More apprentices please

More apprentices please

The Government's announcement of funding for an additional 500 apprentices this year is good news for businesses facing skill shortages, said Simon Carlaw, Chief Executive of Business New Zealand.

"It is clear that there is very strong demand across a wide range of industries for more apprentices and workplace learning more generally. It is critical that Government funding keeps pace with demand in this area.

"There is a strong short-term case for ad hoc funding for additional apprenticeships and traineeships to meet obvious business demand for specialist skills. In the meantime TEC needs to move quickly to address the obvious discrepancy between uncapped funding for places at universities or polytechnics as compared to the current rationing of investment in high-level workplace-based learning.

"This level of technical and specialist learning is fundamental to increased growth and a knowledge economy," Mr Carlaw said.

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