Garry Fissenden, CEO of The Skills Organisation, NZ’s largest industry training organisation, says with this 2020 Budget
being all about keeping people in jobs and job creation, it is a huge positive that the Government has confirmed a focus
on workplace-based training.
“Today’s Budget is excellent news,” says Fissenden, “because the Government has recognised the critical importance of
trades training and apprenticeships as a fundamental part of NZ’s economic recovery.
“New Zealand needs to support businesses to actually keep their people and their apprentices in jobs. Funds targeted to
apprenticeships, in particular, will not only train people but keep them in work at the same time.
“The industry training sector is in a unique position because it is already well-placed to work along with the
Government, the vocational providers and employers to co-ordinate displaced apprentices, and connect and reconnect
people with training across the system. And able to action this immediately.”