Government funds Pacific trades initiative for Christchurch

Hon Steven Joyce
Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills
Employment

Hon Hekia Parata
Minister of Pacific
Island Affairs

27 February 2012

Govt funds Pacific
trades initiative for Christchurch

The Government is
providing $6 million to support Pacific peoples enter into
trades training in 2012 and 2013 to assist with the
Christchurch rebuild, Minister for Tertiary Education,
Skills and Employment Steven Joyce and Minister of Pacific
Island Affairs Hekia Parata announced today.

The
initiative, part of the Government’s wider Skills for
Canterbury contingency package of $42 million, is providing
up to 300 fees-free places in trades training throughout New
Zealand.

Eighty-four Pacific Trades Scholarships have been
awarded in Wellington, 105 scholarships in Auckland, and 56
in Christchurch; with further places to be awarded as
required.

“This initiative enables us to reach Pacific
students who may not normally consider entering into trades
such as carpentry, joinery and plumbing,” Mr Joyce
says.

“It is important we ensure these young people are
given every opportunity to learn new skills that will be
vital in the rebuilding of Christchurch.”

Ms Parata
says: “A significant proportion of the Pacific population
go to church and it’s great to see Pacific church leaders
mobilising large numbers of Pacific young people to get them
involved in this initiative.

“The support of the church
ministers, particularly in the area of pastoral care, will
be a key ingredient in the success of students involved in
this
initiative.”

ENDS

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• Education targets to boost skills and employment
• Ministers launch BPS education action plans
• Training plan cuts two ways for Otago
• Govt to strengthen foundation-level learning