Issue 12 September 2022

September 9, 2022 | 13 min read

Tēnā koutou katoa,

Demographics tell a powerful story and right now, a perfect storm is brewing.

Demographically, New Zealand now has far fewer school leavers as a percentage of our population and the situation gets worse from 2023 onwards. Coinciding with that, we have a rapidly ageing population and a greater desire from more people to retire early.

Closing our borders in response to COVID-19 also meant our access to immigrants stopped overnight. There is now some easing of that, but the change will take time to filter through.

Meanwhile, our own young people are at risk of bolting, heading off on their rite of passage, the ‘Great OE’. Those who remain are having no trouble finding full employment, conscious no doubt of forecast economic hardship ahead.

Our challenge – and our opportunity – is to work together to fundamentally broaden our thinking about who we offer vocational training to, and how best we should do that.

The recently announced new unified funding system for vocational education is heavily weighted towards work-based and work-integrated learning. Put simply, it means more emphasis on people upskilling while at work or embedding real industry problems in an academic curriculum that learners and employers work collectively on.

But before we can train a new workforce, we need to consider how to attract those people into vocational education and training who might not have previously been involved. We need to think differently and, in many instances, offer something different to make it easier for firms to train people more productively and more quickly.

We have a cohort of learners who have traditionally been under-served by vocational education and training. Prior to Te Pūkenga forming, the lack of scale in our sector meant smaller providers were forced to appeal to their biggest user groups, effectively leaving some learners behind.

That equity imbalance must change and doing so is an absolute bottom line for Te Pūkenga.

It’s in all of our interests to work harder to attract and retain these learners into the system by doing a much better job of meeting their needs. This is a rich group of talented, potential learners, willing and able to be involved if we can make it attractive for them to do so.

We also need to consider how we offer training. Having individuals sign into a four-year programme will be daunting for many – too daunting. We may need to staircase people in, offering them access to smaller bites of knowledge, delivered in a way and timeframe that suits them, and which aligns with the skill sets employers most want. In time, if they want to move forward into a multi-year programme, they can.

By coming together, we will have the kind of scale we need to deliver the change needed to attract and retain these learners and support employers to train their people. All of this adds up to a better skilled workforce and a thriving New Zealand economy.

Aku mihi nui

Warwick Quinn
Kaiwhakahaere Mātāmuri Tā te Kaitukumahi Haerenga, Wheako hoki | Deputy Chief Executive – Employer Journey and Experience

Our updates

E rere te mānuka, hopukia | Facing into the challenge of change

"A person that smiles in the middle of a storm lifts the spirit of a person." - Jack Thatcher

Let’s continue to draw inspiration and courage for our change from our ihōpumanawa, hearing their stories helps us all to gain perspective and remind us about the importance of connecting with and leaning into others. We don’t journey alone.

Ihopūmanawa describes a talented and extraordinary person - someone who is seen by those around them as a ‘mover and shaker’.

Ihopūmanawa epitomises the āhua (character) of the uri taketake (indigenous) Aotearoa New Zealander’s who have generously agreed to share a little of their own journey with us.

We are pleased to introduce Jack Thatcher as our second Ihopūmanawa profile. As a celestial navigator Jack is well known as a master at voyaging waka using just the sun, moon, stars and horizon for guidance.

The ocean has been Jack’s home for thirty years and he values sharing the knowledge and experience which he has with others.

Did you miss Dame Naida Glavish telling her story? Watch her clip here: Dame Naida Glavish - YouTube.

Within Te Pūkenga we believe in the importance of uara (values) guiding us in our mahi. Our values of Manawa Nui, Manawa Roa and Manawa Ora were introduced earlier this year and share the behaviours we know are vital through our transformation. You can learn more about our Te Pūkenga values here.

Transition journey underway

The transition journey for Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs) is well under way with all subsidiaries on track to transition into Te Pūkenga by 1 November 2022.

Earlier this month Whitireia and WelTec successfully transitioned into Te Pūkenga, joining Wintec and Toi Ohomai who became part of the Te Pukenga whānau back in June.

Transition involves the dissolution of subsidiary ITP boards; all staff in subsidiaries become employed by Te Pūkenga with their same terms and conditions, with a change only to the reporting line and title change of the chief executive, the subsidiary ceases to exist as a legal entity and becomes a business division of Te Pukenga and co-branding continues.

Te Pūkenga Council Chair Murray Strong says “we’re looking forward to the next couple of months where we aim to support and successfully transition all our ITP subsidiaries into Te Pūkenga. Ensuring we achieve smooth, supported, and successful transitions for all is important and I’ve been impressed with the transitions and progress to date of ITPs on this important journey.”

Bringing the network together is a big undertaking but an important milestone in creating a unified and successful vocational education sector. Each transition into Te Pūkenga is a significant step along this path as we bring 24 organisations together including both ITPs and Industry Training Organisations.

