Skills for Good - August 2024: Employer survey results out, vocational education reforms, academic misconduct and more

It is with much pride that we share our annual employer satisfaction survey results in this newsletter. This survey has been carried out annually since 2017, and despite the backdrop of the reforms of vocational education and Covid across many of these years, our overall satisfaction levels have trended upwards, and with a record satisfaction result for 2023. We also had a record level of completions, and I thank those of you who completed the survey and provided feedback. I encourage you to have a read of the topline report shared in this newsletter, but also to share your feedback, both brickbats and bouquets, with us at any time of the year.

A reminder that we are in the midst of the Government’s 6 week consultation on the renewed proposal for the redesign of vocational education (including replacement structures for Te Pūkenga). I encourage you to take time to understand the proposal, and have a say. You can find out more in the story below about what is proposed, and how to make a submission.

Finally, we recognise the continued cost pressures that many of our sectors are facing, and also the financial hardships that many of our learners may be experiencing. Further below, we share details on free enrolment offers across some of our apprenticeship programmes, and also details on the next round of applications for the Manaaki Fund. To date, over 300 Careerforce learners have already benefitted from this fund.

Ngā mihi nui

Rod Bentham
Executive Director, Careerforce

At the end of 2023, we carried out our seventh annual employer satisfaction survey. This topline report is coming out later than expected, a reflection of the considerable time we have spent poring over the results and your comments.

We are particularly pleased to be able to share this report with you, as we received not only a record response rate, but also a record level of satisfaction. Across the 7 years of this survey, the satisfaction results have been trending upwards – we know we’re not perfect, but perhaps most importantly, we do strive to be, and we’re continuously looking to make improvements. Only via your feedback can we identify the pockets of opportunity to make such improvements.

In November 2023, Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills, Penny Simmonds, announced that Te Pūkenga would be disestablished. Since this time, officials from the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) have been working closely with the Minister on a replacement model.

Recently the Minister released a proposal for further reforms that will replace
Te Pūkenga (refer to media release here), and signalling the start of a six week consultation that will close on 12 September 2024.

A redesigned Institute of Technology and Polytechnic (ITP) network that retains access to tertiary training in our regions, through a combination of stand-alone and federated ITPs.
Options for an industry-led system for standards-setting and industry training.
Changes to vocational education funding from 2026 to better support the reformed system.

For detailed information on the proposed changes, or to find out how to make a submission, please go to the Ministry of Education site, or review the consultation document.

Please note that the MoE and TEC are running this consultation, and final policy decisions are expected to be made by November 2024. We commit to keeping you updated on any developments as the consultation progresses, and on any outcomes, but do not expect any disruption for our employers and learners.

Ten Primary Care Practice Assistants have just graduated with a New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Level 4) - Primary Care Practice Assistance through a new apprenticeship collaboration between Careerforce, UCOL and THINK Hauora.

In June 2023, seven primary care practices across Manawatū decided to upskill some of their staff, enrolling ten learners into the Primary Care Practice Assistance Apprenticeship programme offered by Careerforce.  

Their success was supported by a collaborative and structured cohort approach that underpinned the pilot, including monthly face-to-face learning sessions. These sessions supported the apprentices to complete the apprenticeship programme in just 12 months (normally 20 months). According to Careerforce Apprenticeship Advisor Anne Meyer, this was key to the pilot’s success. 

Free enrolment in PCPA apprenticeships until 31 October 2024

We are pleased to offer free enrolment into the Apprenticeship in Primary Care Practice Assistance (PCPA) Programme valued at $2,000 (inc GST) until 31 October 2024. More about the free enrolments here.

The Apprenticeship in PCPA is a 20-month work-based programme designed to support the apprentice to develop the skills, knowledge and behaviours required to contribute to the effective operation of a primary care practice. More about the programme here.

Come and see us at the PMAANZ conference 12 - 14 September to find out more.

Free enrolments will not be offered if the applicant is already funded by other agencies or is in receipt of grants from any other organisation, for the activity the application relates to.

We are pleased to offer free enrolment into the following programmes from 1 September 2024 to 30 November 2024:

1. The Apprenticeship in Whānau, Community and Social Services (Level 4) Programme (valued at $2,000 inc GST) >>More

2. The Apprenticeship in Youth Work (Level 4) Programme (valued at $2,000 inc GST) >>More

3. The New Zealand Diploma in Health and Wellbeing (Level 5) Applied Practice Programme (valued at $2,000 inc GST) >>More

Come and see us at Whakamanawa, SSPA conference 16-17 Sept to find out more.

