Post Te Pūkenga disestablishment

The consultation process and document for VET reform to replace Te Pūkenga and the accompanying structure of the previous Reform of Vocational Education (RoVE) was released today. The consultation period is six weeks.

The recommendations are to enact the current government's objective to replace the large VET entity (Te Pūkenga with a system that restores greater input from regional and industry towards the governance of Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs), create options for the Work Development Councils (WDCs) and Industry Training Organisations (ITOs). As noted and recommended by many other commentators (for example from Roger Smyth and with Phil Ker (ex. CE of Otago Polytechnic) and the Tertiary Education Union), funding mechanisms will need to be reformed and this will be undertaken for the 2026 round.

In essence, the proposal is to provide a mix of granting autonomy to the ITPs who have performed well (i.e. Ara, Southern Institute of Technology) and for the smaller regional ITPs to be clustered and supported by Open Polytechnic under a 'federation arrangement'. WDCs look like they will continue, but perhaps in a different form, there are currently 6 but the proposal sees them going up to possibly 8! and the ITOs being re-organised into similar industry groupings to the WDCs.

There is therefore a return to much of the system pre-RoVE, so I am not sure if there are many gains after 5 years of disruption and the spending of lots of taxpayer funds (sigh). Of note is that the competitive market driven model does not seem to have laid to rest. The proposed model will see the larger ITPs at least, focused on retaining and increasing their student numbers to maintain their viability. For the regional ITPs, there is a risk that there will be fewer choices with regards to delivery modes as these may become, 'study centres' for distance learning rather than campuses offering a range of full-time/hands on learning. It will be important to keep an eye on the tone of the consultation as it will indicate the direction the final structure and system will take. 

From a personal note, there will be little change for my institution if we retain a high autonomous status. Innovations required to meet the challenges to shift pedagogy and outcomes due to the increased adoption of AI across industries will require resourcing. Finding that resource will be a major challenge. 

Plans for 2024

 Back at work today, after an exciting trip down to the Sub-Antarctic Islands, followed by a camping trip into the Canterbury high country. We await the next steps and details on how the disestablishment of the recommendations from RoVE pan out.

From the usual business as usual perspectives, it looks like we will be back to being a singular institute with campuses across Canterbury and the West Coast. I assume that the usual work of supporting departments and learning design will continue to ensure the institute fulfils its many functions and obligations to students, NZQA and government.

The six AI in VET projects will need to be written up by all the researchers involved and I need to finalise the chapters I author by the end of March. The process of editing everything before we submit the manuscript to the publishers at the end of April will keep me busy for the first quarter of 2024.

Additionally, there is the work to begin the four projects on AI in foundational VET, funded by Ako Aotearoa. Semester one will see each of the projects introduce AI to their students and to evaluate the tools/apps or platforms most appropriate to the programmes' contexts.

In all, semester one will roll by quite quickly with so much to accomplish in a short timeframe!! Alongside will be the following through of whatever process is pronounced with regards to the disestablishment of Te Pūkenga. I will miss the collegial interactions with colleagues from throughout the VET system but the relationships have now been kindled. It will be important to prioritise the nurturing of these despite the move back to individual institutional silos.

Therefore, I am looking forward to an interesting year. Let's see what happens and what can be done to ameliorate some of the disadvantages of disestablishment and to capitalise on the collaborations and networks formed through the last two years.

2023 review

This year has been a bit of a roller coaster. There have been several highs and a few lows with the movement between each providing some exhilarating or challenging emotions.

Across the year, Te Pūkenga moved along towards establishing its organisational structure. The upper levels of management were to be in place by April 2024. However, we have had a change in government and the new centre-right coalition government has implemented, within their 100 day plan, to disestablishment of Te Pūkenga. There have been little detail as to what will replace the current situation. Hopefully, there will be more information in the new year. Meanwhile, Te Pūkenga has halted all work on the organisational structure and awaits instructions from the Minister.

On a brighter note, I launched a series of projects to better understand how we can integrate AI into vocational education courses / programmes. These projects began in June and we are now in the process of data analysis. The main output will be a book, to be published by Springer mid-2024.

The above projects involve courses, students and teachers at levels 4 to 7 - certificate to bachelor degree. We drew on the research allocation of teachers teaching on degrees, to carry out the participatory action research studies. In October, I recieved an invitation from Ako Aotearoa to put in an expression of interest, for research project which cover AI, foundation and Māori learners with equity focus. We will now have funding to bring in foundation and career/study skills courses from levels 1 to 4 into the project. We hope to identify ways AI can be usefully deployed to support learners, attaining foundational academic study skills. Then, the findings may be used to develop 'bespoke' AI tools or apps to localise, customise and indigenise AI support. All something to look forward to in 2024.

