National Skills Policy sends the right signals

National Skills Policy sends the right signals

1 September 2005

"The National Party's policy on skills contains good policy ideas", said Darel Hall Executive Director of the Industry Training Federation.

"There are three core ideas in the policy: resourcing trades and technical choices for young people at schools; increasing and broadening quality industry training including Modern Apprenticeships; and developing high level workplace training in specialised technical and management skills.

"Allowing all industries that can train to the quality required to have a share of Modern Apprentices is a good policy principle, as is shifting funding from lower to higher relevance and quality areas.

The "Trades Plus" idea is a useful one to develop further as it starts to work through future blended funding approaches involving both Industry Training Organisations and Polytechnics. ITOs want to move from the friction caused by historical funding systems towards one of optimal provision where the funding system better underpins the learning outcomes New Zealand needs.

"Having a 'hands on' approach to the technology curriculum will be welcomed by many who believe the current emphasis is too theoretical.

"It is clear that National has picked up on important issues for skills training. There are many details to work through with National, but the signals are right", said Darel Hall.

ENDS

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