Learners

An apprenticeship or traineeship involves completing your qualification/training programme on-the-job. You earn and learn!

You complete practical assessments at work, proving you can perform certain tasks. There is also theory-based training which, depending on your programme, will be either online or paper-based, and off-job training may be involved too through your local polytechnic or a private training establishment. When you’ve completed your training programme, you gain a nationally-recognised qualification.

The length of your apprenticeship/traineeship training programme varies depending on your choice of programme and industry. Most take between 3 or 4 years to complete.

For more information about apprenticeships, view the Tertiary Education Commission's Code of Good Practice for New Zealand Apprenticeships.

It’s a great way to be recognised for your skills and knowledge and further your career - whether you’ve just started working or already have years of experience in your job.

The benefits of on-job training for you are:

• No student loan 
• Because you’re working, you earn money while you complete your qualification - earn and learn!
• Training on-job with real life situations means you're learning with the most up to date technology and scenarios. 

The benefits of on-job training for your career are:

• You gain a New Zealand or National qualification
• New skills and knowledge that can help your career progression
• A great-looking CV for future employment opportunities
• Your training is designed by your industry, for your industry.

When you become a MITO apprentice/learner, you can expect help and support from various sources — on and off the job.

In the workplace

The employer or supervisor provides the main support during the training. They demonstrate the skills of the job and oversee the training.

MITO Training Advisor

The MITO Training Advisor is involved with the learner right through their training with a minimum of four visits annually (often more). When learners start their training, the Training Advisor meets with them and their employer to explain the process. During Training Advisor site visits they:

• Update the learner's personalised training plans
• Provide the employer with up-to-date reports on training activity
• Set goals with the learner and employer to help them achieve their qualification
• Arrange any off-job training that is required

MITO eLearning support services

The majority of MITO's programmes have the theory component delivered through eLearning. This allows learners to access online learning resources, including videos, interactive simulations and online theory assessments, at any time with an internet-enabled device. Real-time results and progress reports are available through MITO’s online Portal to both the learner and their supervisor.

The majority of MITO's programmes also have the practical requirements delivered online. Learners are required to collect and collate practical evidence and upload this online. When the learner has captured all of the evidence requirements, (this could be photos of jobs they have completed or copies of invoices to show the work carried out) they submit this to their supervisor through the Portal for verification.

Resource materials

Learners are provided with a training folder which has detailed information on the training programme to help track progress and achievements, including:

• What must be achieved
• Any unit standards to complete
• The tools and equipment required
• What is needed to pass the practical assessments, assignments and tests
• How assessment will be carried out.

The resource materials are designed for ease of use and to allow a step-by-step approach to achieving a qualification.

Loan devices

MITO has internet-enabled devices available to support learners who do not have their own adequate device to support them in their eLearning and submitting practical assessments online.

Industry Mentors

This programme provides mentoring services through an experienced or knowledgeable person guiding learners through the technical components of their programme. While on-job training is delivered within the workplace by skilled technicians, the Industry Mentor programme is designed to be supplementary to support that learning process.

Māori and Pasifika

MITO is committed to supporting the educational aspirations of Māori and Pasifika employees in our industries by facilitating opportunities to participate in industry training and helping to achieve successful learning outcomes.

13% of MITO’s learners are Māori and 6% Pasifika. With a large proportion of New Zealand’s population growth in the next 20 to 30 years expected to come from Māori and Pasifika communities, there are wide-ranging opportunities for Māori and Pasifika people to participate in industry training and achieve career success.

We are working to:

• Ensure industry training meets the current and future skill development needs of industry
• Promote access and successful participation of Māori and Pasifika learners, including achievement at Level 4 and above
• Build our bi-cultural capability and capacity to support our Māori and Pasifika learners.

MITO works alongside a range of industry stakeholders, including the Māori and Pasifika Trades Consortia, to encourage Māori and Pasifika people to train for employment and connect them with local employers. 

Kaiwhakamanawa

The Kaiwhakamanawa programme is additional support designed to complement the on-job learning support that a learner already receives. It is intended to provide mentoring services with an experienced or knowledgeable person to provide and support the cultural capability, Māori culture, values and Tīkanga of Māori learners. The Kaiwhakamanawa will also assist Māori learners with components of their programme that they are struggling with.

A key aim of the programme is to enable Māori learners to develop their own skills, strategies and capability so they are able to successfully navigate and complete the requirements of their training programme. This includes meeting the expected credit achievement requirements and to achieve their qualification within expected duration. 