My work team has been considerably stretched as several of our colleagues have moved to other organisations due to the uncertainties with Te Pūkenga structuring. For the moment, we are in a 'holding area' until the main organisational structures are put in place. Now, we may likely revert to the management lines existing pre-Te Pūkenga. Last week, our ex-CE, who was appointed rohe four (area or sector) director for Te Pūkenga, reverted back to his role as our institute CE. This provides an indication of the move back into individualised institutions. 

Bringing 25 organisations into one large entity is no mean feat. Yet, the incoming government has decided not to progress the formation of one large VET organisation. A large organisation brings some economies of scale, especially with IT, information systems, student and learning mangement systems etc. along with more holistic approaches with regards to curriculum and learning development. As an example, AI holds great possibilities for supporting personalised learning environment. Developing these systems is resource hungry. With the disestablishment of Te Pūkenga, we will perhaps have lost the opportunity as devolving back into individual institutes will not provide the economies of scale, collaborative / shared workflows, leveraging off the expertise of many, and the large student pool to test and refine the system. 

So let's see what 2024 brings and regroup, restrategise to meet the requirements of the new VET world in Aotearoa NZ. 

APAC TVET forum - China-NZ Higher vocational education summit - DAY 2

 Today the session is MCed by Will Tregidga from NMIT and  begins with opening addressed from Dr. Leon Fourie - CE for Toi Ohomai and Chair of the International working group Te Pūkenga and Li Yunmei, Vice President of Tianjin Light Industry Vocational Technical College. Leon introduced Te Pūkenga and its draft international education strategy for 2023-2028. Went thorugh the rationale for the formation of Te Pūkenga and introduced the location of the 16 ITPs and the 11 ITOs now merging into Te Pūkenga. Key areas of provision are in engineering (11%), society and culture (12%), architecutre and building (11%), management and commerce (17%), health (16%). Goals for the new International education strategy include preparing global learners, adding social, cultural and economic to NZ, employers, internationally preferred by partnerhsips and to give expression to Te Tiriti excellence framework. Te Pūkenga able to leverage off size and scale, recognised as future focused leader in work-based skills education and training both in flexible delivery and sustainable practice; act as one with unified systems, practices and behaviours to create highly functional network, developing flexible mixed delivery model, greater mobility for learners, new targeted products and servers and greater diversity of experiences for domestic and international learners. Outlined the way forward for moving forward with regards to collaboration agreements; positive outcomes and contact points.Current agreements continue with new agreements will also be pursued. Sino-NZ model programme continues.)ff-shore campuses continue and increased. Transition wil take 1 - 5 years. 

Li Yunmei conveyed thanks to NZ and Te Pūkenga and reiterated support for collaboration and cooperation. Shared the way forward for Tianjin with internationalisation and cooperation (10 models) - their evolution and progress. Detailed many examples to provide for authentic VET learning across many technical/specialist jobs. 

Thematic sessions follow:

Meeting Employer needs

Warwick Quinn, Te Pūkenga's DCE for employer journeys. Summarised the apprenticeship model for workplace learning with its many advantages. Overviewed the NZ experience with apprenticeships. At one time the post-school destination of choice but now seem to be of lower status. However, the vocational pathway is just as complex/challenging etc. leading to sustainable careers. In NZ, BERL research shows people completing trades qualification and people completing a bachelor/above reach parity when they reach their early 40s. Employers, communities and learners aim for the right skills, place, time and numbers. All three need to play their part - Te Pūkenga to support strong VET system, employers to contribute, apprentices to learn. Important that employers is part of the teaching team as well and support required for them to provide effective training and learning - to help novices become experts. Macro level industry (set qualifications and national requirements) inform the meso level at the employer/business level leading to effective learning for apprentices (micro level).  

Han Zhen, Vice President for Rizhao Polytechnic (Shandong) shared their employer-orientated approach for joint development of college and enterprise. Provided an overview of the polytechnic (10 teaching departments across disciplines similar to polytechs in NZ) and their achievements in curriculum development, research, online learning etc. Provided examples of how the insitute and industry provide learning opportunities across many industries. Each works slightly differently in how consultation and cooperation is effected to fit in with the industry context, employer needs and logistics of the insitutional programme.

