Training Report Dire Warning to Business

The secretary of the Council of Trade Unions has described a
PricewaterhouseCoopers report showing that New Zealand workers receive half
as much training as their Australian counterparts as a 'dire 'warning' to
business.
CTU secretary Paul Goulter said the report shows our workers get just over a
day a year in training, half the Australian average and well below the
global average of three days.

"The business that doesn't make a substantial commitment to training cannot
achieve high performance," said Paul Goulter.

"It can't be done by stealing trained workers from other companies, because
it is the whole training culture of the workplace which is the key to
success. "

Paul Goulter said employees would take up jobs where training was offered.

"Young job applicants are now starting to ask two questions at the job
interview: 'how much money?' and 'how much training?'," he said.

Paul Goulter said that only if New Zealand as a nation develops a strong
culture of life long learning with formal training schemes in every work
place will we achieve the growth and development needed to sustain our
population.

"Only if we keep pace with then will we, as a nation, keep our workers and
turn around our skills shortages," he said.