Budget: increase in Maori and Pacific Trades Training places

May 14, 2013

Manukau Institute of Technology welcomes Budget 2013 announcement of huge increase in Maori and Pacific Trades Training places

Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) is delighted at the announcement from the Ministers of Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment that Maori and Pasifika Trades Training places will increase from 600 to 3000.

Steven Joyce and Tariana Turia have announced that $43 million will be committed over the next four years to allow more Maori and Pasifika learners to have the opportunity to pursue trades careers.

“This comes at exactly the right time for MIT as we have already scheduled a full range of flexible opportunities for education and training in priority trade areas starting in June,” says MIT’s Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Trades, Paul Jeurissen.

In 2012 and again this year, MIT has successfully taken part in the Pasifika Trades Training Initiative referred to by Ministers Joyce and Turia, by working in conjunction with a wide range of Pasifika churches and church leaders to promote opportunities for trades training for Pasifika.

A key feature of that programme was the close working relationship between MIT and 37 Pacific church leaders to identify the 72 Pasifika students who took part in the initiative and to provide them with on-going support and guidance throughout their education and training.

“MIT is also introducing an ‘earn and learn’ initiative in the priority trades identified by the government needed to fill an impending skills shortage on several major infrastructure projects coming on stream across the Auckland region,” says Paul Jeurissen.

“This initiative and the drive to find flexible ways for students to complete their qualifications is our commitment to ensure that people can get into a skilled job in months, not years.

“It also means that while there’s demand for workers, students can take up a job and simultaneously embark on a qualification, which will make them valuable future employees,” he says.

The first intake for the MIT 12-week priority trades ‘earn and learn’ block courses is on June 17.

Students can choose to begin Certificate qualifications in carpentry; construction; electrical engineering; engineering-fabrication; mechanical engineering; plumbing and gas fitting; refrigeration and air conditioning; and welding.

Students can utilise MIT industry networks to find jobs and if they do start working during the course, they can complete their full Certificate through flexible delivery options.

MIT is planning several intakes onto the 12-week block courses during the year with further intakes scheduled for July, August and October.

Of the students currently enrolled in MIT’s Faculty of Engineering and Trades, 16% are Maori and 31% are Pasifika.

The flexible delivery model for the priority trades initiative is replicated on an initiative put in place in Christchurch as part of the earthquake recovery programme in 2012.

For more information go to www.manukau.ac.nz

ENDS

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