Government help with training

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Government help with training

If you want to support or train your staff, the government is here to help.

From Industry Training Organisations (ITOs) to courses in basic English and maths, take advantage of these offerings to help you upskill your workforce and develop your business.

Industry Training Organisations (ITOs)

ITOs are government-supported organisations that:

help people get NZQA-recognised qualifications while they’re working
provide information and advice to trainees, apprentices and employers
arrange and facilitate education and training for their industry
arrange assessments and define training standards.

Search for suitable courses and qualifications on the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) website(external link).

There’s an ITO for various different industries and professions, including:

most trades
service industries
primary industries
manufacturing
retail
social and community services
sport and recreation.

Study and training options(external link) — Careers New Zealand

Work and Income support

Work and Income offer financial assistance to help new employees develop the skills to do their job.

If you’re about to employ someone currently on a benefit who needs workplace training, Work and Income might be able to:

cover part of their wage for up to a year while they learn, and
subsidise the cost of their training (depending on what it is).

To qualify:

the position has to be permanent, and for at least 30 hours work a week (although you may still qualify for the subsidy if the position is part-time)
you must pay market wages for the job, and
you must not have dismissed anyone else to employ the person.

If you qualify, you’ll:

pay their wages just like you normally would, and keep wage records in case Work and Income needs to refer to them
send Work and Income a completed claim form and wage records
get the subsidy direct credited into your business bank account
need to cover the balance of the employee’s wages, PAYE, GST, ACC levies and holiday pay, as well as health and safety requirements.

Advice for employers(external link) — Work and Income

0800 778 008 — Work and Income Employer line

Help with basic numeracy and literacy

Around half New Zealand’s working-age population struggle with mathematics, and many struggle with reading. This can affect productivity and the health and safety of the workforce. Skills Highway is an online government resource that helps businesses improve their staff’s skills in reading, maths, and communication.

Skills Highway can help by either: