NZVETRF - master class #2 - Apprenticeships in Australia

 This morning, a webinar, hosted by the NZ Vocational Education and Training Research Forum (NZVETRF), facilitated by Josh Williams (Skills Group, NZ and Global Apprenticeship Network (GAN) with Gary Workman ( Executive Director, Apprentice Employer, Victoria, GAN Australia ) and Peter Canavan (Senior Policy Officer, Australian Industry Group).

Josh began with introducing himself, then the speakers. 

Josh presented following comparisons: NZ has 3.7% of employed workforce in training, 108,000 == in training, 2.9 million in workfo5ce. Australia, 2.1, 300000++ and 14.7 million in workforce. 27% of NZ school leavers into training and 40+% mature entrants, but in Australia, 51% do so, with 30% mature entrants. More females in NZ - 23% with 15% in Australia as new entrants. Both countries have decline of apprentices and trainees, with trend still going down. In NZ 25% decline between 2024 and 2025 :( Completions in NZ across 6 years 62% to 50%; for Australia 56% to 58%. 

Gary presented on the 'Return of Investment  (ROI) in supporting Australian Apprenticeships' (see report). When through definitions of ROI and also the reasons for the importance of ROI. Generally tries to measure and evaluate whether the time, financial investment, and resources dedicated to training result in tangible benefits. All of these are very variable across industries, businesses etc. both from government and wider community, employer and apprentices. Encourage audience to check through the report which provides link to online tool/calculator to try to work out the ROI. Shared examples provided through the calculator. In general, by the beginning of the 2nd year of the apprenticeship, employers start to even out and ROI rises for employers.

Summarised the key messages on ROI. Longer apprenticeships provide better ROI. 93% of apprentices who complete find full-time work in the same occupation. Group Training seen to provide good ROI. If apprentices change employers within the Group Training, there is a need to rotate the apprentices equitably so that employers are not always taking on novices and not obtaining the ROI. 

Peter then presented on the employer perspective on apprenticeships and traineeships. (see report). Australian Industry Group is an employer collective which also has a Centre of Education and Learning. Survey of employers finds 8 out of 10 employers see the importance of apprenticeships. 96% face barriers hiring apprentices. Around 1/2 indicate that they will employ apprenticeships if financial incentives were available - reduction of this will lead to less apprenticeships.

Therefore, employers weight up the economic equation, as per the ROI presented by Gary. Summarised barriers for hiring apprentices and the larges challenge was finding suitable candidates. Electrical and Plumbing have less difficulties but manufacturing has major difficulties. 1/3 indicate difficulty in training, and costs too high. Then shared how financial incentives are used for apprentices - mostly to offset costs/ reduce productivity associated with employing the apprentice. 

Warned that declining apprentice/trainee commencements are a lead indicator of future shortages. 

Discussion followed with questions around the employer/apprentice match. Why some apprenticeships struggle to attract apprentices? and trades are not promoted much at school as the general direction is still to prepare students for university. Better recruitment practices need to be supported with small businesses. Many do not have the resources to recruit and then have difficulties provisioning the training required. Chat also provided for interesting conversation within the Aotearoa context. 

NZ VET research forum - presentations now available

Most of the presentations from the recent NZ VET research forum - see here for summary of day one morning - are now available via this link.

Of note are the keynote presentations from Dr. Marco Pagcanella providing a more global overview of where NZ is at with regards to work skills through the PIACC data, and Professor Jane Bryson's analysis of availability of professional development for workers in NZ.

NZ Vocational Education and Training (VET) research forum - DAY TWO after morning tea

After morning tea, three concurrent sessions are presented.

