NZ Vocational Education and Training (VET) research forum - DAY ONE MORNING

In Wellington today and tomorrow for the annual NZ VET research forum. This is the 15^th year this conference has been convened and sadly the last. One of the outcomes of the NZ Review of VocationalEducation (RoVE) is the disestablishment of Industry Training Organisations (ITO). This conference has been organised by the Industry Training Federation (ITF) which has been a convening community of practice for the ITOs.

The day begins with a welcome from Josh Williams, the Chief Executive of the Industry Training Federation. Began with a video summarising the 15 years of the conference, the diversity of research topics, researchers from across the sectors (industry, polytechnics (ITPs), universities, ITOs, private training providers etc.) and the contribution from international experts. Called for contributions to provide ideas for ‘what shall we do next?’ Overviewed the challenges presented through RoVE but to park this and to make the most of opportunities presented at this conference. Presented a crystal ball recommendation to ‘learn from the past’ and some guidelines for skills learning moving into the future.

The first keynote is with the Honourable Chris Hipkins, Minister of Education. The minister began with how 15 years ago, the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) was formed. The world has moved rapidly on and there are now many new challenges. Significantly, there is a need for all workers to continually re-train / develop their skills to keep up with shifts in workforce needs. Call to ensure school learning is not only focused on the 30% who will go directly into university but the 60% who will move on into VET or work. However, outcomes from attaining a degree are not always guarantees for continued material success or work satisfaction. Rationalised the key approaches as proposed through RoVE. Continual post-education development is now a standard requirement. Barriers to VET need to be broken to provide flexible and accessible opportunities where and when required. On and off job learning/training have to be seamless. Emphasised that the advantages in the current NZ system will be drawn on and supported. Encouraged continuity of VET research and the importance of application of findings / recommendations etc. to practice. NZ has to build a uniquely NZ solution to make work, work for all NZers. Updated on progress on RoVE including formation of the NZ Institute of Skills and Technology (NZIST), Work Development Boards (WDB) and Centres for Vocational Excellence (CoVEs).

Second keynote of the day is from Dr. Marco Paccanella, who is the Director of the Department for Education and Skills at the OECD. He presents on ‘the changing role of TVET in the international policy discourse’ as based on data from PIACC. Slight change of gear from the Minister’s address! VET across countries are often very different, so comparisons can be challenging. Covered the changing role of VET. Used to be something for (disadvantaged) youth, to upgrade from low to middle skills etc. – see 2010Learning for Jobs OECD report. However, skills beyond schooling are now of greater importance – see Skills beyond school OECD report. Therefore shift from VET to post education training (PET) to ensure continued education and training for populace as the future of work is impacted on by technology. Now, - see Future-ready adult learning systems 2019 OECD report. Shift from initial to continual training due to skill obsolescence (Deming 2017), skills displacement actually impacts predominantly higher-skilled workers McGuiness, Pouliakas& Redmond, 2019)! See Nedelkoska & Quintini (2018) who used PIACC date to look at variations between sectors with regards to impact of automation on industry sectors. High risk to manufacturing, agriculture and low skilled services but hard to automate include social intelligence, cognitive intelligence, perception and manipulation. Shared data of the mismatch between people who would like to participate in continual training and availability /access. The workers who need it most, are most likely to NOT participate! Shortage of time, lack of financial resources were main reasons blocking participation. Shared policy decisions that may assist. Foster mind-set of learning among firms and workers, lower barriers to training, make training rights portable, align to work skill needs. Presented on WHERE NZ stands. Employers unable to recruit staff with required skills at the going rate of pay. Shortage in hard to find skills but surplus of easy to find skills. Check Skills for Jobs indicators on the OECD website. Also shared the priorities for adult learning dashboard. There are 7 dimensions and 7 synthetic indicators. Urgency (NZ stands well), Provision (high from employers and organisations), inclusiveness (good), flexibility and guidance (more average), alignment (average), perceived impact (high for usefulness of training and average wage returns), financing (average – could be better support). In general, NZ performs pretty well but this is not a reason to NOT reform.

After morning tea, concurrent sessions begin. I attend the session with Associate Professor Jane Bryson from the Centre for Labour, Employment, and Work, Victoria University on ‘collective voice and access to training’. Workers in NZ do not actually have guarantee to the provision of training, unless it is stated in the employment contract or legislation requires (e.g. construction industry). Getting a say in training is impacted on power relationships present in organisations and workplaces. Relevant now as per need for workers to continual training to upskill for future of work requirements. See ILO (2019) –work for a brighter future and OECD (2019) Getting skills right – reports. Meeting learning opportunities for workers is usually low priority for employers. Collective voice may be one approach towards attaining on-going training and development opportunities. RoVE and update for Tertiary Education strategy are opportunities for workers to be upheld. Presented on recent research on whether collective workers’ voice would impact on access to training. Studied the collective contracts database to find out if training provisions written in. Then analysed if the entitlement was meaningful. In 2015, 87% of collective employment agreements have training of skill development provision. Public sector workers more likely to have training. Industries with fewer collective agreements, tend to have less provision for training. Did workers who had training provision entitlement, use them or were satisfied with the provisions. Used Fuller and Unwin expansive vs restrictive approaches to workforce development as a way to compare collective agreements 25% were expansive and 75% restrictive!! Interviews with union officials to establish a deeper understanding. Identified key conditions for success expressed by the officials and strategies they used to try to make training provisions in collective agreements more expansive. Important to ensure that entitlement and opportunity also includes supporting workers’ agency to access and making use of the potentialities.

Then I present on details of the seven sub-projects from the e-assessment project. Presented overview of the project including the research methodology and how the guidelines were derived from the inquiry cycles undertaken to develop and deploy e-assessments for learning.