Minister to hear of training worry

Press, 2 July 1985, Page 9

Minister to hear of training worry

Concern about the uncertainty over Government employment schemes will be expressed by a Christchurch City Council delegation to the Minister of Employment, Mr Burke. Emphasis had been on the phasing down of existing programmes, with little attention to new programmes, said the employment promotion senior co-ordinator, Mr Gordon Bradley, at a meeting of the council’s employment promotion committee yesterday. Employers and the unemployed felt uncertain about the future of the

schemes. Much had been said about training and transition programmes in general terms, i but nothing had been said about the type of training, training for what, and what • ' would happen to those not ; suitable for training, Mr Bradley said. Although $1.25 million had been allocated for pilot schemes in training and transition, no details had been released about the schemes. . A,, similar amount had been allocated to Maori and Pacific Island communities : to spend on promoting

viable unsubsidised employment. Four work schemes were due to be phased out and another to be replaced by a new scheme. Four other schemes were to remain.

An allocation for placements had been made for all districts for 1985-86. Doubts and fears abounded while the Minister’s promised details on the new programmes were awaited, Mr Bradley said.

The delegation will ask Mr Burke to provide more detailed information urgently.