June 23, 2014
Women encouraged into trades training
New trade training schemes for Maori and Pasifika are not just an opportunity for young men but also for young women.
Five new consortia including local bodies, iwi and Maori groups and tertiary education providers have been named to deliver programmes as part of the $43 million initiative.
Tariana Turia, the Associate Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister, says women shouldn’t be put off by the fact most of the courses are in the building and infrastructure trades.
"I don’t think our young women see it as being something they can participate in but I remember in the 1980s when trade training was going we had a number of young women from home who were involved in painting and parperhanging, in carpentry trades. We certainly had a young woman involved in mechanics," she says.
Mrs Turia says there are 3000 places on offer, and she knows from the experience of her own experience that learning a trade can set a whole whanau on the path of financial independence and security.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH TARIANA TURIA CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?podlink=MTkzODg=
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