Report shows progress in raising skill levels

New reports on Industry Training and Modern Apprenticeships show that the government and industry are working together to tackle skills shortages and build the skill levels of the New Zealand workforce, Associate Education (Tertiary Education) Minister Steve Maharey said today.

Speaking at the Wellington Registered Master Builders Apprentice of the Year awards ceremony, the Minister released the Industry Training 2003 report and the June 2004 quarter figures on Modern Apprenticeships.

Steve Maharey said that these latest figures on the Modern Apprenticeship programme. Showed continued expansion to 6,874 Modern Apprentices, 374 above the target for June

“This is an increase of 20% since last year – 1,135 more Apprentices in the space of year. What’s more, we have now reached the 500th female Modern Apprentice!

“Similarly, the Industry Training 2003 report once again shows significant advances in relation to the numbers of New Zealand employees learning under formal training arrangements in their places of work. Highlights include: Over 126,000 trainees participated in Industry Training compared with the 106,000 who participated in 2002 14,181 National Certificates were completed – a 45% increase on 2002 numbers Almost 2,500,000 NQF credits were achieved by trainees – a 22% increase on 2002 numbers 29,206 employers provided Industry Training to their employees compared to 24,576 in 2002 6,259 Modern Apprentices as 31 December 2003 $41.6 million in cash invested by industry in Industry Training, along with $98.4 million from Government.

“This year’s positive results are evidence that workplace learning is a respected option and an important part of our tertiary education system.

“The government has committed itself to getting 150,000 workers into Industry Training during 2005, and these results demonstrate that we are well on track to achieving this target,” Steve Maharey said.

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