Search

Trades training and apprenticeships are in the spotlight this week as Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Louise Upston launches Got a Trade? Got it Made! Week in Wellington today.

The Māia video series released today brings the employability skills framework to life for rangatahi Māori, says Associate Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Louise Upston.

“By 2030, approximately 30% of our students – and therefore our future workforce – will be Māori and will make up a significant proportion of the country’s working-age population by 2040.

The Māia video series, produced by the Tertiary Education Commission provide real examples and a positive connection between employers, employees, and young Māori.

Associate Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Louise Upston has welcomed the launch of 10 regional skills roadmaps to help the service industry tailor training according to the needs of the regional workforce.

The regional roadmaps were developed jointly by the service sector industry training organisation ServiceIQ and the service industries including tourism, hospitality, retail and aviation.

Minister Louise Upston will today host her second cross-sector employment breakfast in Northland in as many weeks, as the Government seeks to strengthen the links between educators and employers, and to match up relevant training opportunities for young people with the jobs that need filling.

Associate Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Louise Upston has congratulated BCITO (Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation) on its 11,000th apprenticeship at an event in Whanganui today.

Ms Upston met with trainers and apprentices today to celebrate the milestone marking not only 11,000 apprentices through the BCITO but 43,000 New Zealanders engaged in an apprenticeship, with many of those in the construction and engineering sectors.

From today, Careers New Zealand staff and functions will become part of the Tertiary Education Commission, providing clearer pathways for students at school and beyond, Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Louise Upston says.

With the passing of the Education (Update) Amendment Act, which took effect on July 1, the functions of Careers New Zealand (CNZ) has become the responsibility of the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC). 

The Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Paul Goldsmith and the Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Louise Upston today announced a further increase in funding over the next four years to support work-based training.

“With the real need for more skilled workers, approximately 38,000 through to 2020, I am pleased to announce a further $7 million investment in apprentices and industry training over the next four years,” says Mr Goldsmith.

More than 500 students will be offered advice on careers in the primary industries as they pass through the Careers and Education Hub at Fieldays this week.

Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Louise Upston says that with strong growth in the primary sector anticipated over the next few years, the Government was encouraging more young people to consider careers in primary industries.

Learners and employers are demanding more flexible learning and a combination of technical and life skills knowledge, according to feedback to the Tertiary Education Commission.

The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) has been travelling the country holding workshops to gain feedback from stakeholders on the future of career information ahead of the transition of Careers New Zealand to the TEC in July.

Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Louise Upston has welcomed the passing of the Education (Update) Amendment Bill today.

The Education Act has been updated to streamline the way government careers services and information are provided. As a result of a Government review of the careers system, Careers New Zealand is being disestablished and staff and functions will transfer to the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) on 1 July 2017.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith and Associate Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Louise Upston have welcomed the latest apprenticeship figures, which show an increase of 6800, nearly 19 per cent, since 2012.

“We now have over 43,000 New Zealanders engaged in an apprenticeship, with most of those in the construction and engineering sectors,” says Mr Goldsmith.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith and Associate Education Minister Louise Upston have today announced the release of a new online resource designed to help young people enter the workforce.

The Employability Skills Framework clearly sets out the key behaviours, attitudes and personal qualities employers say are essential for getting and keeping a job.

Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, and Employment, and Minister for Women, Louise Upston has today opened the inaugural Women in Trades Conference, where she’s encouraged more women to consider a career in the trades.

“People need to push aside gender stereotypes and encourage young women to consider careers in trades where there is high growth and high demand, like building and construction.” Ms Upston said.

Got a Trade Week 2016 is being launched tomorrow by Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Louise Upston.

The week-long event is part of the Got a Trade? Got it Made! campaign which aims to raise awareness of on-the-job training and career opportunities in New Zealand’s trades and service industries.

The official launch of the newly formed Ara Institute of Canterbury, a merger of Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT) and Aoraki Polytechnic, took place today with events being held in Christchurch, Timaru, Oamaru and Ashburton to mark the occasion.

Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Louise Upston joined staff and guests on campus for the dawn service where the new name was announced.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment, Louise Upston have welcomed the announcement today of a new tourism and hospitality college that will open in Northland early next year.

The QRC Tai Tokerau Resort College, will open in Paihia with four student intakes per year. Established by the Queenstown Resort College (QRC), the new college has been developed with support from NZ Māori Tourism.

Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Louise Upston is highlighting the importance of encouraging women to consider a career in trades during Got a Trade Week.

“Got a Trade Week is a great way to celebrate the talents and achievements of young Kiwis making headway in their chosen craft,” Ms Upston said.

“It’s also an excellent opportunity to encourage more women into trades training. Currently less than one third of Government-funded industry trainees are women, and only eight per cent of apprentices are women.

Associate Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Louise Upston has today wished New Zealand’s WorldSkills team all the best as they head to Brazil for seven days of intense competition.

WorldSkills is an international competition that brings together over 1300 young people from 73 countries. The 15-member Kiwi team known as the Tool Blacks will represent the elite of New Zealand’s young people undertaking vocational training.

Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Louise Upston says apprentices and their employers will have clearer expectations thanks to a new Code of Good Practice.

A draft Code of Good Practice for New Zealand Apprenticeships was produced for consultation earlier this year and following positive feedback from submitters has now been finalised and published.

Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Louise Upston has tonight highlighted the importance of Chinese international students in Christchurch.

Speaking this evening’s opening ceremony for Cultural China – Splendid Sichuan at the Air Force Museum in Wigram, Ms Upston recognised the passionate interest the Sichuan and Christchurch regions share.

The final event in the current New Zealand job fair series in Australia will take place in Melbourne this weekend, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Associate Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Louise Upston announced today.

The Melbourne event is the fourth in the series, following the Perth and Sydney fairs in November 2014, and the Brisbane fair last month.