Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

New Training Centre To Upskill Workers

A new trades training centre to upskill the local workforce will be built in the South Waikato town of Tokoroa through funding from the Government’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund, Education Minister Chris Hipkins and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones have announced.

The Government will contribute $10.84 million from the $3 billion set aside in the CRRF for infrastructure projects. The balance of funding for the $13.9m project will come from the South Waikato Investment Fund Trust.

Chris Hipkins said the modern and fit for purpose centre will help the region deal with the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“South Waikato has higher than average levels of social, education and health deprivation and a disproportionately high number of people not in education, employment or training.

“But employment opportunities exist through the trades and industries such as forestry.

“These employers are calling for more skilled workers and the facilities to train them. This new training centre will not only provide employers with the skilled workers they need, but it will give students a modern learning environment and the opportunity to upskill.

“This investment is part of our wider plan to keep New Zealanders working, training and help people find work, particularly in areas where there are skills shortages, including boosting funding to make training in targeted areas and apprenticeships free,” Chris Hipkins said.

Shane Jones said the provision of funding through the CRRF demonstrated the Government’s backing of the regions – to boost their economies and create jobs.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

“Māori make up nearly a quarter of the South Waikato population and more than a third of Tokoroa’s.

“The new training centre’s tutors, programme design, support services and pastoral care will be have a focus on working with Māori and Pasifika,” Shane Jones said.

“South Waikato has been categorised as a ‘mini surge region’ by the Provincial Development Unit to provide extra support to get people into work. This new training centre will make a significant contribution towards this goal.”

Construction of the centre is ready to go. It is expected to take about 15 months to complete and employ more than 200 people during the build. Up to 40 fulltime roles are expected once the centre opens.

Once the new training centre starts accepting students, it is expected to train and place around 740 students each year into skilled roles.

The funding announced today is part of the $3 billion infrastructure package in the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund, announced by Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Shane Jones on July 1. The fund is expected to deliver more than 20,000 jobs across New Zealand and unlock investment with a project value of more than $5 billion.

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.