Firstly with Helen McPhun from LEARNPLUS on ‘will shifting the goal post improve the game?’ Shared a subset of her study ‘is the current benchmark the cause of poor assessment practice?’ Some moves to remove the unit standard 4098 which prepares people to assess competency standards. Assessment processes and behaviours seem to have flaws? Do we blame 4098 and shift to a more difficult unit? Interviewed across the private tertiary providers and ITOs – assessors, academic managers and moderators. Variables to explore include assessors, assessment documents, context, conditions and support. Shared findings. Assessors have preferences, standards and values and these colour our assessment decisions. Design, clarity and ease of use of the assessment documents play a key role in ensuring assessments are valid, reliable and fair. Therefore, not 4098 preparation but the assessment documents themselves must be solid and the behaviours of assessors in making assessment decisions.

Second concurrent session with Dr. Glenys Ker (with work with John Gualter) from Otago Polytechnic with ‘facilitating for transformative learning – innovative ways to support learners (and their organisations’. Provided background, context and rationalisation on a Doctorate of Professional Studies study of the Independent learning pathway (ILP i.e. recognition of prior learning) process. Usually enables people to attain a degree over a year. These people are engaged at work. Also the Partial Independent Learning Pathway (PILP) for people in an organisation. Here, the learner completes a project, identified with their organisation. Provided details of the process along with examples. Begins with ‘looking back’ to reflect on their knowledge and skills, then ‘taking stock’ to work out what they have and if there are any gaps, leading to a ‘summing up and looking forward’ step to bring together the evidence / case study for presentation. Shared 4 principles for effective facilitation. Needs to be fit, build relationship, understand the skills, knowledge and attitudes required and putting the learner first.

Next up, Mark Cox and Konrad Hurren from BERL on ‘modelling alternative post-school pathways’. Presented research to look at returns post-school dependent on where and how people move through life. Data was from the integrated data infrastructure from Statistics NZ. Project was concerned with checking a NZ Universities stat on earnings if degree was complicated (i.e. a million over lifetime). Shared the problems with the stats which did not consider many parameters. The study presented modelled alternative pathways for people leaving school with at least NCEA L2, account for earnings and across different skills / disciplines. Population who completed an apprenticeship / degree in 2003. Tracked back to 1999 and to 2018. This allowed for 4 years of data from time leaving school. Allowed for average student loan, household economic survey, mortgage, house prices etc. For degrees B Com. BSc, BA with technology based apprentices (building, engineering); commerce and other apprentices (personal services, society and culture). Used model to calculate ‘net financial position’ for average person in each group. Made assumptions as to 20% deposit and 20 year mortgage of half a house; saving through kiwi saver, are frugal and try their best to live within their means. Results indicate between BSc and technology based apprentices, by 10 (14) years, degree holders take over but apprentices earn more at the start. B Com and commerce based apprentices, in year 5 -6 and BA and other apprentices also similar but earnings are lower. After 15 years, technology based apprentices have earned more across 15 years and BA the least. Apprentices tend to have capability to purchase house earlier and be able to accumulate assets earlier.

After lunch, we have a keynote from Dr. Damon Whitten from Ako Aotearoa and Mike Styles from the Primary ITO on two upcoming Ako Aotearoa Research initiatives. Mike presents on ‘A NZ dyslexia friendly quality mark’ funded by TEC and overseen and managed by Ako Aotearoa. Internationally 10% of adults with dyslexia generally underachieve in education and choose not to engage in education. Dyslexia is not a disability but is best thought of as a different way of seeing the world. Is not related to intelligence but struggle with text. Quality mark is based on model developed by the British Dyslexia Association. Need to contextualised to a bicultural NZ setting and standards for education management, delivery and inclusiveness. Summarised advantages for learners and providers. Good practice for dyslexic learners also good practice for all learners.

Damon presented on ‘exciting new frontiers for literacy ad numeracy’. Shared the Adult Literacy Practice Model – know what has to be learnt, know the learner and what to do to help learner do the learning. Need to integrate learner agency – problem solving and self-learning skills. Summarised study on ‘how do lower skilled adults deal with novel problems and learning challenges?’ need to help people move from ‘fixed thinking’ to become more flexible, especially to stop using established or experienced ways to do things. Engaging learners in novel problems that they do not know how to solve, provide them with heuristic method and they can use this to help them solve the problem. Emphasised the importance for developing self learning skills – self-regulated learning, effective learning strategies and ongoing practice. Shared several learning strategies relevant to L & N.

