Wanted: work readiness certificates for school leavers

Media statement Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Wanted: meaningful work readiness certificates for school leavers – EMA Election Manifesto

Employers want every student leaving secondary school to be issued with a work readiness certificate detailing their abilities in reading, writing, mathematics, on-time attendance and attitude.

The proposal is part of the Employers and Manufacturers Association six-point Election Manifesto 2014 issued today.

“Businesses keep reporting young people are leaving school without adequate work readiness skills,” said Kim Campbell, EMA’s chief executive.

“The present NCEA report issued to school leavers is simply not up to the job for helping employers choose amongst young job seekers,” Mr Campbell said.

“We are proposing students be issued with a new document that employers can easily understand: an Employment Readiness Certificate containing a meaningful assessment of the student’s skills.

“Along with that, more needs to be done to encourage students to take up a career in the trades.

“The perception that going to university will earn the best jobs and the big bucks still persists, but it is not necessarily so.

“Employers in manufacturing and service organisations are crying out for people with an aptitude for trades and technical skills which are not taught at universities.

“Our policy prescription is to boost the numbers of students choosing a trades career with an ongoing national public relations campaign that highlights trades as valuable, and often demanding of considerable intelligence.

“We also want to urge those who influence students’ career decisions not to discourage high achieving students from choosing a trades career.

“To do this we propose all students have access to quality, independent, expert career advisors not biased towards academia or trades.

“On immigration EMA’s policy is to allow temporary work visas to be automatically extended when a migrant continues to work for, and with the support of, the original employer, unless Immigration NZ can show a suitable New Zealander is available to replace that migrant.

“EMA’s Election Manifesto presents policies across six areas to encourage business success.

“Brave business owners and operators should not be taken for granted. They fully deserve our communities respect through a supportive policy environment.

“The other five policy areas are:
1. Innovation, Research and Development
2. Local Government Consenting Process
3. Small Business Growth
4. Superannuation and Business Investment
5. Current Policies Retention

EMA’s Election Manifesto 2014 is here.

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