Pacific Island workers that come to the Bay of Plenty during kiwifruit picking season will be leaving the region with more than just money in their back pocket over the next two years.

Prime Minister John Key has announced that government will spend $500,000 on skills training for migrant workers in the Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay and Marlborough. The focus of this training will be on numeracy, literacy and basic financial understanding.
New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated CEO Mike Chapman says this a good investment.
'We have been pushing for this sort of programme for a while.
'These guys need other skills to take back to the Pacific Islands after the picking season is over,” says Mike.
The training will be conducted outside of work hours, but Mike says the direct spin off value to the Bay of Plenty kiwifruit industry will be immense.
'My view is that whenever you train someone in something, it excites and motivates them, as enthusiastic workers, which can only be good for the industry.”