The ‘Women in the trades’ session follows with a panel discussion on ‘employers’ perspectives of the benefits and barriers to women in trades and what they are doing to lead change’. Presented on the benefits to employers; perceived barriers of employing women; current behaviours and beliefs; and changes that can help employers and industries become more gender diverse. Erica Cummings (BCITO) Mced the session with 4 employers (1 female) on the panel, providing their perspectives. Each provided background on their company and their perspectives. 
Mark Williams then provided overview and summary of the project. Included how the various parts of the project inform and connect across. Presented the research objectives, methodology and findings. Generally, female employers, large companies, companies with females in leadership roles and automotive engineering tended to employ comparatively larger numbers of women. Women brought 'attention to detail' and 'softening of workplace behaviours' but barriers included lack of physical strength and 'might get pregnant'. Many trades jobs come about through word of mouth, advertising the job seen as a useful method to open opportunities for women. Offering flexible work arrangements, partnership with schools and widening circle of people they talk to about a job all assist. Proposed strategies for assisting businesses to employ more women in the trades.

The conference closes with thoughts from Josh Williams.

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

Professor Pat Walsh, the Chair of the ITF opens the second day of the conference. A drizzly, grey and windy day in Wellington, so good to be indoors enjoying the conference and the company of kindred spirits.

Day two then begins with a keynote from the Honourable Steven Joyce, former Minister of Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment and author of an Australian report ‘Strengthening skills review of Australian VET sector: Skills training reform: a Trans-Tasman view’. Provided background on the Australian review and using this to comment on the current RoVE in NZ. The review is now followed by putting into place, the recommendations. From his viewpoint, Australia had viewed the NZ VET process as beening successful! And yet NZ is in the process of a major change. Both countries challenged by the rapid changes in the nature of work / employment and skill needs. All countries experience cycles of rise and fall of student numbers. When employment is high, there will be low in enrolments in ITPs. Australia has school leaving age of 18 and a very strong university sector, putting the squeeze on TAFEs with regards to potential students. Asked the question, what is skills training and if it did not exist, would we invent it? Yes. Common sense tells us that ‘learning by doing’ / ‘earn while you learn’ involving experience and applied learning are required. If we have VET, what are the attributes of the system. Most important to have support of employers. NZ has taken 30 years to have growing numbers of trainees and apprentices. Important to ensure the things that work are supported and enhanced. VET must provide clear pathways for learners – i.e. school to VET and then training to work. Always a challenge to start apprenticeships in new industries. NZ has Skills pathway and better accessible information on careers. Strong industry voice still required in schools. Pathways from study, whether uni or VET, into work still a challenge. A good VET system must provide the skills required by people to get a job. Flexibility and agility in updating qualifications is important. Addition of ‘academic freedom’ into VET system argued to perhaps not be required?! Moving to just one monolithic provision, may stifle choice and eventually quality. Regulation across the sector still important. Substantiated why NZ VET should not go through change as the system is not broken and reasons for change are to shore up the public VET sector, rather than enhance VET for learners and employers.

Then concurrent sessions begin and I attend the presentation by Mandy McGirr managing director of McGirr Training, on ‘helping youth to develop employability and to signal what employers seek--- soft skills, transferable skills and work experience’. One of the purposed of education and qualification system is employability development. Employability development can be envisaged as a short or long game focus. Short game is getting a job and can be any job, mostly low pay/security. Long game focus is to provide greater mobility / progression / security (i.e. career managing). Asks the question ‘ what are the employability development support roles (or potential roles) of the NZ public education / qualification system and its players? What is the role or ‘value add’ of the VET systems? Who will do what role and how? Defined for the purposes of her work, soft/non-cognitive skills, transferable skills, work experience, signals and employability development. One resource – UK based – what do employers seek when hiring young workforce entrants? In general employers seek past experience and a range of soft/non-cognitive abilities. Signals are important to connect the skills potential workers have with the perceived required work /occupational skills. Third party signal senders (training providers, referees, other verifications – drivers licence / badges / micro-credentials) are part of the loop. Implications for supporting employability include that gaining skills is only part of the challenge. Individual signalling capability is an important contributor. Work experience provides one key signal for suitability especially providing affordances for learning and practicing soft skills. So what is the role of VET in the provision of employability development?

