Trades drain is a National disaster

new-zealand-labour-party

Mon Oct 01 2012 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Trades drain is a National disaster

Monday, 1 October 2012, 8:54 am
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party

The loss of thousands of skilled tradespeople to Australia is disastrous for New Zealand and is only being made worse by a Government standing on the side lines, Labour’s Tertiary Education, Skills and Training spokesperson Grant Robertson says.

"New Zealand is on the way to a skills crisis, yet the National government seems content to sit back and watch it happen.

“Its lack of investment in apprenticeships, or other skills training programmes, is exposing the gap being left in our economy. Along with the absence of a coherent economic plan, it’s a fatal combination.

"While many New Zealanders believe Christchurch offers the opportunity for our skilled trade workforce, the slow pace of the rebuild combined with poor planning from the Government means that is not happening.

‘In fact the most recent figures indicate that only $7 million of the additional $42 million allocated for skills training in Canterbury has been used.

"Across the country, the Government is ignoring opportunities to support creating and retaining a skilled workforce in New Zealand.

“Where is the investment in critical areas such as housing that would give work opportunities for the trades?

"As a country we seem not to value the trades sufficiently. At the last election Labour committed to putting in place more apprenticeships, more places at Polytechnics, and more support and coordination for on-the-job training.

“We remain committed to those goals. If we want to have a sustainable, growing economy that delivers jobs, then we need a skilled workforce.

“Sadly the National Government is missing in action when it comes to skills and training, and as a result the trades drain is set to continue,” Grant Robertson said.

ends

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