Our 2011 election manifesto - Labour Party

A highly skilled workforce driving a more productive economy
New Zealand‟s labour productivity is one of the lowest in the Western world – we work
longer for less than nearly every other advanced country. Substituting investment in
productivity growth, including innovation and skills, with low wages and longer hours is not
the way forward. It is not about working longer, it is about working smarter.
Shifting to a more productive workforce will require a comprehensive strategy to boost skills
where industry needs them as well as promoting the voice of workers in their workplaces.
Labour will create a New Zealand Employment and Skills Strategy in tandem with
employer groups and unions to ensure that we have a plan to meet the changing
demands on skills and employment in the 21st Century.
Labour will match the ambitious target set by the state of Queensland, and aim to
have three out of four adult New Zealanders (i.e. aged between 25 and 64) holding
trade, training or tertiary qualifications at Level 3 or above, by 2020.
Setting a target will help drive investment in skills and keep providers focused on improving
completion rates.
In order to successfully implement this strategy and achieve our skills target, it will be
necessary to ensure that our training system is „fit for purpose‟.
Labour will carry out a review of the entire range of vocational training (including both
industry training and provider-based programmes), to consider whether it remains
world-leading and adopt new best practises where appropriate. The review will cover:
the quality of training
the extent to which training is available across all sectors of the economy
barriers to participation and how these can be removed
whether the funding models (and the way they interact) are appropriate
the extent to which duplication is a problem
the quality and independence of ITO advice to businesses
accountability mechanisms
ITO governance arrangements, and
whether there needs to be some consolidation of ITOs and how this should
be achieved.
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