Decent Work New Zealand
Towards Decent Work - Charting our progress
Objectives 2 & 3: Activities, Strategies and/or Institutional Arrangements Developed to Address each Critical Success Factor
CSF 5: Education equips people with skills they can transfer to the workplace, and opportunities exist for lifelong learning and targeted skill enhancement.
Activity:
Career information, advice and guidance
Description:
Career information, advice and guidance to assist people to make informed work and learning decisions in the context of the life they want to lead. Services are provided through the Career Services website, freephone advice line and offices located around New Zealand.
Lead Agency:
Career Services
Activity:
Prisoner employment strategy
Description:
This strategy creates a framework and programme of work that will help to address the significant skills deficits and obstacles prisoners face in obtaining sustainable post-release employment, which in turn will contribute to reducing re-offending.
Lead Agency:
Department of Corrections
Activity:
Regional labour market development
Description:
Collaborative development of strategies and action plans to address skills, productivity and participation issues at a regional level. This involves working with local government, business/industry associations, economic development agencies, training providers, unions and other government agencies.
Lead Agency:
Department of Labour
Activity:
Sectoral labour market development
Description:
Collaborative development of strategies and action plans to address skills, productivity and participation issues at a sectoral level. This involves working with sector bodies, local government, business/industry associations, economic development agencies, training providers, unions and other government agencies.
Lead Agency:
Department of Labour
Activity:
Employment Relations Education Ministerial Advisory Committee
Description:
The Committee assesses applications for funding from the Employment Relations Education Contestable Fund; makes recommendations to the Minister of Labour around funding allocations; sets a strategic direction for the Contestable Fund; exercises the power delegated by the Minister of Labour to approve courses of employment relations education and courses of training for Health and Safety representatives. The Department of Labour provides secretariat support for this Committee.
Lead Agency:
Department of Labour
Activity:
Better Work Working Better (BWWB)
Description:
BWWB sets out the Government’s aspirations for high quality employment in productive and innovative industries, regions and businesses that drives sustainable economic growth and opportunities for all New Zealanders. Goals under BWWB are high levels of participation in high-quality, well-paid and diversified employment; a diverse, adaptable and highly-skilled workforce; high-quality and productive workplaces within an effective regulatory environment and high-performing sector and regional labour markets.
Lead Agency:
Department of Labour
Activity:
Realising Youth Potential
Description:
Contributing to policy development and implementation around the goal of the Government that all young people will be participating in education, skills, or other structured learning relevant to their abilities and needs until they reach the age of 18. This includes all young people in work, transition to work, and in tertiary education and training have a coherent set of learning opportunities and the appropriate support mechanisms available to achieve sustainable skills and career outcomes. This is a joint activity with the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs.
Lead Agency:
Multi agency, Department of Labour
Activity:
Talent New Zealand businesses need
Description:
Identifying opportunities for responding to skill and talent shortages, taking account of relevant work already underway. This includes the tertiary education reforms, the business tax review and the Immigration Change Programme.
There will be a specific focus on attracting the talented people New Zealand firms need, both immigrants and expatriates.
The Talent Work Policy enables employers to gain 'Accredited Employer' status, and gives them access to a special category of Work to Residence Visa for the offshore talent they need to supplement their New Zealand work force.
Lead Agency:
Department of Labour
Activity:
Working Holiday Scheme
Description:
This programme provides a cultural exchange, strengthens international linkages, brings in temporary labour and contributes positively to the economy.
Lead Agency:
Department of Labour
Activity:
Literary, Numeracy and Language Strategy
Description:
The Department of Labour will continue to lead work focussed on changing employer and workplace practices around improving literacy, numeracy and language skills.
Lead Agency:
Department of Labour
Activity:
Upskilling Partnership Programme
Description:
This programme will engage employers and workers in foundation skills training, and improve understanding of what forms of training work best and what the business benefits are from investing in foundation skills. It will contribute to the ongoing development of a medium to long-term strategy to improve the foundation skills (literacy, numeracy and language) of workers, unemployed people and groups close to the labour market.
Lead Agency:
Department of Labour
Activity:
Labour market analysis tools
Description:
First arising from the Ngäti Awa labour market capacity building project, a series of interactive labour market tools have been developed to allow quick and easy access to detailed labour market information at a disaggregated (sub-national and sub-population) level. The tools use updatable databases to provide information on key labour market indicators, education and training, industry and occupations to support decision making.
Lead Agency:
Department of Labour
Activity:
Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme
Description:
The Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme is an immigration policy which facilitates the temporary entry of seasonal workers into New Zealand to fill shortages in New Zealand’s horticulture and viticulture industries when no New Zealanders are available. This scheme encourages Pacific people to return year after year, and build up their skills and productivity.
