Bill Strengthening Industry Training Gets First Reading

New legislation strengthening New Zealand’s industry training system has been sent to a select committee for public submissions.

“More New Zealanders than ever before are now involved in systematic industry training linked to nationally recognised qualifications. Last year more than 81,000 learners participated in industry training.

“The Government conducted a review of industry training in New Zealand this year, with the aim of ensuring that the industry training system better serve current and future skill needs and both employers and employees,” Steve Maharey said.

The Tertiary Education Reform Bill debated in Parliament last evening gives effect to government decisions on the review of industry training that were announced in August.

Steve Maharey said the changes to industry training contained in the Bill will assist the continuing development of Modern Apprenticeships within the industry training system and better serve current and future skill needs within the economy.

“The Bill:
 provides new criteria for recognizing ITOs, requiring them to provide greater leadership in skill and training matters for their industries;
 provides for the collective representation of employees in the governance of the ITOs;
 enables ITOs,on the voluntary balloted agreement of a majority of employers,to impose a levy on firms in an industry or sub-industry,
 provides for the new Tertiary Education Commission to work with ITOs who are not adequately fulfilling their industry’s requirements to help improve their performance; and,
 places a stronger emphasis on multi-industry generic skills, purchasing of adult literacy programmes, and providing better information for decision makers and planners to deal with skills shortage issues.

“Continued fostering and development of the industry training system will be a vitally important part of the work of the Tertiary Education Commission which is also established by this Bill,” Steve Maharey said.

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