When I first became involved in establishing a formalized apprenticeship training system through the Technical Institute in Auckland, there were just 12 apprentices. Today, there is competition for places. Although the training has evolved over the years to a competency-based system, the basic scheme retains the hallmark of the original model, which comprised four years of training with one term per year of formal schooling. Although some companies will not take on apprentices because of a perceived lack of cost benefits, it is those companies that have participated in apprenticeship programs that have survived in today's competitive business environment.
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