Budget 2003: $56m plan to get all young people into education, training or work announced

Budget 2003 contains a comprehensive package of initiatives to ensure all 15 to 19 year olds are involved in education, training or work or other options by 2007, Prime Minister Helen Clark announced today.

The $56.6 million package includes expanding the Gateway programme to 12,000 secondary school students a year, funding 2,500 additional Modern Apprenticeships annually, reintroducing student allowances for some 16 and 17 year olds and introducing specialist programmes to help young people make the transition from school to training or work.

Helen Clark and Social Services and Employment Minister and Associate Education (Tertiary Education) Minister Steve Maharey today visited KPR Catering at Wellington’s Queens Wharf Events Centre. The company is currently providing hospitality industry work placements for Wainuiomata High School year 13 students Michael Beattie and Dayna Young as part of the Gateway programme, which is a key feature of the package announced today.

Helen Clark said the government believes that all young people should be in education, training, or a job.

“Giving young people a good start and building their skills is essential if they are to have the opportunity to move into meaningful employment. The package we are announcing today targets the group of young people who neither enrol in tertiary study nor get a job after leaving school.

“It is estimated that, at any point in time, this group comprises 10 to 17 per cent of those aged between 15 and 19, or approximately 27,000 to 45,000 young people. We do not want this wastage of young people to continue.

“Both the Labour and Progressive partners in the coalition government made firm manifesto commitments to work with this group of young people as matter of priority.

“Last October the government also signed a formal memorandum with the Mayors’ Taskforce for Jobs last adopting the formal goal that by 2007, all 15-19 year olds will be engaged in appropriate education, training, work or other options which will lead to long term economic independence and well-being.

“The package announced today signals our firm intention to realise this goal,” Helen Clark said.

Steve Maharey said the package involves significantly expanding successful programmes introduced by the Labour-Progressive government and increasing the support available for young people to move successfully from school to adult life.

“Many young people stop structured learning too soon and lack the basic skills needed in the modern workforce. We need to build up a broader range of bridges to work in recognition of the fact that school is not always the best learning environment for some young people.”

The Education and Training Leaving Age package involves (all figures over four years unless stated):
·expanding the Gateway programme, which is currently being piloted in 63 schools, to all 1-5 decile secondary schools by 2007 (a total of 203 schools), meaning it will be available to some 12,000 students annually ($23.6m);
·increasing the number of Modern Apprentices from the current 5,000 to 7,500 from 2006 onwards ($14.6m);
·piloting an intensive support programme in the Auckland region for 100 young people annually who are leaving state care to help them live independently ($7.1m);
·introducing regionalised programmes across the country targeting early school leavers to assist them to enter training, further education or paid employment ($5.4m);
·expanding the support available to young people who have completed youth training programmes and are now in the workforce ($3.7m);
·enabling 16 and 17 year olds who have completed year 13 at school to apply for student allowances ($1.9m); and
·piloting an individualised support programme for 30 young people in each of three communities in 2004 to test different ways of supporting them into work or further training ($290,000).
Pilot programmes will be evaluated and expanded if successful in future years.

Steve Maharey said the government does not intend raising the school leaving age as part of developing the Education and Training Leaving Age strategy.

“We expect, however, that these initiatives will see some students staying on at school because they will be able to mix school and work-based study and, for example, build credits towards an apprenticeship. Other initiatives provide support for those who have already left school, but who lack essential skills to live and work in modern New Zealand,” Steve Maharey said.

Pictured: Prime Minister Helen Clark makes fishcakes with Wainuiomata High School students Michael Beattie and Dayna Young during a visit to KPR Catering at Wellington's Queens Wharf Events Centre. Michael and Dayna work at the company one day a week as part of the Gateway programme.