Good to see polytech sector step up
March 23rd, 2009 at 11:00 am by David FarrarAoraki Polytechnic, Eastern Institute of Technology, Otago Polytechnic, the Open Polytechnic and Wellington Institute of Technology also announced yesterday they would offer free or low-cost training to those affected.
It will not be compulsory to take up training. …
He [John Key] welcomed the polytechs’ offer of free or cheap training, saying making it compulsory would have been too difficult, but he encouraged employees to lift their skills.
Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs) New Zealand executive director Dave Guerin said the institutions were happy to be able to sweeten the deal for employers and employees considering the nine-day fortnight.
Mr Guerin asked ITP NZ members for proposals on March 12 and had five responses within 24 hours. More ITPs were expected to join in.
“ITPs will offer courses within existing funding, using programmes that have already been developed and approved,” he said.
I agree that making it compulory would have been a bureaucratic nightmare. Instead we have the polytechnics making it easy. A good initiative.
March 23rd, 2009 at 11:25 am
Hmmm, Polytechs.
Another opportunity to hand out CDs and call it a qualification?
The only effective way to upskill is work based training, not a class room.
Vote:March 23rd, 2009 at 11:30 am
This is bullshit!
Lets face it, most of those who will be on the nine day fortnight are going to be those who are employed in low or no skill jobs.
Just what type of “training” are these people going to undertake?, if they had the motivation to improve themselves they would have looked for “training” a long time ago.
These people will be receiving (from us tax payers) money for doing nothing, IMHO they should be forced to do at least one half day’s community work in exchange for their money or receive nothing at all, working (and being paid) for nine out of ten days is far better than no job at all.
Vote:March 23rd, 2009 at 11:31 am
…and yet again, despite the squealing from the left, JK shows us that “leadership” does not mean telling people what to do, spending as much of other peoples’ money as you can get your hands on or banning stuff…
Vote:March 23rd, 2009 at 12:46 pm
BB I would rather people on the dole longterm be doing the community work than those giving up a days work hopefully in order that fellow workmates don’t lose their jobs through redundancy. And if training helps both those giving up a day to better themselves and those supplying the education keep the educators in work – then that is all part of the money go round. In reading one of your previous posts, I believe I voted in the same way you did – and have done since they first stood for parliament – however – I’m relatively happy so far with the direction the government is going and am glad that Act is tempered by the middle-ground Nats. Especially if they are as compassionless as you appear to be sounding of late.
Vote:March 23rd, 2009 at 1:13 pm
That’s positive news. Good to see the polytechnics operating in a co-ordinated manner. Their leadership and responsiveness could accelerate training and reduce regional unemployment.
Vote:March 23rd, 2009 at 7:21 pm
I thought the whole idea of polytechs was to make tertiary education available to the masses whereby student debt could be
amassed as easily as revenue on the roads.
But the polytechs have scuttled that strategem in one foul swoop
Watch the Beehive at the behest of treasury introduce new legislation preventing the paradigm.
Govt never introduces anything that affects the coffers – or has socialism actually gone?
Vote: