Originator/Sponsor: Geoff Taylor, DairyNZ; Julia Pura-MacKenzie, Ministry of Education; Ben Allomes, Food and Fibre CoVE Board Member
Portfolio Managers: Fiona Windle
Status: In delivery
Planned delivery date: April 2025
Lead Agency / Service Provider: Skills Group
Project Scope:
The project has commenced with an interim data enquiry phase that includes:
- The performance and impact of current approved transitions and pathways programmes, products, and services employed by schools, kura and tertiary providers to encourage secondary students into tertiary studies related to, or work in, the food and fibre sector.
- Outcomes for secondary school ākonga studying horticulture and/or agriculture subjects who subsequently enrol in food and fibre related tertiary studies, or gain work in the food and fibre sector.
- Secondary school ākonga earning wages in the food and fibre sector who subsequently enrol in food and fibre related tertiary studies or gain work in the food and fibre sector.
- Year 11, 12 and 13 secondary school ākonga commencing tertiary studies with a specific focus on food and fibre including total duration of tertiary learning while still at school.
The latest deliverable, a policy review, captures key themes that indicate a lack of strategic coherence and perceptiveness; the clutter of schemes and the ‘tack-on’ syndrome. International comparisons have been made, an analysis of current New Zealand initiatives, and opportunities for industry outlined. These all inform recommendations on advancing towards a structured interface to enable New Zealand’s young people to transition smoothly from secondary school to further education and/or employment.
Next, a new rubric will be completed and a forward-looking perspective on opportunities, focusing on how current policy and operational settings can be more effectively applied at intersections between secondary education, tertiary education and employment. This will be informed by the data enquiry findings on effective pathways and successful practices, in the context of the VET system reforms. The final research report will also specifically address elements of Mātauranga Māori.
The interim data enquiry report of the Secondary School Transitions and Pathways to VET and Employment Project (April 2024) can be viewed here.
The Policy Report can be viewed here.
View the webinar to hear from the project researchers about the data inqury and policy analysis results.
The above information was current as at 17 January 2025