Unitec fights for plumbers course

Unitec is battling to keep a plumbing course on its site as the plumbers industry training organisation tries to make all apprenticeships the same.

Up until now, plumbing courses run through the plumbing, gasfitting, drainlaying and roofing industry training organisation (ITO) have been separate to Unitec's NZQA accredited course, which is run through the apprenticeship training trust (ATT).

But the two training bodies have decided to form a strategic partnership, meaning Unitec must either cut its course from 22 to 11 weeks and accept less funding, or lose 150 students.

Tutors are worried about the security of their positions if the course is forced to move off-site and that the conditions for it staying on-site will reduce the apprenticeship's safety.

They claim the ITO is trying to sway students by offering them no fees.

The national president of the tertiary education union, Dr Tom Ryan, said there was a concern the move would "basically gut" Unitec's programme, which had had seen considerable investment over the years and had an excellent reputation.

"We hope commonsense will prevail and the ITO will do what is good for the industry it represents, the public and the students coming into courses," Dr Ryan said.

Unitec chief executive Rick Ede said the Government had indicated it wanted to stop the "overlapping" of trades courses so it made no sense to compete with the plumbing ITO.

Chief executive Ian Elliot said the ITO was offering to pay fees because of the disruption involved in changing the course.