Industry training

5 steps to getting into Industry training

Find your ITO

Figure out what you want to do

Talk to your employer and ITO

Develop a training plan

Do your industry training

Industry training at a glance

Industry training is also called trade training, workplace learning or apprenticeship. It is about learning and earning money while you work, and you can do it in a range of industries.

The length of industry training varies and depends on the industry and on your own progress. It could be anything from a few weeks to a few years.

Who can do industry training?

: Did you know you can do industry training in hairdressing?

Industry training may be an option if you:

are employed in an industry covered by an industry training organisation (ITO)
want to earn money while gaining a qualification, such as a National Certificate in Roadmarking, as part of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).

What are the benefits of industry training?

Benefits of industry training include:

earning money as you learn, so you won’t need to get a student loan
gaining theoretical and practical skills at the same time
gaining one or more national certificates, depending on the programme and the industry you are in
increasing your chances for a promotion, better pay or improved employment opportunities
becoming highly skilled in your chosen industry.

What is expected of you?

Industry training often combines on-the-job with off-the-job training. During your industry training you will be required to:

attend all courses that are part of the industry training – these may be block courses, evening courses or day release classes, and are offered by a polytech or other education provider
complete on-the-job assessments to show you are competent in completing practical tasks, and to work towards your national certificate
complete off-the-job assessments to work towards completing your qualification
ask your employer or ITO for help if you need it – remember that they want you to succeed and it is their job to help you
have the right attitude towards learning the theory and practice of your chosen profession.

Read about young people in industry training

Find out how other young people feel about industry training:

What does industry training cost?

Your costs will be minimal. Training costs are kept down because industry training is subsidised. However, you may have to pay for course-related costs for NZQA registration, training materials and the support from the ITO.

Industry training fees vary and the best way to find out about your fees is talk to your employer or ITO.

What qualification will you get?

Industry training covers all levels of the NQF but has a strong focus on Levels 1 to 4. For example, you can work towards a National Certificate in Agriculture (Level 2, 3, 4 or 5) with different specialties like production or resource management.