Hon Steve Maharey
Associate Minister of Education (Tertiary Education)
MP for Palmerston North

Embargoed until 1am, Thursday 4 July 2002
3 July 2002
Labour commits to 250,000 in industry training by 2007

Labour is committing itself to getting a quarter of a million New Zealanders into industry training by 2007.

In launching Skilling New Zealand, Labour’s industry training policy, today Associate Education (Tertiary Education) Minister Steve Maharey said achieving the target would mean the government committing itself to the single biggest increase in industry training that the country has ever seen.

During 2001, 95,263 trainees participated in systematic on-the-job industry training.

Steve Maharey said the goal is an ambitious target, but an essential one so that New Zealand businesses can employ sufficient numbers of skilled staff and if workers are to build a better future for themselves and their families.

“Labour in government has put industry training squarely at the centre of our programme for economic and social development. We have demonstrated that commitment by bringing back apprenticeships, and by increasing funding to industry training by over 50%.

“In government we have worked with our social partners – and with Business New Zealand and the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions in particular. Earlier this year we committed ourselves jointly to a shared strategy to lift the number of New Zealanders in workplace and lifelong learning, and to improve the quality and relevance of the training they receive.

“In government we will continue to work with our social partners.

“Strengthening learning in New Zealand workplaces is vital to us boosting our growth rates and building a more innovative, inclusive and prosperous society,” Steve Maharey said.

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