Skills Group, New Zealand’s largest private vocational training provider, welcomes the Government’s renewed focus on strengthening vocational pathways as part of the proposed NCEA reform.
Today’s announcement of a major overhaul of NCEA aims to create more robust and coherent vocational pathway options, ensuring that young people can pursue valued industry-related learning and develop the real-world skills demanded by industry.
Skills Group Chief Executive Rosanne Graham says this direction is timely and necessary.
“We strongly support the Government’s intention to rebalance the focus of the secondary qualifications system and to work with industry to develop better vocational pathways. For far too long, vocational options have been viewed as a lesser option. It’s time to recognise and elevate the value of vocational careers and better prepare all our young people for successful careers in essential industries,” says Rosanne.
A Skills Group nationwide learner outlook survey also revealed that school leavers are significantly less certain about their next steps in terms of career progression.
“This is an indicator that the youngest of our learners need more support than others to enter post-secondary education.”
Skills Group delivers hands-on, industry-led training to over 23,000 learners each year – from school leavers to apprentices, to career professionals. With 15 vocational locations across New Zealand the organisation offers a wide range of programmes, focussed on industries with strong employment prospects that support New Zealand’s economic growth and success.
Rosanne says the plans for industry involvement in the development of standards and programmes will help create smooth transitions for young people and instil core employability skills.
“We know that structured, purposeful learning – especially when delivered through partnerships with industry – sets people up for long-term success. Students are more engaged because their learning is relevant, and they are more employable through gaining real workplace knowledge and experience.
The reforms are also a step forward in addressing the long-standing gap in clear pathways for students who are not headed to university – only 30 percent of school leavers go on to study for a degree.1
Research shows that approximately 11% of students are becoming NEET (not in employment, education, or training) while 6% are going into apprenticeships straight from school.2 This highlights the pressing need for more structured vocational pathways to support a broader range of learners.
“For many young people, academic study isn’t the immediate destination or goal but that doesn’t mean they should leave school uncertain about their next step,” says Rosanne.
“All young people deserve clear and well supported pathways into meaningful careers, whether that’s in the trades or service industries. Vocational education must be visible, valued, and seamlessly integrated as part of the senior secondary school journey.”
Skills Group is committed to working with government, secondary schools, and industries to ensure the new secondary qualification system strengthens the connection between secondary education and employment opportunities.
“This is a critical opportunity to reframe what success looks like in education. Our goal is to ensure that every learner experiences a clear, supported pathway to their working future.”
1 Indicator-School-leaver-destinations-2023-v2.pdf
2NZ Initiative research
