A new government report is going down well with Kiwi employers after revealing the extent to which sweeping reforms have improved the apprenticeship landscape and hopefully impacted future talent pipelines.
The Ministry of Education report showed a shift away from lower level traineeships towards apprenticeships and found that completion rates have also increased.
“The creation of the NZ Apprenticeships, mergers of industry training organisations (ITOs), and a focus on quality have all contributed to a stronger industry training system, and to better outcomes,” said Steven Joyce, Minister of Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment.
“Our workforce needs world-class skills and knowledge that will boost the productivity of New Zealand’s economy while helping individuals to get ahead in life,” he said. “A more highly skilled, highly qualified workforce is essential for that.”
Highlights from report include:
- There were 41,800 people enrolled in apprenticeships and apprenticeship-type training in 2014.
- The numbers in apprenticeship training was up by 11.5 per cent on the previous year.
- The credit completion rate for apprentices was 88 per cent, compared with 72 per cent in 2009.
“These results show the changes implemented through the Industry Training Review and resulting legislation have lifted access to quality industry training,” said Joyce. “While there remains more work to do to lift performance further, the redesigned system is responding well to the needs of employers and workers”.
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