Wellington tradespeople could suffer from cuts

Wellington tradespeople could suffer from Weltec cost-cutting

Weltec is looking to disestablish 12 trade tutors and get its remaining tutors to move away from teaching the practical elements of their trades in workshops, to focus instead solely on classroom theory.

Weltec’s Review of Trades Delivery proposes that workshops will be run and supervised by much more lowly paid tutorial assistants. These tutorial assistants will be allowed to supervise workshops but not teach or assess. Trades covered by this proposal include horticultural, automotive, construction and building, engineering, electrical and others.

TEU branch co-president Vaughan Maybury says the proposals, if implemented, could undermine the breadth of education that trades students currently receive.

“You can teach students the theory in a classroom, but some of the best learning that makes people good, safe tradespeople that customers can rely on, happens in real-life practical situations. But Weltec is saying that we cannot teach or assess those moments.”

“Would you want a mechanic working on your car if their tutor had never actually seen if they could hold a wrench, let alone fix an engine?”

The review, which was announced last month, is currently subject to a legal challenge from TEU. TEU organiser Phillip Dyhrberg says union members previously made numerous submissions opposing the proposal. Weltec’s chief executive Dr Linda Sissons says the impetus for the review is government funding cuts and capped student funding.

ENDS

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