Kaiwhakamanawa are supporting Māori learners to develop the skills and confidence to operate their programmes independently I.E. the support is intended to be supplementary.

Pasifika Mentors

Similar to Kaiwhakamanawa and Industry Mentors, the Pasifika Mentoring programme is additional support designed to complement the on-job learning support that a learner already receives along with cultural advice and support. This programme is currently only available in the Auckland and Bay of Plenty regions and is facilitated by an external provider.

Study hubs/peer networking groups

Study hubs are designed to engage first-year automotive apprentices at the commencement of their training. The study hubs are run over three nights and cover an induction refresher, use of their online portal, eLearning and practical assessments and give them a chance to create a community with other first-year apprentices in their region.

Use of off-job training/block courses

Learners may need to attend off-job training at a polytechnic or training provider. This is either because it’s part of their training programme, or if the workplace cannot support a particular part of the learning requirements.

Off-job training can include block courses, day release courses, theory support, online workshops and specialist industry courses.

Te Pūkenga’s regulatory framework

As part of transitioning to a single network of vocational education, Te Pūkenga has developed Te Kawa Maiorooro, Te Pūkenga educational regulatory framework which covers regulations that affect learners, like enrolment, assessment, complaints and graduation. Te Kawa Maiorooro has not yet replaced all of the policies and procedures of each of the former ITPs/ITOs that are part of Te Pūkenga, so where something is not covered by Te Kawa Maiorooro, the individual former ITP/ITOs policies and procedures still apply.  If you have any questions, email info@mito.org.nz.

What are the current workplace literacy and numeracy requirements? 

Workplaces are becoming more complex with increasing literacy and numeracy requirements for employees. Strong literacy and numeracy skills equip employees to fully participate in the workplace, develop higher-level technical skills and cope with rapidly changing workplace demands.

These skills are not just related to reading and writing - they also include listening, speaking, critical thinking and computer skills.

All new learners must complete two online assessments, one for literacy and one for numeracy before MITO can complete the enrolment process.

How do learners complete the assessments?

As part of the enrolment process, learners are emailed a link to the online Literacy and Numeracy for Adults Assessment Tool which has two assessments to complete. Each assessment takes about 20 minutes.

What support does MITO offer in literacy and numeracy?

MITO is committed to supporting our learners to achieve successful learning outcomes. We use the results from the Literacy and Numeracy for Adults Assessment Tool to see if support is required. If necessary, one-on-one sessions with Literacy Aotearoa tutors can be arranged. They specialise in supporting employees to improve their literacy and numeracy skills.

For learners with dyslexia, MITO can also assist with an application to Workbridge for additional support.

Free, confidential counselling support

MITO learners (excluding secondary school learners) have access to a free counselling service. This is offered throughout New Zealand by a provider called Vitae. As well as being free, it’s completely confidential and available 24/7. Appointments with a counsellor can be conducted face to face, through Zoom or similar, or by telephone. You can visit vitae.co.nz to find out more on the support services available to you. To make an appointment simply fill out the form here or call 0508 664 981.

Online wellbeing hub - Te Pae Ora

How you’re feeling in your mind and body affects all parts of your life. For simple ideas on feeling your best or overcoming any ups and downs, visit Te Pūkenga’s online wellbeing hub – Te Pae Ora.

Fees Free 

The Government has announced that Fees Free for the first year of study or training will finish at the end of 2024. A final-year Fees Free policy will replace it, starting from 1 January 2025.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT FEES FREE

Annual training fee

If you aren't receiving free fees through the Government's Fees Free scheme then MITO charges an annual training fee for each year of your apprenticeship or training programme which covers all your training and assessment costs.

The annual training fee is charged to your employer. Your employer may choose to cover all or part of the costs of your training or they may require you to reimburse them in full. It’s a good idea to discuss expectations with your employer before you sign up.

You can contact MITO for more information regarding training fees.

If you’ve been working in your industry for a while and already have some experience, then you may be able to get your current skills recognised towards a MITO apprenticeship or training programme by applying for a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

If you have old qualifications (pre-unit standards) or a similar qualification from overseas, you may also be able to have them recognised towards a MITO apprenticeship or training programme by applying for a Credit Recognition Transfer (CRT).

APPLY FOR YOUR CURRENT SKILLS TO BE RECOGNISED

If you hold an overseas qualification and plan to live, work, or study in New Zealand, you may be required to have your qualification assessed. The New Zealand Qualifications Authority offers Qualifications Recognition Services that align overseas qualifications with the New Zealand Qualifications Framework. 

Please visit the NZQA website for further information on this process.