NZITO supports primary industries merger

NZITO supports primary industries merger

The merger of the Agriculture and Horticulture ITOs formally took place on 1 October with an official launch held last Wednesday evening at Wellington Stadium and attended by Steven Joyce the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment. This merger is being welcomed by the New Zealand Industry Training Organisation as a step towards fully integrated primary sector training solutions.

The newly combined organisation has taken on the name Primary industries ITO (PrITO) and includes the earlier mergers of the Equine ITO into AgITO, and Sports Turf ITO into the Horticulture ITO. PrITO covers the land-based production aspects of the primary sector.

Within the primary sector food export value chain there has already been significant consolidation with the merger of the Seafood ITO and NZITO (meat and dairy) in August this year to align our major food exporting sectors training and vocational efforts.

Discussions between NZITO with PrITO and FITEC the forest and wood products ITO have been progressing and further integration and collaborations are underway. This grouping consolidates the primary exports sectors and mirrors the alignments within the Ministry of Primary Industry and the recent objectives for growth and labour market reforms issued by the Ministry of Business Innovation and employment.

This Primary Sector ITO combination is a very practical and powerful example of NZ Inc. working together as one on the international stage in the interests of the national economy.

The primary sector has a direct workforce of around 200,000 and it generates some 60% of our national exports income – planning is underway across the sector to double this output significantly in the next 8 years – a skilled and a capable workforce will be a key ingredient to these growth plan.

ENDS

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