EXITO opens new office in Greymouth this morning

Extractive Industries Training Organisation (EXITO) opens new office in Greymouth this morning

Ensuring a highly skilled and productive workforce for the West Coast’s resurgent mining industry took a step forward today with the opening of a new EXITO (Extractive Industry Training Organisation) office in Greymouth.

Marius Oosthuizen, who is well known in training circles in the West Coast/Buller region, will head the office.

Chief Executive Kevin Walker says the office will put EXITO at the heart of the training action, thereby strengthening existing ties with the mining industry.

“Having a regional presence will enable us to work more closely with businesses on the Coast so that we can really make a difference to the workforce in terms of organising on-job training to improve skills and boost productivity.

“We already have a regional office in New Plymouth which has allowed us to better serve the needs of the petrochemical industry there, so a regional office on the West Coast is the next logical step.

“One of our main roles as an industry training organisation (ITO) is to make arrangements for training. Having a go-to person on the Coast will give us the opportunity to create a unique industry training model, working with our key training providers, Tai Poutini Polytechnic and ITNZ (Industry Training New Zealand) to deliver cost-effective training solutions to our companies.”

EXITO’s other key role is to develop national qualifications, and the West Coast office will also help with the roll-out of a new suite of Extractive qualifications. The qualifications have been developed in partnership with industry experts to ensure that they meet the needs of industry in terms of enhancing productivity and improving health & safety performance.

Approved by NZQA (New Zealand Qualifications Authority), these national qualifications are designed for people who are already employed in the industry, providing clear pathways for employees so that companies can reap the rewards of a highly skilled and productive workforce.

“There are more benefits for industry if they can train people while they are working, less downtime, improved staff retention, higher productivity to name a few. For employees, the key benefit is the opportunity to learn and earn at the same time, working towards the achievement of a nationally recognised qualification.”

Mr Walker said that the new base would enable EXITO to provide better support to the companies that it currently works with in the region, including Solid Energy, Oceana Gold and Mines Rescue. EXITO currently works with more than 50 companies, supporting training for nearly 600 employees in the West Coast/Nelson region.

ENDS

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