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Top of the South Island iwi Ngati Apa ki te Ra To has teamed up with private training company Workforce Development to provide iwi members with foundation learning in their workplaces.
Chair Brendon Wilson says a lot of iwi have experience helping those who want to go on to tertiary education, but many are held back by a lack of basic skills.
The first employer to come on board is Omega Seafoods, which will give its Ngati Apa employees the chance to access programmes such as numeracy and literacy through the workplace.
Mr Wilson says many people don't like to admit a lack of education, so it needs to be treated sensitively.
"This particular scheme is driven by employers so that encourages them to motivate their workforce and identify the need in their workforce and the training is done in their time. Our role is to put the programme together, to encourage employers to come on board and look after our people and Maori people generally," he says.
Mr Wilson says Ngati Apa is also part of a computers in homes scheme so iwi members can get the tools and skills that create pathways for skills development.
FULL INTERVIEW: BRENDON WILSON
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