skills acTion Plan for The food and Beverage secTor - Department of ...

While industry training is an appropriate avenue for delivery
of foundation skills in the workplace, there are issues
associated with the capability of the system to support its
integration. For example, this requires ITOs to undertake
additional/new work to identify specific foundation
needs, assess individuals’ needs, train existing trainers to
incorporate foundation learning, and assess gains made as
a result.
High proportions of food and beverage employees have no
or low qualifications, although this needs to be balanced
with the fact that some food and beverage occupations
do not require sophisticated skill bases. Given parts of the
food and beverage value chain are increasingly becoming
more sophisticated and consumers are demanding better
quality, there will be pressure on some food and beverage
occupations to deliver to a higher standard. This will
generally require a more developed skill base and capability
within the workforce.
Government will shortly consider proposals for how
employers will be engaged and learners motivated to
take part in the upskilling strategy, including a model
for developing demand and ensuring a balance with
the provision of training in the workplace, and specific
initiatives. It is possible that the proposed upskilling
initiatives could be reflected in the Skills Action Plan for
the food and beverage sector and the work by STAG,
following decisions by Government.
2.4 Quality and Relevance
Action Points
• The Skills Working Group recommend that in relation
to the tertiary reform process, that funding must be
linked to the new Tertiary Education Strategy and the
Statement of Tertiary Education Priorities. This should
include a stronger feedback loop between the TEC and
industry, and a greater capacity for ITOs to influence
funding and priority setting.
• The TEC and other government agencies will facilitate
greater partnering of delivery between ITOs and TEIs
to better meet industry needs and enable them to
be more responsive to emerging demand through its
profile negotiation process and support for the ITO
leadership role.
• Review the quality and relevance of the large number
of food and beverage related qualifications with a
view to consolidating them into a smaller number of
higher quality courses. In specialist areas, the option
of consolidating into one centre of excellence in New
Zealand should be considered (eg. fishing, dairy and
meat processing and grape processing).
• Review the relationships amongst polytechnics, ITOs,
industry and unions in setting food and beverage
related qualifications and ensuring quality and relevance
of training.
Background
There is a need for the quality and relevance of education/
training provision at all levels and by all providers to be
better aligned to the needs of industry and reflective of
changing occupations. It is critical that the resourcing
of education and training for people already employed in
New Zealand industries (including the food and beverage
industries) as well as those undertaking full-time or preemployment
tertiary education, is allocated in a manner
that is strongly linked to appropriate tertiary education
strategies and priorities (ie. investment in highly relevant
qualifications). There is an opportunity for greater
partnering of TEIs and ITOs to meet changing skill needs,
and for more involvement of ITOs and industry in funding
processes and priority setting.
The Skills Working Group is concerned at the number of
food and beverage courses being offered by a myriad of
organisations, all of whom are to a greater or lesser extent
seeking funds from government to support their provision.
This may have led to unnecessary duplication and possibly
lower quality provision. An example of where the quality
38