Employee representation in Industry Training

Employee representation in Industry Training needs to reflect the organisation of work

13 January 2005

A research report Collectively representing employees in Industry Training: Experience and Issues was released by the Industry Training Federation (ITF) today at www.itf.org.nz . It contains the views of Industry Training Organisations (ITOs), unions and the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions.

"One of the key lessons is that employee representation in Industry Training needs to reflect the current and future organisation of work", said Darel Hall Executive Director of the ITF.

"We have people who may well be a workplace trainer and an assessor, they could be a middle manager, and they can be a trainee in their own right. The traditional distinction between employer and employee is no longer always clear. So flexibility of arrangements can be helpful.

"The current funding mechanisms for Industry Training may not fully permit the participation of part-time, seasonal and transitory workers in training let alone decision making about their training. In addition, there are many self-employed people such as farmers or small business owners that are excluded from industry training due to policy constraints on funding. In 2001, over 600,000 workers were part time or self employed.

"To get the best out of industry we need to get industry training to the workers capable of making additional contributions through up-skilling. To make industry training as relevant as it can be we also need to have those people involved in the process of creating industry training

"This report contains frank views from key parties to the collective representation of employees. The report provides contexts and lessons that will assist industry training stakeholders to make assessments of what has occurred so far, and what be done better in future", said Darel Hall.

ENDS

© Scoop Media