My Account
The latest spend up from the provincial growth fund was announced by Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones in Whangarei this month.
The latest tranche of funding from the Government’s $40 million Regional Apprentice programme was announced this month and Northland companies received their share.
Northpower will receive $1.59 million to employ 40 new apprentices, prioritising workers who have undertaken pre-trades training, but who have been displaced by Covid-19.
The apprentices will be recruited into Northpower’s cadetship programme through local iwi. Northpower promises 70 per cent Maori representation in its next intake.
Apprentices will also be recruited via the People Power work assistance programme based in Whangarei and Auckland.
Fonterra will also receive $1.76 million to take on an additional 44 apprentices over two years in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, heavy automotive engineering and dairy processing.
Fonterra manufacturing director Alan Van Der Nagel says specifics are yet to be worked out, but the programme will allocate some of the apprentices into the company’s Maungaturoto site.
The company already has seven apprentices employed in Northland, while the funding will nearly double the amount of apprentices Fonterra employs nationally.
KiwiRail will also receive $4 million for a national programme to employ 100 apprentices in engineering, rail operations and building.
The funding was part of a $14 million announcement for regional apprenticeships made by Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones in Whangarei.
