Budget 22 investment into Cadetship to improve Māori labour market

The Government will invest $25 million into the Cadetships programme, delivered by Te Puni Kōkiri.

The continued Budget 22 investment into the Cadetship programmes will ensure Māori thrive in the labour market, Minister for Māori Development Willie Jackson announced today.

The Government will invest $25 million into the Cadetships programme, delivered by Te Puni Kōkiri.

As the whole world struggles with rising inflation, the Government’s strong economic management through Covid means investments can continue to be made in services to secure our future without increasing debt.

Providing New Zealand businesses with the skilled workers they need is an essential component to a secure economy and cadetships give people the skills they need to enter the workforce.

This continued investment will also support Māori to grow intergenerational wealth and wellbeing through building workforce skills and Māori participation in the labour market.

The programme supports employers to develop the skills of Māori staff, with over 1,000 cadetships funded each year.  Employers have the flexibility to arrange programmes and support cadets in ways that work for their businesses and for the individuals.

“The Cadetships programme has proven to be successful in supporting employers to train, develop and mentor Māori employees, helping them into higher-skilled and better paid roles and leadership positions,” Willie Jackson says.

The ongoing funding supports Māori to have greater access to economic opportunities. Participants in the programme contribute to the development highly-skilled, resilient, and productive Māori workforce with improved economic prosperity, able to withstand economic challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This investment in Māori delivers on a Labour commitment to better support whānau Māori and is part of a wider Budget strategy to focus on economic security in good times and bad.

“Extending this well-established and successful programme will help grow the Māori economy, with over 80 percent of participating employers identifying as Māori-owned.

“Reporting shows that almost all cadets are retained in employment after their programme concludes, with many moving into leadership roles and better paid positions. This results in whānau who are better able to support themselves and their tamariki and contributes to improved broader health and wellbeing outcomes.

“This investment means more Māori will obtain new qualifications and skills, enhancing their mana in the workforce and providing them with pathways for future work progression,” Willie Jackson said. 

(With Inputs from New Zealand Government Press Release)