Six new Workforce Development Councils will ensure people graduate with the right skills at the right time to address skill shortages, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said today.
The Minister said every industry in New Zealand will be covered by one of the following Workforce Development Councils, which were formally stablished today:
• Hanga-Aro-Rau – Manufacturing, Engineering and Logistics
• Waihanga Ara Rau – Construction and Infrastructure
• Muka Tangata – People, Food and Fibre
• Toi Mai – Creative, Cultural, Recreation and Technology
• Community, Health, Education and Social Services, and
• Services Industries.
“The newly formed Workforce Development Councils will play a fundamental role in creating a unified vocational education system that will bring together industry and educators to make sure New Zealand’s workforce is fit for today’s needs and tomorrow’s expectations,” Mr Hipkins said.
“They will have a forward, strategic view of the future skills needs of industries and will help industry achieve greater influence over what and how training is delivered, by influencing government investment, setting skill standards and playing a leadership role across their relevant industries.”
He said the Councils were a keystone change of the Reform of Vocational Education (RoVE) programme, and would help to build a workforce with the skills needed to aid in New Zealand’s recovery from COVID-19.
“Governance roles for each of the inaugural Workforce Development Councils will be appointed around the end of June.”
“I’m excited to see this next major milestone in what is the biggest reform of vocational education in a generation” Mr Hipkins said.