Already doing low-cost courses for workers

Aoraki Polytechnic head:

Low-cost courses for upskilling workers – ‘we’re already doing it’

Aoraki Polytechnic course providers are resourced, ready and waiting for those able to participate in the Government’s nine-day fortnight job training initiative with a range of low-cost courses for in-job training and upskilling the community, acting chief executive Ben Lee says.

“And we have been doing that for a number of years,” he said.

“When it comes to providing low-cost courses for people already in work, we’ve been there for our community over a long period in precisely the manner the Government is prescribing for its Job Support Scheme – providing work-based courses designed to improve skills in the student’s own field of employment.

“A worker carries out his or her normal role for the normal fortnight and then attends class for a few hours a week in their own time. Upskilling is not just for the benefit of the employee, but for the employer and the community as a whole,” Mr Lee said.

“We are not providing any new free or low-cost training for Job Support Scheme participants. They would be benefiting from courses already on offer and already well supported by local businesses and community.”

The Job Support Scheme will allow employers to offer staff the option of working nine days a fortnight instead of being made redundant. They will receive a $62.50 subsidy from the Government towards the tenth day's pay and encouraged to use the time for extra off-site training.

At present only a few businesses in South Canterbury qualified for the scheme because it was only open to businesses with more than 100 employees.

However, the narrow qualification criteria was not seen as critical by Mr Lee, who said the key thrust behind the Government’s workplace upskilling initiative was already central to the polytechnic’s culture of ongoing learning for the community.

He used an introduction to computers and IT as an example of a free course available that was flexible, fitted around a student’s other commitments, and allowed self-paced study.

“We have more than 100 members of the public doing that every year, and almost every worker will benefit from it, taking back to their workplace some very useful skills that they might not have had before. Most workplaces use computers,” Mr Lee said.

Workers could study at home, at work, or come in and study at the polytechnic’s computer suites if they did not have access to a computer at home, Mr Lee said.

“Training for businesses, including customer service, health and safety, and first line management can be conducted in-house, through public training events, or as a customised programme. Aoraki can be flexible to meet employers’ needs and has a wide variety of options available,” he said.

But he saw courses aimed at first line management supervisory skills as most benefitting the market targeted by the Government’s scheme.

“These are an example of low-cost courses we identified three to four years ago to help upskill the community.

“They are classic examples of how employers and workers can use resources available right here in Timaru to upskill staff who might be looking for a promotion and needed to gain additional people skills.

“This is precisely the sort of training relevance that the Government has its sights on, and over the last few years we have shown just how relevant Aoraki’s courses are,” Mr Lee said.

Training opportunities at Aoraki for people to up-skill or re-train are not limited to those on the Government’s Job Support Scheme.

“Aoraki has a range of short courses throughout the year, and the next intake for the New Zealand Diploma in Business is in July,” he said.

ENDS

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