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

After lunch, Dr. Karen Vaughan presents a keynote on ‘border crossings and vocational thresholds’. Karen has now moved across to Royal NZ Council of General Practitioners from the NZ Centre for Educational Research (NZVER). Summarised learnings and experiences through 17 years of doing VET research. VET research was very ‘industry-led’ and thought to be ‘for industry’ rather than for education. VET is about using experience to learn an occupation, not just the accumulation of knowledge. Shared the story of ‘learning how to be’ a researcher. Summarised some of her key projects. In the pathways project, the space between school and work was explored and the important finding of people caring more about who they were to be and not what. Shared ‘highlights’ and ‘lowlights’ J Important to not make assumptions and to explore the obvious – as this will sometimes bring up insights. Also to learn from ‘missteps’ and ‘mistakes’. Looking across fields / discipline areas can be productive – ‘knowing knowledge’ project. Provided overview and how the concept of ‘vocational thresholds’ was derived through studying the learning of General practitioners, carpenters and engineering technicians. Reinforced the importance of dispositions in learning an occupation. Karen.vaughan@rnzcgp.org.nz

Concurrent sessions continue and I attend the presentation with Laliofi Ripley (Careerforce), Anne Alkema (ITF) and Dr. Nicky Murray (ITF) on their project (also with Cain Kerehoma (Kia Ora consulting) – Hinatore:upskilling Maori and Pasifika in the workplace. The project explores why programmes work for Maori and Pasifika employees through the context of literacy; to what extend were culturally responsive pedagogy incorporated; and how learners continued beyond the programme. Context of the workplace literacy and numeracy fund to provide 20 – 80 hours (around 7000 employees a year) delivered in the workplace in work time. 8 workplaces, 100 participants – learners, facilitators, employers and whanau – used observations, focus groups and video. Visits occurred at start, middle and end of programme. Shared videos of students’ perception of the programme. Key findings on teaching and learning (ako – reciprocal learning), the learning that had occurred (mahi – workplace / situated learning) and the sense of community (whanau – being part of a family).

Followed on by Amber Paterson from Otago Polytechnic on ‘Learner capability framework (I am capable) and research’. Shared research and implementation of their learner capability framework. Still a work in progress with full integration in 2020. Also trialling with 4 partner secondary schools and 2 primary schools (used by teachers for their PD and students). OP have identified 25 capabilities for example critical thinking, communication orally/ written/ bi-ligually. Which ones would industries identify as being relevant? Outcomes include the aim of ensuring students are able to articulate and evidence the capabilities required. E-portfolio used to showcase their capabilities over and above their formal qualification. Shared resources used to support (on issu – search OP learner capability). Used focus groups across disciplines to identity the industry specific capabilities. Shared one of the videos (of 3 on Youtube). Demo site available on request.

Afternoon tea is followed by one concurrent session and a keynote. I chair Dr. Antje Handelmann’s (Leibniz University) session on “I was like, wow, I wanna be a chef” – the biographical meaning of apprenticeship. This is a qualitative study as part of a PhD- recently completed. Provided background of study – school to work transitions in Germany and NZ. Then summarised and rationalised research method – biographical narrative and case study. Argued that social chances have let to processes of de-structuralisation and placed responsibility on career to individuals in a society challenged by rapid change in the nature of work. Selected Germany (employment centred) and NZ (liberal / market led) due to the major differences between the two countries. Carried 14 interviews in Germany and 7 in NZ – apprentices who had withdrawn from an apprenticeship. Comparisons were made between individual apprentices’ biographies, not with countries. 3 types for searching for occupation – institutional-orientation, recognition-orientated and self-actualisation. Provided examples from each. Shared the conceptualised framework / model derived. Concluded that social changes lead to different life courses with an intersection between individual and society. School to work transition is complex, young people aim to find the ‘right’ path and is a permanent process of searching.

