Hon Anne Tolley
Minister of Education

5 September 2011

New and extended Trades Academies for Canterbury

Education Minister Anne Tolley has announced that Christchurch is to have a new Trades Academy, and that student places are to more than treble at the existing Academy in the city.

Following applications from across New Zealand, the National Trade Academy in Christchurch has been selected as one of ten new providers to support secondary school students at risk of disengaging from education. Students will develop practical skills for the workplace, while gaining credits towards NCEA and a tertiary qualification.

“This new Trades Academy, which is set to offer 75 places after mid-2012, will provide students with access to courses in agriculture, horticulture, equine studies and forestry,” says Mrs Tolley.

“It will give 16 and 17 year olds the opportunity to combine their schooling with skills and technology training in a tertiary and workplace environment, making them better-prepared for successful careers or further study.”

Mrs Tolley has also announced that the existing Trades Academy in Christchurch, the Canterbury Tertiary College, is to be extended, with places more than trebling in 2012.

Its current capacity of 148 students will be expanded to provide places for 550 students next year, with courses on offer likely to include electrical engineering, carpentry, engineering and construction, plumbing, painting and decorating, plasterboard, masonry, computing and business administration, agriculture, hospitality and automotive engineering.

“The Canterbury Tertiary College, with Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology as the lead provider, has established some excellent programmes in trades and technology training,” says Mrs Tolley.

“By expanding the number of places and the types of courses on offer, this will help build the skills base among young people in Canterbury, and support the rebuild of Christchurch, as well as contributing to the local economy.

“Government investment of $63.1 million in Budget 2011 will enable us to increase student places in Trades Academies from over 700 to 2000 in 2012, and increase the number of Trades Academies from eight to 21, as we provide more opportunities for young people to access skills training while earning worthwhile qualifications, free of charge.”

ENDS

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