FAQs for employers
What is industry training?
Industry training is a great way to up-skill your staff while they’re at work, introduce new skills to your workplace and ultimately boost your business performance.
Your employees learn practical skills on the job, and in some cases off the job from contracted training providers. Their work is marked by assessors, and every success counts towards their qualification – ultimately bringing more skills to your business and increasing profitability.
As well as helping develop an individual’s career, industry training is all about meeting the skill needs of industry and assisting businesses and organisations in New Zealand’s seafood industry to be more productive.
How much time off work is needed?
The great thing about Seafood ITO training is that most of it happens on the job, where your employees learn important skills and gain valuable knowledge in their day-to-day work.
That means they continue to contribute to your business while they’re learning, and you continue to benefit from having someone there to help you do the work. The practical work is assessed by a registered workplace assessor.
Of course there are some things trainees can’t learn through hands-on work, and that’s where the theory-based training comes in. Sometimes this happens off the job through specially contracted training providers who are registered with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA). Seafood ITO can arrange this for you.
How long does it take?
There’s no set timeframe for getting qualifications, though of course the faster your employees study, the sooner they finish! The important thing is that trainees are disciplined and set aside some regular study time – and of course your Training Manager is there for help and support when they need it.
The rule of thumb is that the trainee and their employer must plan to achieve a minimum of 20 credits and maximum of 70 credits per year. One credit is about ten hours of learning, however many employees will already be able to demonstrate the skills required so it may not take this long.
What do I have to do?
As an employer, you play an important role in giving trainees practical training, showing them how to do the job and providing moral support.
Seafood ITO’s Industry Training Managers will work with you to ensure you and your employee have everything you need – and they’re always a phone call away if you need help or advice.
Do my staff qualify?
To study with Seafood ITO, your staff need to be already employed in the seafood industry and have a formal employment agreement.
They will also need to sign a formal Seafood ITO Training Agreement with you before they start.
What is a Training Agreement?
Training Agreements enable trainees to be registered on the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) database. Every trainee must fill one out with their employer prior to commencing training. These are then sent to Seafood ITO to keep on record.
Choosing the right qualification?
New Zealand’s seafood industry offers a huge variety of job opportunities and we have qualifications that have been developed by industry, for industry, so your employee gets the latest and the most relevant training for their job.
Have a look at our Qualifications page – it’s a great place to see just what we offer, and what your employee will learn.
How much does training cost?
Seafood ITO fees are very cost-effective, especially when you compare them with the fees of other tertiary education providers. They’re subsidised by the government and the industry to keep costs to a minimum. You can find more information here.
How do I enrol my staff?
Getting started is easy. Just contact a Seafood ITO Training Manager to talk about training for your business.