Minister Joyce and ServiceIQ Chair, Rick Christie, addressed the group of around 80 guests, which included representatives from service sector Industry Associations, ITOs and ServiceIQ Board Members and Executive staff. The Minister for Education, Hekia Parata also attended, as well as Spokesperson for Tourism, Andrew Little, and Spokesperson for Labour, Darien Fenton.

Formed on 1 January 2013, ServiceIQ unites three key service sector ITOs, covering Aviation, Tourism, Travel, Museums, Cafes, Bars, Restaurants, Accommodation, Food Services, Quick Service Restaurants, Clubs, Retail and Wholesale. The merger allows the service sector to have a stronger voice and greater influence with Government, as well as promising improved services and better outcomes for trainees, such as the ability to transfer their skills across a wide range of service industry careers.

ServiceIQ partners with the service sector to develop nationally recognised qualifications and facilitate on-the-job training that has tangible positive impacts on businesses, employees, and the sector’s contribution to the national economy.

There are almost 70,000 businesses in the service sector, employing nearly 20 per cent of the New Zealand workforce. In 2011, these sectors contributed approximately $17.4 billion to the New Zealand economy. In addition, the service sector supports one of New Zealand’s largest export industries – tourism – which earned approximately $9.7 billion in the year to March 2011.

ServiceIQ Chief Executive Dean Minchington says, “the changing demands of the service industry require businesses to continuously improve to meet customer expectations. Industry training develops higher skill levels which help meet this demand, and improve the productivity and profitability of New Zealand businesses and economy”.

In a statement released earlier this year, Minister Joyce said he was “pleased to see a collaborative approach being taken to better meet the needs of employers, education providers and trainees.”