25 February 2010
The Tertiary Education Commission has released the latest quarterly statistics on industry training and the modern apprenticeships scheme.
The statistics show that trainee and apprenticeship numbers are holding steady.
The statistics for the quarter ending 30 September 2009 show:
- a total of 133,119 industry trainees, a decrease of 0.5% (or 689 trainees) from September 2008
- there were 12,237 15- to 19-year-old industry trainees, a decrease of 19.1% (or 2,894 trainees) from September 2008
- there were 12,854 modern apprentices in training, an increase of 3.2% (or 398 apprentices) from September 2008.
Industry training is a partnership between the government, industry, and trainees and apprentices:
- the government invests approximately $220 million each year
- over 37,000 businesses involved in the training collectively contribute over $65 million
- over 145,00 individuals participate in industry training or modern apprenticeships.
Industry training is managed by industry training organisations, which are the voice of specific industries for their education and training needs. Training is delivered by employers in workplaces and through tertiary education providers.
Industry training provides two pathways for qualification attainment: employees can register as industry trainees, or may become Modern Apprentices if they are between 16 and 21 years old.
Modern apprenticeships combine the apprenticeship tradition (a job and workplace training) with support from coordinators who provide mentoring and coaching through to the completion of a national qualification.
The Government’s Tertiary Education Strategy 2010-15, has signalled some changes.
These include improving educational performance, and in particular, delivery of literacy skills at NQF Levels 1-3, completions and achievement levels of Māori, Pacific and young people.
For industry training, this will mean an emphasis on credit achievement and the number and timeliness of completions.