Lead Agency:
Department of Labour
Activity:
Development of activity-specific codes of safe working practice on board ships, and associated injury prevention training
Description:
Maritime NZ, in partnership with Accident Compensation Corporation, the Seafood Industry Training Organisation and the commercial fishing industry, has developed guidelines for health and safety on board small commercial fishing vessels and associated specific health and safety training which is recognised by the NZQA. The guidelines are now being used as the basis for the development of guidelines for the domestic passenger and non-passenger fleet, and similar guidelines have been developed for the international fleet.
Lead Agency:
Maritime New Zealand
Activity:
Initiatives to reduce short and long term injuries in the stevedore work force when working aboard ships.
Description:
A stevedore industry based steering committee has been established to work in partnership with Maritime NZ, Department of Labour, and related agencies. The prime objective of the activity is to achieve a reduction in stevedore injuries. Stevedore injury statistics are currently being analysed. Outcomes are expected to include guidelines for the safe handling of ships’ cargoes, an efficient “alert” system of communication between NZ ports, and a benchmark pre-discharge/loading safety survey report.
Lead Agency:
Maritime New Zealand
Activity:
Compulsory free education for all New Zealand children
Description:
Compulsory free education for all New Zealand children.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Education
Activity:
Tauawhitia te Wero -Embracing the Challenge: National mental health and addiction workforce development plan 2006-2009
Description:
This sets out a vision for a mental health and addiction workforce development plan responsive to the needs of people who access services. It is intended to act as an umbrella plan providing national direction on workforce development through to 2009.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Health
Activity:
Let’s get real: Real skills for people working in mental health and addictions [external link]
Description:
Let’s get real is a project to produce a framework of the essential knowledge, skills and attitudes required to work in mental health and addictions services. Quality improvements underpin this initiative with influences on service delivery; education and training; professional development; and recruitment and retention practices.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Health
Activity:
National training initiative to boost the numbers of home-based disability support (HBSS) workers who have foundation level training
Description:
This initiative aims to support the implementation of training and assessment for HBSS support workers to complete the National Certificate in Community Support Services, Level One.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Health
Activity:
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Workforce Development Project
Description:
This initiative aims to implement a training and supervision programme for support workers and professionals (including families) who support children and young people with ASD in Child Youth and Family care.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Health
Activity:
Environmental Support Services (ESS) for people with disabilities
Description:
ESS are available through Disability Services Directorate-funded ESS providers for provision of equipment and funding for vehicles/vehicle modifications and driving assessments. This support is available to disabled people assessed as eligible and having an essential need to enable them to undertake fulltime employment or vocational training.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Health
Activity:
Community Day Activity Funding
Description:
Funding is available to support disabled people, especially those with high support needs, to attend vocational activities or community participation activities.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Health
Activity:
Development of training and qualifications in needs assessment and service co-ordination (NASC) for disabled people
Description:
The Ministry of Health’s Disability Services Directorate works with relevant training organisations to identify NASC-specific competencies that will develop into under-graduate and post-graduate national learning programmes.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Health
Activity:
Development of training and qualifications in community-based residential services for disabled people
Description:
The Ministry of Health’s Disability Services Directorate works with providers and relevant training organisations to identify support worker-specific competencies that will develop into under graduate and post-graduate national learning programmes.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Health
Activity:
Pacific Economic Action Plan (PEAP)
Description:
The PEAP provides an overarching response to Pacific peoples’ economic priorities with six key goals: Education, Workforce Development, Business Development, Creative, Emerging & Growth Industries, Entrepreneurial Culture and Leadership. This plan identifies milestones to assist government - develop policies and initiatives to enhance Pacific peoples’ contribution to the New Zealand economy. Each goal outlines objectives that will address gaps in current government responses and areas of need.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs
Activity:
Pacific Women’s Economic Development Plan (PWEDP)
Description:
The PWEDP is a specific economic development action plan for Pacific women. It identifies specific milestones that further contribute to four of the PEAP goals: Education, Workforce Development, Business Development and Leadership.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs
Activity:
Work Experience
Description:
Provides unpaid opportunities in a workplace or work type environment and helps clients gain up to date work experience
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Social Development
Activity:
Job Search Skills training programmes for job seekers
Description:
Short-term programmes that provide information on job-search techniques, skills and resources.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Social Development
Activity:
Skills Training courses
Description:
Training courses or programmes that endeavour to provide job seekers with work-related skills.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Social Development
Activity:
Industry Partnerships
Description:
Industry Partnerships involve forming partnerships with industries and major employers that have large skill and labour shortages. Partners generally receive a jointly developed tailored recruitment service offer that is responsive to their current and future staffing needs. This initiative aims to fill the skill and labour shortages by developing tailored training programmes to meet areas of industry need. These national partnerships are complemented by local industry partnerships.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Social Development
Activity:
Taskforce Green Subsidy [external link]
Description:
Allows the client to participate in community or environmental based project work to develop work habits and general on the job skills.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Social Development
Activity:
Regional Funding
Description:
Funding that allows MSD to be responsive to emerging job seeker needs and opportunities, primarily regionally driven and targeted.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Social Development
Activity:
Mayors’ Taskforce for Jobs [external link]
Description:
This initiative provides funding through MSD for collaborative initiatives between central and local government for projects that have training, education and work outcomes targeted for youth.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Social Development
Activity:
Local Industry Partnerships
Description:
Local industry partnerships are designed to help address local skills shortages and respond quickly to emerging local employment opportunities, where the skills of the local workforce do not match those required for the jobs. Working directly with industry to identify and contract the appropriate training courses, they aim to open up sustainable jobs and new career opportunities to unemployed people and others currently disadvantaged in the labour market. These partnerships complement the national partnerships.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Social Development
Activity:
Innovative Employment Assistance (IEA)
Description:
IEA programmes trial new strategies to help Sickness and Invalids’ Beneficiaries into work.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Social Development
Activity:
Training Incentive Allowance
Description:
Training Incentive Allowance provides non-taxable assistance to clients receiving certain types of benefits to undertake employment related training that will improve their skills and increase their chances of getting work.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Social Development
Activity:
Training Opportunities Employment Programme
Description:
This programme provides full-time, fully funded training options to targeted Work and Income clients, enabling them to develop skills and gain credits towards nationally recognised qualifications. This assists the move into employment, further education or training.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Social Development
Activity:
Migrant Employment Assistance
Description:
Migrant employment assistance provides funding for organisations that work with recognised migrant communities and deliver projects to develop the skills needed to access the labour market.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Social Development
Activity:
Youth Transition Services [external link]
Description:
Youth Transition Services (YTS) assists young people as they transition from school to further education, training, work or other activities that contribute to their long-term independence and wellbeing. YTS works with local providers giving support to young people through further education, training or other activities.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Social Development
Activity:
Research into occupational segregation
Description:
The Ministry of Women’s Affairs is undertaking several research projects on occupational segregation (the tendency for men and women to do different types of jobs, and for some jobs to be dominated by men or women). The purpose of these projects is to establish if there are links between occupational segregation, labour market responsiveness and productivity; and the extent to which gender affects young people’s decision-making about careers in gender-segregated occupations.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Women’s Affairs
Activity:
Youth Development Partnership Fund
Description:
The Youth Development Partnership Fund provides an opportunity for the Ministry of Youth Development, territorial authorities and young people to work together to provide new and innovative local youth development projects.
Territorial authorities can apply to the Ministry for funding for projects that benefit local young people through a positive youth development approach.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Youth Development
Activity:
Services for Young People Fund
Description:
The Ministry of Youth Development purchases Youth Development Services that offer young people (12-24 year olds) personal and social development and learning opportunities. These opportunities facilitate participation, inclusion and engagement, leading to achievement, awards or qualifications and long term economic and independent well being.
Lead Agency:
Ministry of Youth Development
Activity:
Increase union density and the extent of collective bargaining in the aged care and disability sectors in order to improve wages
Description:
The NZCTU works with the Service and Food Workers Union (SFWU) and the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) to improve wages and employment conditions in the aged care sector through collective agreements. The unions are jointly co-ordinating the Fair Share for Aged Care campaign. The NZCTU also works with the Public Service Association (PSA) and the SFWU in their campaign to improve wages and conditions for disability sector care workers through a focus on increasing coverage of collective agreements.
Lead Agency:
New Zealand Council of Trade Unions
Activity:
Memorandum of understanding with the Mayors’ Taskforce for Jobs
Description:
The NZCTU has a memorandum of understanding with the Mayors’ Taskforce for Jobs outlining the basis for co-operation to promote training and employment opportunities for young people.
Lead Agency:
New Zealand Council of Trade Unions
Activity:
Learning Representatives Project
Description:
The Learning Representative Programme is a NZCTU-run project funded by the Tertiary Education Commission to enhance worker participation in learning and increase skills. The Project has completed its first phase with a strong initial focus on foundation skills and literacy and a longer-term focus on quality jobs and design of work.