Te Pūkenga Council has now passed resolutions for the remaining 12 ITPs to transition into Te Pūkenga in the following tranches. The transition schedule for the next two months is:

1 October transition for:

NMIT
Tai Poutini Polytechnic
NorthTec
Unitec
Manukau Institute of Technology

1 November transition for:

Otago Polytechnic
Ara Institute of Canterbury
Open Polytechnic
SIT
WITT
EIT
UCOL

All ITP subsidiaries are required by legislation to be dissolved and transitioned into Te Pūkenga by 31 December 2022.

“The impact of transition for kaimahi and ākonga is minimal and the job of teaching and learning continues as normal, as does the commitment to strategic initiatives and activities of current and transitioning subsidiaries.”

The work around transitioning ITPs into Te Pūkenga is separate to the current organisational direction work and consultation currently under way with the organisation’s Tā tātou huarahi | Our pathway.

Careerforce joins Te Pūkenga Work Based Learning Limited

Kaimahi and representatives from Careerforce and Te Pūkenga came together in Wellington this morning for a pōwhiri as Careerforce was welcomed into Te Pūkenga Work Based Learning.

Over 130 kaimahi attended to mark the occasion, following Careerforce’s formal transition on 1 September 2022 to become a division of the Te Pūkenga subsidiary Te Pūkenga Work Based Learning.

Careerforce supports on-job training across the health and wellbeing sector. Their 160 kaimahi work with over 2000 employers nationally and annually support nearly 20,000 workplace apprentices and trainees across the motu.

“We’re excited to welcome this latest addition to our work-based learning whānau”, says Toby Beaglehole, Chief Executive of Te Pūkenga Work-Based Learning.

“Like with the industry training organisations that have come before Careerforce, it is important to us to make the transition as smooth as possible for everyone involved,” says Toby. “We’ve taken a ‘lift and shift’ approach, so Careerforce’s ākonga (learners) and kaimahi (people) will see little change in these early days.

“Our main priority is ensuring Careerforce is welcomed and excited about the future ahead for all of us as we seek to improve outcomes for learners, employers and industries.”

Careerforce Director Rod Bentham says “Today, with Careerforce becoming a business division of Work Based Learning, we grow Aotearoa’s premier vocational education provider. We are excited by the potential for the great things that will drive success for employers, trainees, schools, Te Pūkenga and its kaimahi, and the health, wealth, and well-being of all people in Aotearoa.”

Careerforce joins five other divisions already transitioned into Te Pūkenga Work Based Learning: Competenz, Connexis, BCITO, MITO, and ServiceIQ. Still to be welcomed throughout the remainder of 2022 are Primary ITO, HITO, and parts of Skills.

APEC VET Forum

This year’s free online forum will be hosted by Education New Zealand on 14-15 September in partnership with Skills Consulting Group and Te Pūkenga.

The online audience will be treated to 30 speakers from 12 countries who will be discussing solutions for current and future skills gaps and how to create capable and resilient workforces.

Tony O’Brien, International Business Development Director at Waikato Institute of Technology, will be MC-ing the event and Te Pūkenga Chair – International Working Group Leon Fourie will also be speaking.

The event’s theme is “Reshape – Rethink – Reset” in recognition of the altered environment that the international education market faces post-COVID, as well as the significant changes ahead for the vocational sector in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Te Turuturu and Māori Language Day

Māori language ‘moment’ marked with online special

Join us as we mark Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, Māori Language Week ‘moment’ together with you this Wednesday at 2pm by locking the Teams link into your calendar here.

Hosted this year by our very own Layelin Stewart from the Academic Delivery and Innovation team at Te Pūkenga and a line-up of nationally acclaimed te reo and tikanga Māori enthusiasts from around the motu as our panel of kaikōrero who are coming prepared to thrash out some hearty kaupapa with guaranteed laughs along the way.

There will also be the opportunity for convo-starters and pātai from virtual room, so come ready to roll e hoa mā.

Māori Language Week celebrates the presentation of the Māori Language Petition to parliament on 14 September 1972. It has been marked every year since 1975.

This year also heralds a series of milestone anniversaries for te reo Māori including:

50 years since the first national kapa haka competition. Kei whea mai! (How awesome!)
40 years since the first kōhanga reo opened. Me he tē! (Like a boss!)
35 years since the Māori Language Act saw te reo become an official language and the Māori Language Commission, Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori, was established.

Along with New Zealand Sign Language, te reo Māori is one of only two official languages of this country. Therefore, it is only fitting that te reo Māori claims pride of place in Te Pūkenga brand launch campaign kicking off later next week, and you’ll be amongst the first in the motu to get amongst what we have in stall.

Tēnei te reo karanga o te reo kia tika, te reo kia rere, te reo kia Māori, nau mai, whakapiri mai rā, Te Pūkenga Te Wiki o te Reo Māori online special ‘moment’! This Wednesday, 2pm online here.

For more information on Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, visit Te Taura Whiri i te reo Māori (Māori Language Commision) here.