Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Industry training performance figures released

Updated at 12:06 pm on 17 December 2010

The Government has published figures exposing the worst performers among the country's 38 industry training organisations (ITOs).

They show trainees and apprentices at some organisations completed only 15% of the qualification credits for which the ITOs were funded.

The Government is demanding better value for money from industry training.

Earlier this year, it revealed 37% of the trainees it funded in 2008 and 2009 had achieved no credits and it then announced funding cuts for the sector.

Now it has published performance figures showing very low rates of credit achievement in some ITOs.

Worst were the Retail Institute and the Extractive Industries organisations, where trainees completed only 15% of the credits they had enrolled for in 2009, and the the Seafood ITO where trainees completed 20% of credits.

Seafood ITO chief executive Owen Symmans says a number of factors, including staff turnover, contributed to the low achievement figure and the organisation will more effectively manage trainees in future.

Mr Symmans says the organisation will be funded for 2600 trainees next year, down from about 4000.

The highest completion rates were 100% at the Building and Construction ITO and 73% in hairdressing.

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