Through the out door: drivers of training supported by New Zealand Organisations

Factors affecting employer support for internal, external and industry training are assessed using data from the Business New Zealand Skills and Training Survey 2003. Explanatory factors considered in this analysis are the size, location and age of the organisation, the industry in which the organisation operates, the gender composition of the organisation’s workforce, the extent of workforce casualisation, average employee skill level and qualifications earned, and the concentration of those skills and qualification within the organisation. Measures of these factors are specified in logistic regression models in which the likelihood the organisation invests in on-site (internal), off-site (external) and/or industry training is included as the dependent variable. Results from this analysis suggest that the industry in which a firm operates and use of casual and part-time staff are the most significant drivers of New Zealand employers’ willingness to invest in on-sight and industry training. Geographic location manifests a positive influence on firm investments in training provided off-site.