Employers well satisfied with WelTec graduates

MEDIA RELEASE
28 April 2010

Employers well satisfied with WelTec graduates

In a recent independent survey employers reported high levels of satisfaction with Wellington Institute of Technology (WelTec) graduates. The 2009 Employer Satisfaction Survey found that 94% of employers surveyed were either satisfied or very satisfied with the training provided by WelTec.

According to WelTec CEO Dr Linda Sissons, the independent survey validates the quality of training provided to students and the keen focus WelTec has placed on building and maintaining relationships with employers in the relevant industries.

“A large component of the provision of vocational training involves maintaining close contact with employers and the wider industry to find out those skill sets which will best match industry needs. Gearing young people to succeed in their future workplaces is at the very heart of vocational training.”

The collaboration has proved to be a successful relationship for both WelTec and New Zealand. 96% of 136 employers surveyed indicated there was a ‘good’ or ‘very good’ match between the qualifications provided to WelTec graduates and their needs as employers.

Another key finding in the report commended the initiative WelTec has taken to integrate work experience components into the majority of its qualifications. Employers praised the establishment of internships and cadetships, a collaboration that is proving to be win-win for employers and WelTec graduates.

Prominent IT company Fronde is an excellent example, where a cadetship initiative achieves both business and education outcomes. Fronde has partnered with WelTec to offer an annual cadetship to students which includes, paid industry experience, a contribution towards tertiary fees and a potential job offer when they graduate.

Fronde delivery manager, Laura Shanks says that cadetship with WelTec gives the company an edge over competitors, “It’s basically try before you buy, we get to see a preview of which cadets are a good fit with Fronde. The graduates we hire out of the programme are ready to hit the ground running by the time they come on full-time – which simply makes good business sense.”

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