Labour has announced a $40 million package to set up ten new 'centres of vocational excellence' at regional institutes of technology, saying National had put too much focus on university qualifications at the expense of critical trade training needed for the regions.
Labour's tertiary education spokesman Grant Robertson said Labour aimed to establish the centres within its first term in Government, and would focus on regional institutions which already had expertise in a certain area, or which served a specific industry in the region.
He said such institutions were critical for ensuring workers had the skills needed to meet the demands of the job market in specific regions, but the National Government had cut funding to regional polytechnics.
"Along with an overemphasis on university degree qualifications, vocational and trade training is not getting the support it deserves as a core part of growing the economy."
It would decide where the centres would go after consultation with the sector.
