Setting your business up for future success means growing new strengths in your workforce. With Fees Free, Apprenticeship Boost and other funding available, there's never been a better time to address your skills shortages and prepare your business for a new era of work.
To make the most of new opportunities and growth potential, you need to align your workforce skills with your strategic direction. We can help you structure training solutions that help you upskill your people and stay on track for success.
Developing your workforce beyond onboarding and compliance training has many benefits:
The first step in determining what sort of training programme you should run is a workforce competency assessment. Our skills assessment questionnaire can help get you started.
Depending on the number of staff you employ, you may need support from one of our industry training advisors to help develop your training solution.
All apprenticeships in our 37 sectors are fees-free. There are several funds that have been set up to help employers train apprentices and staff.
The Government has announced that Fees Free for the first year of study or training will finish at the end of 2024. A final-year Fees Free policy will replace it, starting from 1 January 2025.
If you are a first-time tertiary learner in 2025, you may be able to get Fees Free for your final year of study or training. If you are eligible, you will need to apply for your entitlement through IRD from 2026 onwards.
For more information about the transition from first-year Fees Free or the final-year Fees Free policy, visit FeesFree.govt.nz.
Please visit the TEC website for all the details, and to check Fees Free eligibility.
20 November 2024
Upcoming changes to the Apprenticeship Boost funding initiative that will take effect in 2025. These changes will impact certain apprenticeship sectors, including Mechanical Engineering and Fabricating, which will no longer be eligible for targeted funding under the updated schedule.
The Government initiative is to now prioritise first-year apprentices and industries with critical skill shortages, shifting from a COVID-19 recovery measure to a targeted approach supporting key sectors for economic growth and increased female participation.
From 2025, the following training programmes such as the New Zealand Certificates in Engineering Fabrication, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Building Services, and Dairy Systems will no longer be eligible for apprenticeship boost funding.
A Government review in July 2027 will assess the targeted sectors to ensure alignment with ongoing industry needs.
For those currently accessing Apprenticeship Boost funding, you can continue to receive payments into 2025 if:
For detailed updates, visit:
Mana in Mahi provides a wage subsidy and other pastoral care for employers of new and currently enrolled first and second-year apprentices through Work and Income’s Mana in Mahi scheme.
The New Zealand Government has announced more funding for additional Mana in Mahi places over the new two years as part of their Budget 2022 announcement.
An apprenticeship is an investment of time, money and effort into your business. That means it is worth doing right. Here’s some practical steps for bringing an apprentice onboard:
If you’re keen to hire a new apprentice, fill out the job profile and we'll advertise the role to our Jobseeker database.
If you want to train an existing staff member as an apprentice, fill out this form and one of our industry training advisors will help with learner contracts, learning programme enrolments, and funding arrangements.
Apprenticeships and traineeships deliver most of the training on-the-job. However some training in certain apprenticeships is provided off-site. Typically staff are away for 2-3 weeks and this is organised with significant advance notice.
Our training advisors have regular quarterly check-ins with apprentices. They also check in with the trainers and help assess an apprentice's training to ensure they are developing their skills at the right pace.
If you need more information from our expert team, visit our Frequently Asked Questions. This is updated frequently. If you can't find an answer, get in touch by clicking the chat bubble at the bottom right of the screen. We are currently experiencing high demand, so answers typically take two business days.