Workbased learning

Kaarin Gaukrodger, Director of Workbased Learning, Te Pūkenga. Shared how WIL in NZ works. Began with the qualifications on the NZ Qualifications framework. Used Connexis examples. WIL either on-job, but also may be campus based and/or online. Programmes developed with employers and technical experts. Connexis assessors work as contractors or are in-house. National field team (customer service account managers) are multi-industry and support and guide learners with enrolments, learner goal setting and have check-ins with learners every 12 weeks. Large organisations have key account manages so there is consistency nationally. Detailed support for international learners - from the Pacific and skilled migrants (usually come in a cohort to complete 'equivalency' training). Provided examples of career and qualification progressions for civil, water, energy and telco. Shared initiatives to increase student knowledge of infrastructure career opporunities including Gateway programmes with schools, Girls with Hi-Vis/Ultimit ambassador to increase female participation

Zheng Yi, Vice President of Jiangsu Agri-animal husbandry vocational college. Began with overview of the college and the discipline areas it provides VET in. Detailed the many organisatins the college works with and the process for collaboration and cooperation. Described various programmes and ways WIL organised. Also the many ways learning support including online especially due to pandemic.

A virtual vineyard experience with Belinda Jackson (Marketing) and Marcus Wright (wine maker) from Lawson's Dry Hill Vineyard in Marlborough, provides an example of how WIL is enacted  in NZ. Q & A anchors the presentation with discussion on quality systems and their connection to training requirements. 

NZ Vocational Education Research Forum - Day 2

 

The second day begins with welcome from Josh William, Evangeleen and Ezekiel Raui of Skills Consulting Group.

The first address is from Penny Simmonds, National PartyTertiary Education spokesperson and was the CE of Southern Institute of Technology for 23 years. Shared her experience on the development and maturity of a research culture at SIT. Acknowledged the challenges, especially the initial beginnings to support and build research capability. There was important need to enable research including better teaching hours abatement, leadership support, networking collaborative research, the importance of sharing and peer support, and provision of opportunities for dissemination and publication. Direction for VET research could include building research into Bachelor and post-grad curriculum, encouraging joint tutor/student research, and problem-solving for industries and communities. VET research usefully deployed to help find solutions to local problems, can be longitudinal and attract local funding. Research then informs teaching, is discipline specific and can be used to improve teaching. Posits that VET research is about providing solutions, improving practice, grounded in real-life, and helps students, industries and communities.

The first keynote for the day is with Tania Winslade, DeputyCE for Learner Journeys and Experience at Te Pūkenga and Debbie and Kelly-Anne from Wintec. She provides details on ‘Te rito:ensuring learners are at the centre of our unified network’. Provided some background and guiding principles (the charter) for the work now being undertaken by Te Pūkenga. Partnerships with schools, wanangas, workforce development councils, iwi, community, industry etc. crucial in ensuring Te Pūkenga meet stakeholder needs. Introduced the Te Rito reports so far – learners and staff, Māori, Pacific and Disabled which identified insights and opportunities for them. Debbie Preston and Kelly-Anne Panapa summarised the reports. All were con-constructed with participants and the approach and process for gathering and analysing the data. All the data was analysed as a whole. Then data sets formed for Māori/pacific and disabled learners and re-analysed. Learner and staff personas were developed to inform Te Pūkenga’s work going forward. Shared example personas and their bumpy journeys. A good presentation. These findings inform the operating model (Te tauira whakahaere) developed as organisational touchpoints. Consultation on this will start in October. Affirmed that all of this research will be respected and these will be actioned into Te Pūkenga’s emerging operations.

Breakout rooms commence. I attend the session with Dr. LisaMaurice-Takerei from Auckland University of Technology and Helen Anderson (Unitec) on ‘the role of VET teachers in Aotearoa NZ’s economic future’. The overall focus of the presentation is based on the opinion that good teaching underpins quality VET. VET teachers are often invisible but doing complex work. There is often insufficient support for industry practitioners to become teachers. There are qualification pathways but often these are at too low a level. VET teaching as a whole is not seen to be a career pathway into professional/research aspects of VET. Current RoVE work has emphasis on industry and learners but the VET teachers are again not visible. An opportunity is presented especially in the new world in processes of standard settings, qualifications development, moderation, development of programmes and decision making in qualification and their delivery. VET teachers have high level of skills and knowledge in their discipline but often have to learn how to teach ‘on the job’. Pedagogical content knowledge and skill associated with teaching/training methods most suited to the discipline is a weak point. Important to ensure there are good induction and professional development processes to support teachers as they move into and continue as VET teachers. Qualifications to degree level required. Industry currency also important. More coordinated VET research will be useful. Vet teaching should be highly valued, high level VET teaching qualification available, research agenda, industry currency has precedence, allowing for a high quality VET provision.

