Opinion: Vocational education in Southland and around the country is at a pivotal moment, as changes to the polytechnic system deliver the opportunity to prioritise skills to meet today’s job market.
A critical part of the current redesign is greater local industry and employer involvement, which will lead to better vocational pathways for young people into the workforce.
The challenge for industry and business owners, in Southland and around the country, is to get involved and help to create a training system that’s fit for purpose.
We currently bring some skilled workers in from overseas, when it would be preferable to train our own people to step into these roles.
From engineering to health or information technology – young New Zealanders need to be accessing the training which will allow them to step into work and be part of this country’s pathway to prosperity.
Currently, only 20 percent of employers have apprentices. Increasing this proportion will require changes to make training more appealing for employers to offer.
Apprenticeship completion rates are also of concern with less than half finishing their qualifications.
This would seem to be a waste of time and resources, and work needs to be done to ensure once apprentices begin their training, they also complete it.
There are questions regarding the current training delivery mix - around on-the-job and on-campus block courses.
While some employers don't provide trainees with comprehensive skill development opportunities that facilitate progression, which can have implications for apprentices moving forward.
Conversely, some employers who hire apprentices may be unaware that their supervisors are not adequately training or assisting their apprentice staff.
These are issues which need to be addressed as part of the vocational education reset and industry is being called on to make its voice heard.
Regrettably, a continuation of the current approach does not serve our country, or business well.
As part of the current redesign of vocational education and training, the establishment of new Industry Skills Boards will enhance industry leadership and involvement.
I believe they will go a long way towards addressing many of the issues that we face, providing a significant opportunity for industry and business to positively influence the future of vocational training in our country.
Operational from January 1 next year, and under establishment now, these new Skills Boards will be industry-led and tasked with ensuring training consistency and quality.
They will work directly with businesses, providing a structure for employers to lead the conversation around future training needs and make changes accordingly.
This will allow industry to play an instrumental role in crafting the nation's vocational qualifications, actively endorsing programmes and ensuring assessments meet the highest standards.
The skills boards will also have a strategic workforce analysis function and will provide investment advice to the Tertiary Education Commission on funding relevant to their industries.
There’s also a provision within the new Act for a training levy, which if supported by industry, would allow the skills boards to access additional funding to extend the range of their activities.
This could include meeting the costs of industry training and, if industry agrees, could see employers levied to support apprenticeship schemes relevant to their sector.
Accrediting employers for apprenticeship training, as is practiced in some European countries, could also be considered by industry to help maintain standards.
Industry must be a part of addressing the challenges that we face, to improve skills training, to encourage more Kiwi employers to take on apprentices, and to support apprentices in the completion of their qualifications.
Employer involvement is essential to address the current challenges and create a system that meets their needs while supporting young New Zealanders into training and work.