Fee Free Open Poly Courses to Help in Recession

Monday, 23 March 2009, 9:54 am
Press Release: Open Polytechnic

Media Release: The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand
Release: Immediate
Date: 23 March 2009
3 pages
Fee Free Open Poly Courses Aim to Help Firms and Employees in the Recession

Distance learning provider the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand is making 1,500 fee free courses available nation-wide to employees of firms reducing working hours or who lose their jobs during the current economic downturn.

Firms participating in the Government’s nine-day working fortnight scheme or developing other flexible arrangements to stave off job losses will be able to use the courses to provide up-skilling or re-skilling options for staff.

Workers who lose their jobs will be able to access the fee free courses to boost their work skills for getting back into employment.

The Polytechnic is already engaged in discussions with a large union over options for the course offer.

Chief executive Dr Caroline Seelig said the Open Polytechnic had been looking hard at extra ways it could support firms and workers during the recession.

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“We very much agree that investing in skills now to weather the current storm and prepare for the economic upturn is something that it is going to benefit workers, businesses and New Zealand.

“Our courses can be delivered wherever they’re needed for employers and workers.

“We believe that making a fee free offer is one way we can use our flexible learning services to give extra support in what is an extraordinarily challenging time.”

Dr Seelig said the Polytechnic will manage the fee free courses within its agreed funding for this year.

Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics New Zealand (ITPNZ) executive director Dave Guerin said the Open Polytechnic has stepped forward at a national level and on a big scale.

“That’s the kind of thinking we need to help ensure New Zealand moves through the recession and comes out the other end in a stronger position.”

The Open Polytechnic will be providing advice and guidance to firms and workers about the range of courses it offers to fit their needs.

The fee free offer will be available for most of the Polytechnic’s 1,300 courses.
These range from foundation and certificate to diploma and degree level including general workplace and employment skills, basic computing, health and safety, business, management, communications, and engineering.

ENDS

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