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Competenz commissioned a survey to look at on-the-job training and skills needs now and in the future which was undertaken in June 2011. A random selection of companies was contacted by phone and the decision-makers for staff training were asked to participate. In total, 270 companies did the 10 minute survey. Respondents were spread over four manufacturing industries and were scattered throughout New Zealand with the majority located outside the city centres. [Key findings include:] nearly all companies train their staff - 99 per cent of food manufacturers and 97 per cent of engineering and metal manufacturers; [and] almost all companies (94 per cent) train on-the-job as well as in meetings, seminars and the classroom.

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New Zealand needs more skilled workers - skilled workers created on-the-job. The solution to any skills shortage is to train more people but, to do so, companies need to be willing to recruit, manage and nurture an apprentice to the completion of a 3-4 year qualification. The problem is, only 25 per cent of companies in metal manufacturing, machinery manufacturing and baking products manufacturing are willing to do so. There is no doubt that there are obstacles to taking on an apprentice. This research aimed to find out what these obstacles were and how they could be overcome to convert non-apprentice hiring companies into apprentice hiring companies - to increase the pool of companies successfully training apprentices and thus increase the pool of skilled and qualified tradespeople. And increasing the number of companies training is an issue that is part of a bigger picture that includes youth employment, Vocational Pathways being introduced into schools, the lack of management skills in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), and the low level of skills within SMEs.

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