Then key note from Dr. Rose Ryan from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment on ‘A research agenda for the NZ labour market of the 2020s’. She is a manager for the workforce and workplace evidence and insights team. Important to bring the various pieces of data from different Ministries to ensure data is not viewed in silos and analysed across disciplines etc. Need to think about the labour market and skills needs differently due to the global megatrends – technology, globalisation, demographics, climate change etc. NZ has dynamic labour market with high levels of participation, a highly skilled workforce and continued growth in employment – especially for those in skilled occupations and across service-based industries. Challenges are to manage diversity and inclusion, responding to future skill needs / changes, utilisation all the capability and capacity of all the population and understand better how work contributes to well-being. Currently, demand for employment is still high, labour market participation is high, medium to long term employment is steady to 2028.

Managing diversity important due to demographic shift with higher numbers of Maori, Pasifika and Asian replacing Pakeha as they retire. There is a high underutilisation / under employment of the population’s capacity. 11% if people who are in work would like more work. NEET rates are still higher than desirable. Underutilisation tends to be short term; young / female (particularly mothers) and in community, personal services, sales and labouring occupations and retail, accommodation and food, education and healthcare industries.

Need to prepare workforce for high skill occupations which will increase into 2029 when compared to elementary and skilled-semi-skilled jobs. Crucial to understand the effect of automation, digitisation and AI. Who will be affected? How will it affect occupations and jobs? Non-routine work, managing people, unpredictable work, work requiring judgment etc. least likely to be impacted.

PIACC shows mismatch between qualification / field of study and current occupation. NZ have highly skilled workforce but not much known about how employers make decisions as to who they employ and how they select. Still much work required in this area.

The contribution of work to well-being also requires study. What is job quality in the NZ context. Job Quality include physical environment, social environment, work intensity, skills and discretion, working time quality, prospects and earnings. If NZ wants to focus on high quality jobs, what are they? Survey of Working life (2018) indicates job quality includes employment relationships / multiple job-holding (more than one job); non-standard working relationships; work related training; skills matching; job security and tenure; and workplace autonomy. Important to develop workforce wellbeing – develop human capital, invest in skills for the future, encourage lifelong learning, leverage technology to generate opportunities for decent and meaningful work, strengthen labour/employment/income protection.

Josh provides a brief overview of the day.

The day closes with a networking function to celebrate the completion of the ‘Women in the Trades’ research project, launched by the Minister of Women, the Honourable Julie Ann Genter.

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. 

NZ VET forum - day 2

Day 2 opens with a keynote from Dr. Neil Haigh from AUT on 'collaboration and project team: understanding and creating success'. Brought up the issue of room layout as one of the factors impinging on how teams collaborate. Firstly, need to begin collaboration from the beginning, all parties working on proposal and understanding objectives (institutional, researcher, individual project focus etc.) from the outset. Relationships require building well before beginning so perspectives from each other are understood. Structured plan for the actual collaborative process need to be drawn up. Collaboration implies 'working together to create and achieve the same thing'. But what are differences between collaboration vs coordination and cooperation?? Perhaps collaboration implies deeper interactions which are durable and mutually advantageous. Resources to support the process provided.

After morning tea, short concurrent sessions begin. First up, Dr. Liz Gordon, Sandra Grey, Charles Sedgwick and Katarina Edmonds from Pukeko Research with 'is the youth guarantee fees-free scheme and effective pathway for former NEETS'. Reports on a recent large TEC funded project involving students in 30 training organisations to see is policy implementation has succeeded in moving youth not in employment, education or training (NEETs) into more productive situations. Examined the factors contributing to achievement in the fees free YG programmes. A real need to have interventions as unemployment 15-19 now up to 25% with some the children of youth unemployed in the mid 1990's! Principles in NZ are social not economic with regards to instituting free-fees at lower level courses. Level 2 NCEA seen as minimum requirement for work. Issues are to do with keeping NEETs engaged and viability of courses. Profile of YG students and courses presented. Some TEOs have to resort to 'cherry picking' by keeping on students who are able to achieve due to say funding is utilised. Burden on tutors with heavy pastoral care.

