Pacific tradespeople to get NZ training

Transcript

A pilot programme will be launched in coming months to find 28 workers from three Pacific countries to conduct trades training in New Zealand.

The programme, which will initially run for a year, will see the tradespeople from Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa travel to Christchurch, which was devastated by earthquake 5 years ago, to participate in the city's rebuild.

Effectively an extension of the Recognised Seasonal Employers Scheme in horticulture, it will see the tradespeople return to their country with a New Zealand trades qualification from Christchurch Polytechnic.

The chief executive of one of the project's main partners, Pacific Trust Canterbury, Tony Fakahau, told Jamie Tahana the programme has the potential to extend to other regions and countries.

TONY FAKAHAU:  These workers will be in Christchurch for up to 12 months.  They'll be here to work and also be training.  At the end of the 12 months they should be able to have NCEA qualifications with them.  They will be returning back home to apply those skills to their work on their own different island nations.

JAMIE TAHANA:  And what kind of trades will these people be doing?

TF:  It will be around carpentry, around buildings and so forth.  Residential and probably a bit of commercial but that will be up to the employers who will assign certain jobs to these workers.

JT:  And how do you select these people?  How do you pick who will go into this scheme?

TF:  The scheme is a partnership between the Ministry of Business Innovation, Pacific Trust Canterbury and Christchurch Polytechnic as well as the employers.  The role of Christchurch Polytechnic is to assess the workers in the Pacific to ensure that the right forms of experience and with additional training they should be able to acquire NZQA qualifications.  They'll be assessed.  They have got to meet the requirements and then they will be selected to be part of the 28.  These are skilled workers so probably all of them would have been working or just finished studying at their local polytechnic and could do with a little bit of training and further experience from here in New Zealand.  It's a win-win situation for both parties.  They will be able to get the training and receive the qualification they will need as well as income from working here and on the other hand employers are able to have skilled workers assisting with the rebuild here in Christchurch.

JT:  Of course the rebuild is a big thing going on but what will these workers sort of do in Christchurch?  Where will they stay because accommodation has been a widely publicised issue currently, what's the community arrangement going to be during this year they are here?

TF:  They will be very well looked after.  We have got the Pacific community ready.  They will be hosting and looking after the 28 workers and ensuring that they integrate into the local community, also attached to each specific Pacific community here in Christchurch.  Accomodation-wise we've started putting some potential accommodation together.  That won't be a problem.  That will be provided for them.  There will be group accommodation facilities available for some of these workers when they get here.  Pastoral care will be provided and planning and preparation is well underway.