Rangatahi Māori across the North Island are set to benefit from a $5.5 million investment in trades training.
Photo: 123rf.com
Social Development and Employment Minister Carmel Sepuloni announced the funding for the Māori Trades Training programme today.
The money will be split across four companies including: Manaia SAFE Forestry School, a forestry training school in Tairāwhiti ($180,000), ICONIQ Group, a construction firm also on the East Coast ($2.6m), North Drill Ltd, a drilling company in Te Tai Tokerau ($1.75m), and Minginui Nursery in Bay of Plenty ($1.05m).
It will give 148 rangatahi Māori on-the-job training, and support 14 jobs within the four organisations, which will manage, teach and provide pastoral care to the trainees.
Sepuloni said the regions chosen were where Māori had been hit hard by Covid-19, and where there wahigh proportion of rangatahi not in education, employment or training.
"The four funding recipients are providing high quality programmes to help their regions' rangatahi get the training and qualifications they need to find long-term jobs in their local communities.
"But these programmes are about more than just learning new skills. They also provide rangatahi with the pastoral care, guidance, qualifications and confidence to productively participate in their local communities, while also helping build a stronger economy," Sepuloni said.