Second concurrent session with Jenny, Connnor from Service IQ, Dr. Nicky Murray from Career Force, Fiona Beardslee from Primary ITO and Matthew Vandy from Competenz presented on 'learning to learn for work: industry based foundation education'. Provided overview of how 4 ITOs have gone about supporting workplace based foundation learning at levels 1 and 2. These 4 ITOS have 85% of learners in foundation workplace based training. Each one has different learner profile. A model for foundation education in the workplace contrasted to the more school / post-school TEO delivered examples explained. Paper available on request.

The third session for the morning is with Malcolm Hardy from BoPP on 'from industry to institute: teacher in transition'. Shared his autobiography of working on site one day and then teaching at the polytechnic the next. Experiences of not enjoying school and how these meant he engaged students with project-based learning. Presented project on finding how to better help trades people become tutors. 20 tutors completing questions and interviews. Asked the questions - what was the biggest changes you had to make as a tradesperson as you transition into teaching? What support needed to make changes? what is the advice you would give to someone coming from industry to teaching? Advice to polytechnic? What keeps you going? In all, adjustment from trades to teaching needs time, support and provision of 'teaching tools', opportunities to observe other teachers. In particular, moving from teaching a few to a whole class and class management, working with your head/hands/emotions/heart not just hands as at trades work, dealing with educational jargon / organisational systems, how too motivate students, different ways of working, digital literacy requirements, learnt mainly from other staff, one on one mentor who cares - could be newbie as well. Align trade based tutors training to apprenticeship model.


After lunch longer concurrent sessions of 45 minutes. As I was presenting in the second session, I attended Angus Robertson's (Unitec) session with Sylila Monnteiro on 'assessment of prior learning: the recognition and endorsement of experiential learning'. Need for APL in carpentry due to licencing component to be a builder. APL finds a balance between the body of knowledge vs mastery of process and academic rigour vs capabilities of an occupation. A new type of structure required compared to normal institutional systems. APL evidence normally through journals and portfolios but a barrier for tradies with experience but poor literacy. Process to examine CV, interview, challenge test, design assessment to identify gaps in knowledge, observe, record evidence, seek validation from credible people, examine evidence collected by quality assessors and lastly examine student's compilation of evidence. Main challenge for assessor to ensure rigority and consistency. Recommendations to monitor assessors and moderate work, create guidelines for assessors, ensure students so have appropriate experience, when teaching, make evidence require overt. Current process has practical assessment (APL, portfolio etc.) and theory (fully online with 'branched'quizzes including revision content where required). Uses Google drive supported by Teacher Blackboard (NZ developed teaching platform).Assignments revolve around students completing powerpoint slides. Discussed advantages and disadvantages of the shift to blended / online platform. Presented future plans to improve.

Then my session on 'learning a trade' to share the literature, findings, recommendations and resources (poster and video) with participants. Feedback on the draft resources gathered to inform final version. Presentation here.

Last plenary / panel session on effective mentoring and peer support. With Anne Alkema on 'peer support for trainees in the health and community sector: building a sustainable learning model';
Sandra Johnson from Downer NZ on 'mentoring model for ITOs and employers'; and Dr. Lesley Petersen and Mike Styles and Marianne Farrell from the Primary ITO on 'evaluating a voluntary mentoring programme for trainees in the primary ITO. Each presented their experience / project and questions followed.

All in a varied programme with emphasis on support /pastoral care structures for learners in a range of learning contexts. Not as many people this year, an outcome of the continual restructures in the ITO sector, now mostly complete. As outcomes of TRoQ are worked through with new programmes of study, the VET sector is now perhaps now looking forward to a more settled few years, working through various challenges of assisting vocational learners.

