Page 148 - Constructing Craft

Zealand’s economy has been down played in favour of the
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more colourful human interest stories about lifestyle.

He applauded the 1985 statement by the Minister of Education, Russell Marshall,

that:
“the potential value of the craft industry for employment and as
a major earner of local and overseas funds is recognised in an
important feature of the Budget education package with the
funding of certificate courses in craft education … this whole
programme is an exciting concept which I believe should have
far reaching impacts on the quality and quantities of crafts being
produced in New Zealand as well as a potential employment
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creator.”

Marshall’s statement was the culmination of a period of planning that began in
1984, but Thorburn noted that within seven months of the statement nine ‘full-time,

two year craft design courses had been designed, resourced and built from
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scratch.’ The courses included an initial broad-based two-year certificate course
with another two or three-year diploma course for ‘those who have shown
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outstanding promise or are established professionals.’ Thorburn did not state how
professionals were to be defined, but presumably, given that craftspeople needed to

sell their work to make a living, a professional was someone who was able to make
a living through their craft. Later budget cuts placed some parts of the course under

financial pressure, but the course structure was established. What was clear was
that the programme was modelled on academic courses, not apprenticeship

training.

Constructing Craft