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 Workforce Development Councils, Regional Skills Leadership Groups, 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 CoVE were recently announced 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 an industry-led consortium, an unprecedented level of collaboration involving 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 food and fibre sectors and government.

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

The CoVE will be hosted by the NZ Institute of Skills and Technology 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 – test and embed new ideas, innovations, and specialised opportunities from across the regions and sectors.