A new post-graduate internship programme to be set up by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology will create 150 new intern positions, Research, Science and Technology Minister Wayne Mapp announced today.

The pilot programme will support post-graduate science, technology and engineering students. The Foundation will provide a maximum of $30,000 towards a post-graduate salary for a period of up to nine months.

"This initiative is an output of the Prime Minister's Job Summit ‘Workers-Skills and Transition' work stream. It will give 150 of New Zealand's young innovators a head start in their careers," Dr Mapp said.

"The work stream highlighted the need for a continued focus on building and developing New Zealand's capability. These new positions are a practical response to that need.

"This is a great opportunity for New Zealand businesses that might not have the means to employ post-graduates. We are encouraging businesses to continue innovating through the recession so they will be well placed in the market when the turnaround comes," he said. Specific companies will be targeted to create new vacancies for post-graduates that will lead to new or more research and development work. 

"We believe this will also stimulate an interest in companies across New Zealand to identify the graduate vacancies and improve industry collaboration with universities," Dr Mapp said. The funding for the post-graduate internships will be provided under TechNZ's capability funding programme.