What is a CoVE?

CoVEs (Centres of Vocational Excellence) are a key feature of the Reform of Vocational Education (the RoVE).  The RoVE is a major Government-led reform being implemented by the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC).

CoVEs will play an important role in the vocational education system. As part of the structural changes being made, the CoVE will work closely with their Constituent Industries and Associated Employers, Workforce Development Councils, Regional Skills Leadership Groups, Te Pūkenga (the New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology) and other CoVEs.

The CoVEs will receive funding from the TEC for 5 years to support the growth of excellent vocational education.

The Food and Fibre CoVE and the Construction and Infrastructure CoVE were announced in 2020 by the Minister of Education as the first two CoVEs to be launched.

The Food and Fibre CoVE

The Food and Fibre CoVE has been set up by the industry-led Food & Fibre CoVE Society Incorporated. This consortium which in itself is an unprecedented level of collaboration involving currently, 54 organisations across the entire food and fibre sector including industry associations, tertiary providers, Māori, employers, employees, and standard setting bodies.

The Consortium members see this as a decisive step forward in the partnership between the various sectors in the Food and Fibre Industry and Government.

The CoVE’s intention is to build excellence by focusing on the success of learners, industry, and education – learner-focused, industry-led, government-enabled.

The CoVE is hosted by the Te Pūkenga through its subsidiary, the Eastern Institute of Technology in the Hawke’s Bay.

The Food and Fibre CoVE will focus on

Attracting and retaining learners and staff – from school to vocational education, to higher learning, and in the workforce.

Defining vocational excellence – explore and identify excellence in food and fibre vocational education, locally and internationally, focused on learner and employer success and satisfaction.

Specialised projects – enabled by the CoVE and led by industry and providers to test and embed new ideas, innovations, and specialised opportunities from across the regions and sectors.