Trades training $230m budget boost

<h2>The Government’s Budget 2022 announcement to put an extra &dollar;230 million into trades training has been given the thumbs up by education providers&period;<&sol;h2>&NewLine;<p>Education Minister Chris Hipkins and Social Development and Employment Minister Carmel Sepuloni made the pre-budget announcement last week&comma; extending the Apprenticeship Boost&comma; Mana in Mahi and M&amacr;ori Trades and Training Fund&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Te P&umacr;kenga Chair Murray Strong says the investment in work-based learning options would support the development of desperately needed tradespeople who can deliver the infrastructure needed to grow the economy&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;We need a highly skilled workforce to continue growing a productive economy that supports Kiwis to thrive&period; Te P&umacr;kenga&comma; through it’s subsidiary organisation Work Based Learning&comma; is ready to contribute to accelerating our economic development&comma;&&num;8221&semi; says Strong&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Te P&umacr;kenga <a class&equals;"wpil&lowbar;keyword&lowbar;link" href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;schoolnews&period;co&period;nz&sol;2015&sol;10&sol;new-chief-executive-for-education-council&sol;" title&equals;"Chief Executive" data-wpil-keyword-link&equals;"linked" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank">Chief Executive<&sol;a> Work-Based Learning Limited&comma; Toby Beaglehole&comma; says employers and work-based learners play a significant role in every part of our lives &&num;8211&semi; through building homes and workplaces to maintaining the electricity grid and keeping us connected to the world&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;Almost 60 percent of vocational learning takes place in workplaces across the country &&num;8211&semi; which means employers play a really critical role in our nation’s skills development&period; Recognising the effort and investment of employers is a key step in supporting a highly skilled&comma; thriving workforce&comma;&&num;8221&semi; Beaglehole says&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;As a country&comma; we need to maintain a pipeline of talented&comma; engaged learners who are supported &&num;8211&semi; by the system and by their employer &&num;8211&semi; through nationally recognised qualifications that value their skills and experience&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;Equipping the next generation with the expertise to thrive&comma; and supporting employers to pass on their experience can only be good for all of us&comma;&&num;8221&semi; he says&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;