NZ Vocational Education and Training Research Forum - Day 1

At the annual NZ Vocational Education and Training Research forum today and tomorrow. The forum is a held a little later this year then previous years. Good to catch up with various industry training organisation representatives.

The conference begins with a mihi and welcome from ITF CE Mark Oldenshaw. The first conference keynote is with Rosalie Staggard from Innovation and Business Skills in Australia. She presents on the topic 'identifying key capabilities for VET practitioners'. Framework for VET practitioners capability development developed 2013. Capability framework to support the efficient and strategic management of the workforce ensuring all human resource functions and activities are aligned and focused on what is important to organisational success. Provided rationale for developing a capability framework and the process of producing a national Australian VET practitioners framework. Framework has 3 levels, 4 domains and 6 skill areas. Framework is supported by a 'tools' resource. Levels related to educator skills and experience - level 1 are beginners (level 4 cert), level 2 (diploma level) more experienced and level 3 in leadership type roles. Current qualifications mapped to framework to find out if qualifications meet needs and if any gaps. For each domain and skill area, the levels are detailed. Note levels are not equated with experience but capability. Domains are teaching, assessment, industry and community collaboration and systems and compliance. Capabilities are identified for each domain. Eg. for teaching domain, learning theories, design etc.

After morning tea, the short 20 minute concurrent sessions begin. first up with Dr. Linda Bonne, from NZCER on 'the textbook is just the textbook: How builders, GP doctors and engineers are integrating theory and practice. Reports on the 'knowing practice' research team with Karen Vaughan, Jan Eyre & Sally Robertson. Broader approach taken in the project to widen the traditional association of practice -based learning with apprenticeships. Used model by Evans, Guile,, Harris & Allan (2010) putting knowledge to work: A new approach. Nurse Education Today 30(3), 245-251. Interviews with building apprentices, training advisors, trainers, BCITO reps.; GP teachers, registrars, medical educators; and Engineering cadets, mentors, team leaders, managers and IPENZ reps. Compared the contexts to distil commonalities and differences. Trying to understand how skills learning is mediated across the contexts with different approaches to training. Shared some of the evidence gathered by apprentices, GPs and engineers, recording their work learning. Used critical incident narratives - tell us how you integrate theory and practice learning? to engage and assist participants to explain their experiences. Themes were being able to see something bigger, taking on responsibilities and solving complex problems. Learning from experience is not automatic and requires learners to 'structure' and deliberately practice.

Second session with Terry Weblemoe form AUT University with 'teaching therapeutic skills online'.  Presented rationale for teaching the subject. A collaborative project between AUT and Youthline. Both have different perspectives and to provide learning on-line to a largely 'relational' and dispositional skill set challenging. Also move from didactic to interactive learning and collaboration.
Then Chantal Pillay, from Le Cordon Bleu School with 'students' reflections on work-integrated learning in the culinary arts'. Provided background of formation of Le Cordon Bleu and it's programme - Bachelor of Culinary Arts and Business - not to train chefs but graduates with strong culinary background focused on business management. Currently programme is into second year. Study focused on students expectations and perceptions of WIL and the effectiveness of WIL. Qualitative case study pre and post with semi-structured survey, student reflective reports and participant observations, analysed thematically using nVivo. Only 3 students between 18 - 28. Findings supported efficacy of WIL for students, revealed WIL challenges.

Final concurrent session this morning, Denis Keys from Bay of Plenty Poly. on 'choice but challenging: how carpentry students and tutors have responded to an ePortfolios project'. Presented using clips from their Ako Aotearoa project - reported in the form of a video - to report on the work undertaken using project-based focus. Provided background and rationale for the approach. The details on how assessments were developed to support the project-based focus. Provided example of a student's eportfolio.

