I am personally delighted that more New Zealanders are moving into trades. Over 100,000 learners have signed up for free vocational training since we introduced the Targeted Training and Apprenticeship Fund in July 2020. We know that, as a result of COVID, many New Zealanders are looking to retrain and gain new skills, and employers in key sectors will need more skilled people. The Nelson Mail reported in May this year that over 1,100 students have begun vocational training at the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) under the Targeted Training and Apprenticeship Fund. NMIT have said that they have 4,041 domestic students currently enrolled, compared to 3,299 in March 2020—an increase of 22 percent, with demand across all programmes. They've even said that the increase in domestic funding will compensate for the loss of international fees. 