trades At School is a direct response to New Zealand’s future skill needs and it is on this premise that the C-Me Trust has been able to establish a strong network of public and private sector partners and supporters, including schools, and polytechnics.

There are currently 30 companies and 10 schools involved in the programme. By the beginning of 2012, Trades At School will be working with 180 students, 150 employers and 20 secondary schools in the Auckland region alone.

Trades at School is an example of the government’s strategy of partnering private and non-profit sectors to develop appropriate policy and sustainable financial investments in ground breaking initiatives such as Trades Academies and the Youth Guarantee Programme. It has combined social-profit aspirations with astute commercial interests, to bring about effective industry and education collaboration. The results speak for themselves.

ASB Community Trust is the major funder for Trades At School. Other significant supporters include Steel Construction New Zealand, Manukau Institute of Technology and the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs.

ENDS