After lunch, Dr. Nicky Murray and Joel Rewa-Morgan present on 'Connecting research and action: Pacifika voices at the heart of the matter'. Provided background of Careerforce and reasons for undertaken the study. Research undertaken with input from participants, a listening exercise. An 'ideal state' presented to participants and stakeholders after distilling the contributions into 'themes' and learning from literature. Ideal stated includes respectful relationships, pastoral support, cultural acknowledgement, community and family and celebrating success. review of where Careerforce is with 'present state'. Action then to 'bridge the divide' between ideal and present states. Be goal focused, achieve easy wins, undertake change management and plan, monitor and evaluate.

Next up, 'achieving success in the Pasifika trades initiative at Weltec' with Tavita Filemoni , Dr, Lisa Wong and Dr. John Horrocks. Evaluative approach taken to find out what works and what does not. 27 interviews with students, Pasifika community, support and teaching staff plus results from ALNTs and programme results. One success factor was to find out what students aspired to becoming and then how to assist them to eventually become (citing findings from first year apprentices project on belonging and becoming). Contributions from the community also important to assist individual students who required support. Insitutional support around celebrating Pacific events and providing visibility to Pasifika through linking with other students, staff and a 'feel at home' environment. Weltec now has Pacific strategy and planning further expansion of the Pasifika centre. Whole institution support undertaken to raise Pasifika engagement, work readiness (assist students to obtain drivers licence), increase literacy and numeracy and help broker work at the end of programme.

Third round of concurrent sessions. I catch up with Dr. James McKay and Emma McLaughlin's work on the language of the trades project, an Ako Aotearoa National project. Reporting on progress to date, 6 months into a 3 year project. Presented rationale and some indication of initial data collected. Edwards, Minty & Miller, 2013) say vocational learning vocabulary as complex and not very much actually known. Interviews with students, tutors and industry. So far 23 trades tutors, class observations in automotive, carpentry, electrical and plumbing. Recordings of classroom conversations. Analysis of electrotech text - reveals 62% 1000 word list, 22% technical, 8% academic and 8% in 2000 list. Learners need to understand and use the words of their trade .Vocabulary, visual / oral communication and behaving all inter-connnected. Gee 1990 - ways of communicating, thinking, believing, valuing and behaving that identity you as part of a specific social group. Literacies related to written (job cards, builders' diary), visual /spatial (plans, representations of abstract concepts - electrical diagrams). Common problems for students with diagrams include interpretation of the elements, transferring ideas from 2 to 3 dimensions and relating circuit diagrams to actual. Shared future work.

Then, 'building foundation learners' literacy and numeracy: the role of formative assessment feedback with Dr. Linda Bonne from NZCER. Concentrated on how ALNET being used. Important to drill deeper into how the educator-learner ' feedback conversations are deployed. Socio-cultural view of learning used with learners as active participants in learning. Need to privilege the learner voice which is rarely represented in the literature. Online survey of youth guarantee learners and tutors with six providers. Trying to trace if effective learning conversations are being undertaken. interim results shared.

Afternoon session after tea are plenary sessions on culturally responsive practice with a series of three short presentations. First up, Tania Mullane and Kihi Tawhai from Waiariki on 'harnessing the potential of innovative curriculum, teaching and learning practice in foundation learning'. Evolution and revolution of programme design to meet needs of foundation learners. Selected a series of practical and theory units and embedded relevant literacy and numeracy standards, Situated learning in the marae. 16 weeks foundation followed by vocational skills for rest of the year through vocational pathways.Good outcomes achieved with new programme.

Secondly, Anne Greenhalg from Workforce Development Ltd. follows with the topic - 'Paunga te matapae oranga : Puanga, the instigation of vitality!'  presents on work taking place within the corrections department. Presented the realities of the context and challenges. Presented the support structures required to support educators

Last session today 'Lead-engage-innov8: Finding k(new) momentum for rangatahi in industry training' with Glenda Taihuna from Te Wananga o Aotearoa.

A networking session closes a busy day. At the session, launch of new ITF work on workplace learning anchors the session.