26-01-2023, 07:00 PM
I think the restoration of the apprenticeship system was one of the best Labour initiatives, socially advantageous as well as a huge productivity boost.
For most of the 20th century (for young men) apprenticeships were the ticket to upward mobility. In my father's family the men moved up from being general labourers to agricultural workers, then my father, who left school at 14, became a carpenter because he was able to do an apprenticeship with NZ Rail. I am really grateful that these opportunities are not only being restored but also that they are now available to young women.
For most of the 20th century (for young men) apprenticeships were the ticket to upward mobility. In my father's family the men moved up from being general labourers to agricultural workers, then my father, who left school at 14, became a carpenter because he was able to do an apprenticeship with NZ Rail. I am really grateful that these opportunities are not only being restored but also that they are now available to young women.