To support the upskilling of peer support workers, we are excited to offer two new grants funded by Health NZ Te Whatu Ora:

1. The Peer Support MHA Grant (valued at $2,000 inc GST) covers the enrolment fees for the NZ Apprenticeship in Health and Wellbeing Peer Support (Level 4) programme >>More

2. The Peer Support SCP Grant (valued at $700 inc GST) covers the enrolment fees for the SCP (Supplementary Credit Programme) - Supporting a Person’s Mental Health and Addiction Wellbeing (Level 4) programme >>More

The grants will be available until 30 June 2026 (subject to continued funds being available).

Do your learners need some extra support with their training programmes? Our Achieve Study Hubs are face-to-face sessions where they can drop in, ask questions, meet with other learners, and receive help with their learning.

Achieve Study Hubs are scheduled across the country. Learners are also welcome to attend sessions outside their area. See the full schedule on our website. We have contacted learners about these sessions and they can RSVP by completing the online form on our website.

Please encourage your staff to attend these Study Hubs. We know that learners who have attended these events have found them very beneficial.

Are you supporting a Māori learner?
Our Rōpū Taupuhipuhi Āmio / National Mobile Support team provides options for kanohi-ki-te-kanohi (face-to-face) kaupapa Māori approach support through wānanga mahi and noho marae. Check out the 2024 schedule on our website.

Are you supporting a Pacific learner?
Our Pacific team understands Pacific learners' needs and are here to help them.
The team runs Talanoa (study support sessions), and face-to-face and online Fono (workshops). Check out the 2024 schedule of Talanoa.

Samoan brother and sister, Vendor Faafuata and Raecil Pati are housing support workers at Auckland’s Health, Housing and Social Services provider, Kāhui Tū Kaha. They are both passionate about engaging with people living on the streets and getting them into stable accommodation.

“Putting a roof over someone’s head is just part of the goal,” the couple agree. “There are also complex physiological, emotional and social needs involved.”

To help them better understand and support their tangata (clients), Vendor and Raecil set out on a qualification pathway to upskill themselves so they could better make a real difference for their tangata.

Earlier this year Vendor and Raecil proudly completed their Apprenticeship in Mental Health and Addictions Support with the support of Careerforce.

Rocklyn (Rocky) Rahipere is bringing a welcome connection to some of Tauranga’s vulnerable communities.

He drives a mobile health clinic across the region’s lower decile areas, providing primary support for the unit’s registered nurse and qualified doctor.

Ngāti Te Rangi Iwi Trust identified the need 16 years ago to fund a mobile health unit that could provide free one-on-one consultations to patients in low-income areas.

Though leaving school at 13 without qualifications, Rocky decided to embark on a NZ Certificate in Health and Wellbeing Health Assistance (Level 3) to help him excel in his role.

Sheila Tippet a reader/writer for Rocky. which means that together they can capture the evidence or demonstrate that he knows how to do something as required for the qualification assessments. It shows that not being confident with your literacy, is not a barrier to achieving a qualification.

When a learner presents assessment evidence that is not their own, gathered from another learner’s work, or from online resources (including generative AI), or from any other sources, we call this ‘academic misconduct.’

Careerforce takes academic misconduct seriously. Our role is to ensure the integrity of our programmes and qualifications. We also appreciate that you need to know that your staff member/learner is skilled and competent to do their job, and that your clients are properly looked after and supported.

Your workplace assessors also have a key role to play in detecting and managing academic misconduct when they suspect it. We have developed processes and resources to help support your assessors and will be contacting them over the next few weeks about this.

In the meantime, we will continue to remind learners not to use Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) tools or directly copy from any source such as Careerforce learning materials, books, printed material, the internet, or another person when answering assessment questions.

Careerforce Mental Health Advisors Cindy Mullens and Danny Fearon are giving free mental health support to learners enrolled in Careerforce programmes*.

The pilot funded by Te Whatu Ora aims to cultivate a positive and supportive learning environment where learners feel empowered to seek confidential assistance for their mental health and wellbeing.

Learners enrolled with Careerforce can talk to Cindy or Danny confidentially about their mental health when they need to. Support is provided via phone, text, email, Microsoft Teams, or in-person depending on the location.

To take the first step, your learners should visit our webpage and complete the referral form.

As an employer you can complete the form on your learner's behalf, but please ensure you have their consent.

This pilot is funded until 20 December 2024.

*Excluding Gateway learners

Free Counselling

Careerforce learners who would like access to some extra support can also access a free counselling service, available from the professional employee assistance provider Vitae.

Learners can call to discuss any problems that they might be experiencing, such as study or training stress, relationship problems, anxiety or depression, as well as reach out if they are experiencing harassment or any other kind of violence. The Vitae confidential counselling service is available 24/7.