Apprenticeship programmes and Auckland transport projects under the New Zealand Transport Agency umbrella have been the beneficiaries of the latest budget as the government seeks to lift job numbers and incomes.
Business growth agenda initiatives in the recent budget have included up to $20 million in 2013/14 and 2014/15 for a further 6,000 places in the Apprenticeship Reboot programme, taking the number of places to 20,000.
The government has also set aside $28.6 million for ICT training initiatives, including $11.8 million of contingencies.
The government has also provided an interest-free loan of $375 million to the New Zealand Transport Agency as part of $815 million of accelerated Auckland transport projects.
More Auckland growth can be expected thanks to $31 million of the Future Investment Fund being placed by the government towards the Hobsonville Land Company housing development.
Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says the 2014 budget 2014 contains funding for a range of initiatives across the six key inputs business needs to get ahead: building export markets, creating skilled and safe workplaces, developing natural resources, building innovation, and capital investment and infrastructure.
