Work skills ‘to be improved’

Press, 23 February 1980, Page 14

Work skills ‘to be improved’

PA Dunedin The skills of' New Zealand tradesmen would be improved wherever possible to enable them to play a part in the. development of New Zealand’s energy resources, said- the Minister of Labour (Mr ■; ' Bolger), ,at Dunedin. ' ' L-p kThere. was a pressing • ' ~sufficient ' skilled labour to meet the P ehergy, programme, he told., lnstitute j .of -/Manage-. : •\--u vmehtV>i<-U -. P/SS- //Whilethe- appropriate : i - skilled: tradesmen-could' be . ■ /attracted .(from 'overseas, : ' he intended as; far ’as pos- ■: sible .to improve the skills ■■ ?• -,ofpNew Zealanders ■: to , meet the demands of this programme. ■’ -/This would require .a •' •’changed approach m ’some areas” and a change ’ in certain traditional atti- < tildes over .the acquiof skills. - • > . “To meet our deadlines ’ will require the co-oper--fe" °L un 'X,„T^'. ; • ititutions. ibises Mr Bob North (Mr S. T. Rodger)..

that a Commission of Inquiry should be set up to look-at the issue. “While recognising that such inquiries have their place in New Zealand, I am certain there would be few people outside the Labour Party who would believe that such a commission could guide the investments, decisions, and employment in this area,”. • Mr Bolger said. “This is why it ’ .is imperative that this debate proceeds .sensibly' - .in places- where the real im- / . pact-and benefits of tech-■_ riolbgy are going to-be-felt < -— at the negotiating table, in discussions and • con? su 1 tat ions between i employers -and their (own ; ; : counterparts in the union • . movement.” In recognition of * the 1 likely .impact of tech-: ' nology,; an ad, hoc /com- ( •mittee .of ..the, Cabinet'had -.. studied 'how the gap be-*" •’■'tween the schooland'the < •A workplace .could., be .closed. 2 “We have been‘looking jviit •."•.father-?thari training - for :•> L-i very specific skills,” Mr ■ Bolger said. - : “We' need •an attitude , .that accepts that changes //inevitable / . .'in' -V <tbday?s/ world.” ' ? /