PROVIDING CADET AND YOUTH TRAINING PROGRAMMES IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS

BACKGROUND Concern about skill shortages Mayors Taskforce preliminary investigation

INTRODUCTION Post War New Zealand –Full employment –Creative solutions to technological problems –Public service cadets Restructuring public/private sectors 70’s & 80’s –High youth unemployment –Apprenticeship Act 1991 – new industry training system –Skill shortages – global labour market

CADET AND YOUTH RECRUITMENT PROGRAMMES Programmes cut in the 80’s and 90’s Focus on private sector and training establishments Lack of coordination and planning Steady increase in industry training in the last 5 years – 89,969 Dec target 250,000 by 2007 Mayors Taskforce wrote to Councils and State Services Commission

RESULTS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS Little information EEO focus State Services Commission projects Ministry of Social Development

LOCAL AUTHORITIES 45 (75%) replies were received from a possible (31%) Councils ran cadet or trainee programmes 31 (69%) Councils had no programmes 9 (29%) with no programmes are currently investigating cadet programmes 9 (29%) with no programmes offer other initiatives

PROGRAMMES OFFERED IN COUNCILS 10 scholarship/apprentice positions in key Council work areas 4 Launchpad 4 partnerships with other agencies

OTHER SUPPORT Of the nine offering other support: 5 – student holiday programmes, work experience, gateway, University requirements 4 – support other organisations in their communities

CONCLUSIONS Need more information Problem of definitions – skill shortage, skill gap, recruitment difficulties, labour shortage

RESPONSES Current initiatives – skills action plan, lack of strategies in the public sector Mayors Taskforce leadership Regional responses Smaller Councils leading Active Councils in this study – Christchurch, Dunedin, Hauraki, Nelson, Invercargill, Manukau, Masterton, New Plymouth, Papakura, Porirua, Rotorua, Tasman, Taupo, Upper Hutt Need for comprehensive strategy for public service