Lead Agency:
New Zealand Council of Trade Unions
Activity:
Workplace Productivity Education Project
Description:
The NZCTU’s Workplace Productivity Education Project is designed to enhance productivity in New Zealand. Workshops have been run since October 2006, with more than 1500 participants attending from unions and sectors including banking and finance, food processing, engineering and manufacturing, saw milling, building and construction, tertiary education, rail and ports, air transport and other infrastructure, retail, health, central and local government.
Lead Agency:
New Zealand Council of Trade Unions
Activity:
Representation on the Growth and Innovation Advisory Board
Description:
The NZCTU is represented on the Growth and Innovation Advisory Board that advises the Prime Minister, Government and others on growth and innovation strategies.
Lead Agency:
New Zealand Council of Trade Unions
Activity:
Union participation in the governance of tertiary education institutions and industry training organisations
Description:
The NZCTU nominates union representatives to the councils of most tertiary education institutions and to most of the boards of industry training organisations. There is also a NZCTU nominee on the board of the Industry Training Federation. The purpose of this representation is to ensure that training providers are in touch with workers’ needs and that the diversity of potential trainees is reflected.
Lead Agency:
New Zealand Council of Trade Unions
Activity:
Industry development projects
Description:
The NZCTU runs projects in the forestry and food and beverage sectors and with Maori workers to increase worker participation in industry decision-making and develop improved industry standards.
Lead Agency:
New Zealand Council of Trade Unions
Activity:
Vocational Education and Training (VET) in schools – the Gateway Schools programme
Description:
The Gateway Schools programme [external link] provides senior students with a range of structured learning opportunities in workplaces. Through building links between schools and businesses, students achieve credits in the workplace, which contribute to recognised qualifications on the New Zealand National Qualifications Framework.
Lead Agency:
Tertiary Education Commission
Activity:
Vocational Education and Training (VET) in schools – the Youth Apprenticeships Pilot
Description:
The Youth Apprenticeships Pilot [external link] is a one year pilot operating in 10 schools nationwide in 2008. The pilot is a joint agency initiative involving the Ministry of Education, the Tertiary Education Commission and the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. The Youth Apprenticeships Pilot is working with Gateway Schools programme to develop industry related pathways through secondary schooling to enhance opportunities for school students.
Lead Agency:
Tertiary Education Commission
Activity:
Foundation learning programmes for adults
Description:
In November 2007 Cabinet agreed to initiate an “upskilling the workforce” strategy [external link] that builds on the adult literacy strategy, focussed on literacy, language and numeracy skills for New Zealand workplaces. This strategy aims to build the amount of literacy, language and numeracy provisions being undertaken, and enhance the capability of both tertiary education organisations and industry to build the skills of the workforce.
Lead Agency:
Tertiary Education Commission
Activity:
Industry Training for people in employment
Description:
Industry training [external link] facilitates structured training arrangements for employees, both on-job and off-job, linked to recognised qualifications on the National Qualifications Framework.
Lead Agency:
Tertiary Education Commission
Activity:
Modern Apprenticeships programme
Description:
The Modern Apprenticeships programme [external link] provides work-based education and training for young people and others wishing to start a new career. Modern Apprenticeships has a significant support function for participants, managed by a Modern Apprenticeships Co-ordinator.
Lead Agency:
Tertiary Education Commission
Activity:
Skill New Zealand Tripartite Forum
Description:
An agreement between the Government, Business NZ and the NZCTU, aiming to create greater awareness of industry training and workplace learning and the skills needs of industry. In 2007, the government and tripartite partners agreed to develop a unified Skills Strategy for New Zealand. The aim of the Skills Strategy is to build a clear consensus on the skill needs of New Zealand moving forward and what the contributions of the various partners are to ensure the skills needs are met.
Lead Agency:
Tertiary Education Commission
Activity:
Training for unemployed people over 18 with low qualifications
Description:
Training Opportunities [external link] offers unemployed people over 18 with low qualifications the chance to gain valuable skills that will help them to find a job.
Lead Agency:
Tertiary Education Commission
Activity:
Training for young people under 18 with low qualifications
Description:
Youth Training [external link] offers young people under 18 with low qualifications the chance to gain valuable skills that will help them to get a job.
Lead Agency:
Tertiary Education Commission
Activity:
Vocational training for young Maori and Pacific people
Description:
Skill Enhancement offers vocational training for young Maori (Rangatahi Maia [external link]) and Pacific (Tupulaga Le Lumana'i [external link]) people. The combination of programmes approved offers a variety in terms of delivery style, learning environment, occupations, industries and locations. In 2006, more than 82% of trainees moved onto further education or employment within two months of exiting the programme. Whereas Nga Kaiarataki Pathfinders aims to help school leavers who are disadvantaged by rural isolation or by issues associated with low socioeconomic background to continue their education.
Lead Agency:
Tertiary Education Commission