Participation in industry training

Indicator Description

The number of people undertaking industry training.

What We Have Found

The number of people undertaking industry training continues to increase.

Why This Is Important

Participation in a knowledge society includes the continued participation of people in learning and education over their lifetime.  With rapid changes in society, economy and technology, skills can quickly become outdated.  It is important that people can continue to access education after they have completed their initial education.  It is equally important that these decisions to access education are made in conjunction with impartial career information, advice and guidance.

Industry training provides opportunities for ongoing development and updating of skills.  It concentrates on workplace learning, which can be on-the-job, off-the-job by a registered training provider, or a combination of both.  

Industry training is also delivered through the Modern Apprenticeship scheme, which is designed to complement and build on existing work-based industry training.  Modern Apprenticeships are targeted at young people aged 16 to 21 years on entry, although provision may be made for older people seeking a change in career.

How We Are Going

A total of 185,676 people undertook industry training, including Modern Apprenticeships, during 2007, which is 2.3 times the number participating in 2000 (81,343).  Based on numbers undertaking industry training as at 31 December of each year (as at 30 June for all years prior to 2000), this represents a 7-fold increase from 1995.

Total numbers in industry training (1995-2007)

*Prior to 2000, figures are as at 30 June of each year.

There were 10,850 Modern Apprenticeship trainees in 2007, which is 5.3 times the number of apprentices in 2001.

Workers in their 20s are the most likely of all age groups to be learning on the job, with 15.4% engaged in industry training, accounting for 33.4% of all people who participated in industry training in 2007.  However older people are also well represented in industry training, with 64,088 trainees aged 40 and over, accounting for 34.5% of all people who participated in industry training during 2007.  Just over 27,600 of those trainees were aged 50 and over.

On a labour force basis, Māori and Pasifika workers engage in industry training more than other ethnic groups.  In 2007, an estimated 16.9% of all working Māori and 15.0% of all working Pasifika were participating in industry training.  This compared with 7.0% for European/Pākehā workers and 11.0% for all other workers.

Females are still under-represented in industry training, with women comprising 46.1% of all workers but only 29.7% of all learners in industry training.

Estimated participation rates for workers in industry training by selected demographic characteristics (2007) 

Note: Data relates to total industry trainees during the year.

On a labour force basis, Māori and Pasifika workers engage in industry training more than other ethnic groups.  In 2007, an estimated 16.9% of all working Māori and 15.0% of all working Pasifika were participating in industry training.  This compared with 7.0% for European/Pākehā workers and 11.0% for all other workers.

Females are still under-represented in industry training, with women comprising 46.1% of all workers but only 29.7% of all learners in industry training.

Where To Find Out More

To obtain other information on the participation of people in learning and education over their lifetime, consider the indicator:

• Participation rates in tertiary education

References

Ministry of Education (2008). Tertiary Education Strategy 2007-12 - a framework for monitoring. Wellington: Ministry of Education. 

Ministry of Education (2008). New Zealand's Tertiary Education Sector Profile & Trends 2007. Wellington: Ministry of Education.