The League claims the cost of imprisoning a person for a year can fund training for 100 people in Class 2 to 5 licences.

That includes learning how to operate heavy-vehicles, road works, farm machinery and forklifts.

According to Impact Lab, a social research company headed by Sir Bill English, every dollar invested in the Howard League Driving Programme results in $3.26 returned to New Zealand.

Chief Executive Mike Williams told Mike Hosking just about anyone can get work with such a licence.

"There's a shortage of truck drivers, which was filled for years by immigration, but of course there's no immigration at the moment because of Covid-19."

Williams says they would jump at the chance of a job, rather than go on the dole. Read more