KEY POINTS:
Government-owned polytechnic Ucol is offering free study next year for anyone who loses their job as a result of the economic crisis.
It is also offering a guarantee that all graduates will get jobs after completing their course.
"Anyone who doesn't find employment in their study area within 13 weeks of successfully completing a Ucol programme started in 2009 can apply to enrol on another programme without paying further tuition fees in 2010," chief executive Paul McElroy said.
The initiatives show Ucol's "commitment to its local communities and to the health of the regional economies Ucol serves".
The offer is available to anyone made redundant after September 1 and includes normal tuition fees on certificates, degrees and diplomas offered at Ucol's three campuses in Palmerston North, Wanganui, and the Wairarapa.
"There is still uncertainty about the impact on the New Zealand job market of the recession and slowdown in the global economy.
"All of this means that many people are anxious about the security of their jobs and their ability to adapt to a changing employment environment," Mr McElroy said.
- NZPA
