The Council of Trade Unions is welcoming a pre-budget policy announcement today of additional funding for the tertiary education sector.

Getting the investment in skills development right is a vital part of building a high wage and quality economy, the Council of Trade Unions said today.

"There is always competition for resources between not only different parts of the tertiary sector, but also different stakeholders," said Carol Beaumont, CTU Secretary. "If funding is going to depend in part on an assessment of how relevant a course is to changing regional and national priorities, it will be vital to have widespread and ongoing consultation on this."

Labour's policy of interest-free student loans promised far more to those paying off loans than National's miserly plan for tax rebates on interest paid, Council of Trade Unions vice-president Helen Kelly said today.

The funding boost to get more school leavers into education, training or work will help to ensure young people have a fair chance at a career and a good start to their working lives, Council of Trade Unions secretary Carol Beaumont said today.