Industry training organisations are worried a government proposal to merge all sixteen of the country's polytechnics will result in fewer apprentices being trained. Industries struggling to find enough workers are worried that moves to overhaul vocational training could make the situation worse. The new entity would also take over responsibility for the country's apprentices, which would make industry training organisations (ITOs) partially redundant. Warwick Quinn, chief executive of the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation agreed there was a risk. Kingsford said research had shown that, for every $1 million invested in tertiary education, the industry training system produced 306 qualified people.

Source: Stuff February 14, 2019 02:03 UTC