I then present my take on ‘the knotty problem of learning how to ‘feel the wood’ when access to the lathe is not possible: Supporting distance/remote practice-based learning’. In this presentation, I review the processes underpinning practice-based learning with a focus on the sociomaterial aspects of practice. Sociomateriality is an intensely challenging but crucial aspect of practice-based learning. It is also difficult to help learners access the sociomaterial via digital technologies as so much is learnt by doing. Experts also find it difficult to describe sociomateriality of their work as it is embodied into their practice and has become tacit. The push-connect the dots-pull model is extended to help bring in aspects of practice-based learning to support the learning of the sociomaterial aspects of work.

A plenary session follows with Patrick McKibbin, Business and Employer liaison manager at the Ministry of Education with ‘the emergence of work integrated pathways'. His role brings him in contact and consultation with employers, schools and learners. Employer engagement is crucial. 66% of students had no exposure to employers, 45% no exposure to careers advisors. 57% heading to uni but only 6% to polytech and similar to apprenticeships. Summarised present programmes - gateway, trades academies, work experience whilst still at school, events to connect school communities and employers. As part o RoVE, 135 events run but covid has disrupted many more. Young people attending these feel more informed about their pathways beyond work. There is skills shortage in NZ and employers are desperate. There need to have schools and employers co-creating learning journeys for learners so that outcomes are more diverse. Provided example of Hastings Boys High School and Patton Engineering began to work together in 2018. HBHS is decile 2 with high numbers of Māori/Pacific students. Community funding support provided to upgrade workshops at the school to workplace standards and Pattons helped provide steel to the school. Outcomes have been good with 31 more employwers engaged and number of boys engaged in vocational learning increased. Massey High School and Kāinga Ora (building organisation) another example where 10 years ago, a Massey HS building academy was developed and now has 100 students participating. Again outcomes are good with attendance at 95% and 99% of students go into apprenticeship and employment. This model now being shared with other schools. Emerging networks include Fusion Network (software development) and Tamaki High School; Mainfreight & Hynds (transport); IBM Global Tech programme with two schools in South Auckland. Discussed how work integrated pathways are part of the new future for learners. MOE has resources to support the process of employer and school interrelationship. Shared work MOE is doing now and into the future to operationalise the intentions of the Reform of Vocational Education (RoVE). 

The last keynote is with Wolfgang Steinle, Deputy Principle of Kerchensteinerschule in Stuttgard, Germany. He presents on ‘Co-ordination and co-operation: How vocational providers support work-based learning and apprenticeships in Germany'. Began with the background and details on the dual-system. Then description of the coordination and co-operation process between schools and business - especially in light of Covid. Stuttgard is in Baden-Wurttenberg state in Germany with 11 million population. Unemployment currently at 5.6% with 3.5% youth unemployment. There are 300 vocationsl schools in the dual system. Provided overview of the German education system, and where the vocational school and dual VET systems are situated. In the dual system, student are situated 30% at vocational school and 70% in workplace across 2 to 3 years. The governance system involves republic, federal state and rural/urban district jurisdiction. Detailed the processes for coordination and co-operation between the vocational school and employers. Vetting systems and regulations presented. Employers must have a qualified trainer. Final practical exams are conducted at the workplace. Responsibilities of each and their roles also presented. During Covid, online lessons from vocational school were carried out according to the normal timetable. Socially disadvantaged students required support for hardware. Tests were provided 2 times a week.  Students on the dual system did better than the full-time students. Good overview of the dual system. 

Josh and Evangeleen close with thanks for attending the forum, speaker, supporters, sponsors etc. The forum concludes with a poroporaki with Joe Te Rito.

Te Pūkenga - NZ Institute of Skills and Technology - official name launched

 

Yesterday, Te Pūkenga was launched as the offical neame for NZIST. All the polytechnics are currently operating as Ltd. until April 2022 and will merge into Te  Pūkenga along with the ITOs (Industry Traiining Organisations).

The CE and DCEs are now all appointed with the CE, Stephen Towns starting in his role in July and all of the DCEs will be on board by November. We should see some movement by early next year, beyond the release of the interim planning documents.