Literacy Training Limited Wanganui To Receive $97,000 For Adult Literacy Project

The Minister for Industry and Regional Development Jim Anderton and the Associate Minister of Education Marian Hobbs are pleased to announce that $97,000 will be allocated to Literacy Training Limited, for an adult literacy project in Wanganui-Manawatu.

Meat processing firms in Wanganui-Manawatu will be invited to participate in a pilot project developing and applying workplace literacy needs analysis for 300 employees. This will be followed with training programmes for employees with literacy needs.

“Improved adult literacy can lead to major improvements in business performance and employment prospects. The adult literacy projects are consistent with industry and regional development objectives,” said Jim Anderton.

The initiative is being funded out of the Ministry of Economic Development. The programmes have been developed in close contact with Skill New Zealand and the Ministry of Education. It typifies the government’s whole of government approach to complex issues and recognises that literacy is an education issue with implications for business and economic growth.

“These initiatives complement the government’s Adult Literacy Strategy, and are part of the government’s approach to enhancing skills at all levels,” said Marian Hobbs.

“The Adult Literacy Projects will provide a worthwhile increase in opportunities for adults to develop their literacy.”

Over 40 percent of New Zealand adults have problems with reading, writing and numeracy skills, which can prevent them from realising their full potential in jobs. Employers are finding poor literacy can make it difficult to introduce modern systems of work organisation and new technologies.

Research already undertaken for the Wanganui District Council identified employee literacy as a barrier to business expansion in the food processing industry.

This is one of a range of approaches to adult literacy that will be tested in different regions and workplaces. Initiatives will include literacy training for adults who are currently employed, building training capacity and promoting awareness amongst employers about the benefits of improving workforce literacy skills.

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