UCOL ready to support youth training initiative

UCOL ready to support youth training initiative

UCOL is welcoming the new Government initiative to fund training places for young people at polytechnics, as part of a $150 million plan to wipe out youth unemployment.

The initiative, announced by Prime Minister John Key, will put 16,900 people, aged 16 to 24, in jobs, training and study over the next 18 months.

Chief Executive Paul McElroy says UCOL is very supportive of any initiative that will help young people acquire new skills and knowledge and improve their future prospects.

“UCOL itself has been working on a concept that would link training for young people with work experience. It would be great if the new Government initiative will support this provision,” he says.

Mr McElroy says UCOL will look forward to becoming part of the new Government initiative, by providing training places at its three campuses, in Palmerston North, Masterton and Wanganui.

Mr McElroy notes that apart from offering free places to young people who might otherwise go on the unemployment benefit, Mr Key has also said he expects to be able to provide additional places for young people in need.

“That too is a good initiative,” says Mr McElroy.

He notes that around almost half of the 17,000 young people now registered for the unemployment benefit are Maori and Pacific Islanders. “This is a group we would particularly like to help,” he said.

ENDS

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