The $50 billion Budget features a $1.6b trades and apprenticeships training package which includes $334 million funding for additional tertiary education enrolments, $50m for a Māori Apprenticeships Fund, $141m to support high quality tertiary and trades education, $32m increased funding to meet demand in trades academies; and $320m targeted investment support for free trades training in critical industries.
The Budget also provides $121m for He Poutama Rangatahi, an initiative which allowed WYS to launch its WYS START programme designed to get young people into jobs.
Whangārei Youth Space general manager Ryan Donaldson says Budget 2020 is a good start. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Donaldson said he believed the Budget was what was needed.
"I know there are a lot of adults at the moment that are very much in the same boat, I'm very conscious about that.
"But particularly for young people who are just about to get ready to go into employment, the world has been tipped upside down.
"So as much support that young people have in terms of He Poutama Rangatahi and the pastoral care that programme provides, and also with MSD - I think that's going to be needed initially."
He said finding jobs was already hard for youth, and Covid-19 would make it more difficult.
"You're not only competing with young people for some of those more entry level positions, you're competing with people that are having to seek out new job opportunities so they're willing to take anything."
Donaldson said because of this, the initiatives focused on trades and on-job training would "make such a difference", particularly in Northland.
However, he said he would have liked to see more funding focused at supporting young people into housing.
"I know that homelessness isn't necessarily just living on the street. There's actually couch surfing that happens, especially up here. So we have a transient homelessness issue. I feel like that's something that needs to be identified going forward."
