Skills crisis – what skills crisis?

new-zealand-labour-party

Thu Jun 02 2011 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Skills crisis – what skills crisis?

Thursday, 2 June 2011, 10:19 am
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party

The Government continues to refuse to recognise our serious skills shortage and has no plan to deal with it, says Labour’s Associate Education spokesperson Carol Beaumont.

“National’s overall cuts to skills training amount to more than any individual initiative it has introduced,” Carol Beaumont said.

“Both the 2009 and 2010 Budgets were notable for the lack of new and significant initiatives in the skills training, while those that have been introduced now, such as the Trades Academy in Christchurch, represent too little too late.

“With a record number of Kiwis looking for work, or temporarily displaced from their jobs, now is the perfect time to up-skill, retrain and re-enter the workforce. Business groups, unions and the wider community recognise this but National has no plan to make it happen.

“In Budget 2011 $90 million over four years is to be cut out of industry training, on top of cuts of $55 million in 2010. While improvements in the performance of some Industry Training Organisations are needed, making cuts in this essential tertiary sector is misguided policy.
“The industry estimates that across the country and in Canterbury, workload in the building and construction area will double, along with the need for skilled workers.

“Christchurch alone will need thousands of skilled workers with up to 10,000 homes which need to be totally rebuilt and 100,000 repaired, along with other non-residential buildings and infrastructure. As well, thousands of new homes are needed in Auckland.

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“The Government has refused to rule out importing labour from overseas to fill gaps that emerge in the next two to four years, a shortage which could be mitigated with thorough planning and investment in training.

“The Australian Federal Government clearly recognises the benefits of increasing skill levels by investing an additional NZ $3.6 billion in skills and training initiatives over six years in their recent Budget.

“The benefits of investing in skills don’t stop with the individual, but have a flow on effect to families, employers and to the community through improved economic performance. The Government’s failure to invest in skills is a misjudgement of huge proportions,” Carol Beaumont said.

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