Willie Jackson at the launch of the Northpower Trades Cadetship Programme. Photo / John Stone
Willie Jackson at the launch of the Northpower Trades Cadetship Programme. Photo / John Stone
A partnership between Northpower and Whangārei-based training organisation People Potential will bring more locally trained electricity supply workers on line.
The groundbreaking Northpower Trades Cadetship Programme was launched in Whangārei yesterday by Employment Minister Willie Jackson.
The minister said he was there because it was an excellent example of a local employment initiative, and aimed directly at strengthening Northland's skilled worker pool and communities.
The cadetship starts with 10 to 15 trainees doing a 20-week Foundation Course at People Potential, ensuring they have life skills including drivers' licences, and moves to a 14-week industry course which would include a level 2 Electricity Supply, safety-focused qualification not usually offered outside the workplace.
Work-ready trainees would then sign up to a six-month fixed-term placement within Northpower, and be rostered over a variety of work areas.
Jo Littin from the Ministry Social Development praised the scheme and said the MSD ''don't own it, we don't need to be all over it''.
From October 7, the cadets will be in paid work with Northpower, earning more than the minimum wage with support from the Ministry of Social Development's (MSD) Mana in Mahi Programme.
At the end of the programme some would be offered a further contract to work with Northpower, where they would gain level 4 Trade Certificates in line mechanic (distribution or transmission), cable jointer, vegetation control (arborist) or electrical engineering.
The MSD played a part in helping Northpower and People Potential shape the scheme's framework through its Mana in Mahi programme, but the Employment Ministry ''only helped in a very minor way'', Jackson said.
''It isn't our initiative at all, but it's great. I'm just here to say well done, to commend the businesses involved for getting this up and running.
''These are the sort of initiatives we love, they're the perfect scenario and it complements what we're doing as a Government. When we took over there were huge gaps in the region. Northland needs these strong, locally led programmes.''
Northland had earlier scored poorly in "Neet" (not in education, employment or training) measures, ''but we've managed to knock that back a bit'', Jackson said.
''When the nephs come off the couch they need a lot of support. I don't believe in giving people just one chance. When they fall over, you help pick them up a bit.
''These young ones [the Northpower cadets] are past that stage and now they have the opportunity to go into work. But there's been a whole strategy to get some of them to this point.''
The Northpower cadetship programme went ''hand in hand'' with the Government's investment in strengthening the regions, growing work skills in key industries and trades, and lowering unemployment, Jackson said.
Northpower chief executive Andrew McLeod described the scheme as ''empowering'' - for Northland communities, the cadets and industries that would be able to tap into the resulting pool of skilled workers.
Jo Littin, from the MSD in Whangārei, said Northpower approached MSD to ask how they could get the cadetship going.
''We then tried to find the best provider for the training, which we found in People Potential.
''This is an amazing collaboration. It's industry leading the way. We [MSD] don't own it, we don't need to be all over it.''
