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Source: ONE News -
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Tertiary institutions may be lining up to help out companies that opt into the government's nine-day fortnight, but it seems companies may not be taking joining up to the scheme.
Five of the country's institutes of technology and polytechnics are now offering free or low cost training, to companies which opt into the Government's scheme.
But there might not be many people able to take up the offer.
Speaking to Q+A's Guyon Espiner on Sunday morning Prime Minister John Key said the government hasn't seen actual numbers but anecdotally they believe just one or two companies have signed up.
But Key is not worried about the numbers just yet.
"We always argued it would be a last resort."
Key says the nine-day fotnight scheme will be running for 18 months and he says he wouldn't be surprised if companies try to hold off signing up for as long as they can.
Key however is chuffed at the news tertiary institutes are getting on board.
He says the free, or very cheap training to those who take up the Job Support Scheme means workers on reduced hours will potentially be able to use their time off to train.
Key says it would have been too complex to make training a compulsory part of the nine-day fortnight, so he's pleased the educators have stepped up to the plate.
The five organisations which have so far put their hands up are Aoraki Polytechnic, Eastern Institute of Technology, Otago Polytechnic, The Open Polytechnic, and Wellington Institute of Technology.
Unions hope the training will help sweeten the nine-day fortnight deal for employees.
Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly says employers might need to top up the five hours at the minimum wage the government is offering and the offer from the institutes makes it easier for employers to opt to arrange training on the tenth day.
Kelly says training staff should help businesses to become more productive, or give staff the opportunity to move into different work.
