iTO lEADErShip in AcTiOn - Industry Training Federation

CONTENTSCIntroductioniiiLabour Market Forecasting 1ESITO Skills Forecasting 2Oil and Gas Skills Action Plan 3Sports Turf ITO – Future Skills Project 4Workforce Development 6Skills for Wellbeing, 2020 7Skills Active Aotearoa National Snowsports Certificate 9Skill And Labour Shortages 11Truck Drivers Cadetship Programme 12EventStarNZ© 13Bcito Solid Plaster Master Class 14Skills And Productivity 15Lean Marine Thinking 16Clelands Timber – Competitive Manufacturing 17InfraTrain – Research into the Drivers of Productivity 18Pathways And Careers 19Social Services ITO National Degrees 20Attto/Hsi NZSkillsConnect Website 21Retail Institute National Certificate for Supermarkets 23InfraTrain National Diploma in Civil Engineering 24Work and Income Cadet Programme 25Secondary Schools 26New Zealand Careers Roadshow 27Etito Bright Sparks Programme 28BETA BConstructive Programme 29Under-Representation 30InfraTrain Māori Training Initiative 31Esito Women Workers Responsiveness Project 32Nzhito Pacific Foundation Programme in Horticulture 33Management 35Flooring Industry Management Research 36Farming to Succeed 37Language, Literacy And Numeracy 38Embedded Literacy – Careerforce ITO 39Plumbing, Gasfitting, Drainlaying and Roofing ITO 41ATTTO Literacy Project for Aviation Ramp Operators 42i

LABOUR MARKET FORECASTING1Sports Turf ITO – Future Skills ProjectThe NZ Sports Turf ITO (STITO) has beenleading its industry through several researchand industry consultation processes over thepast five years around its Sports Turf FutureSkills project. The outcome of this work willbe the publication of the Sports Turf StrategicTraining Plan in 2010, which will inform the2011-2013 Investment Plan process.The Sports Turf Future Skills project beganin 2006 with an industry survey and futureskills analysis. In the following year STITOundertook an analysis of Census data tobuild on the research project and examinesector employment trends. 2008 saw thedevelopment of a draft strategic training planstrategy in consultation with the sports turfindustry. In 2009 this draft was presentedto the NZ Turf Conference, where delegateswere also surveyed about the direction ofthe strategy. 2010 will see the results of thisproject and the publication of the Sports TurfStrategic Training Plan.In 2006, as part of the NZ Sports TurfIndustry Survey and Future Skills AnalysisProject, industry sectors were surveyed todetermine their economic characteristicsand assess workforce skills and trainingneeds. The survey found the number ofpeople employed by the sports turf industrywas significantly higher than that previouslysurveyed. Based on these findings, a numberof recommendations were made for theadvancement of training within the industry.NZIER (a strategic consulting firm) wasengaged by STITO in 2007 to confirm thesize and scope of the sports turf industryby analysing Census data. This study builton the previous skills analysis project andexamined both the profile and employmenttrends of sports turf industry occupations.The result was a description of theoccupations of the sports turf workforce atthe time, which enabled useful comparisonswith the general workforce.4

1LABOUR MARKET FORECASTINGThe project was developed further in2008 using funding from the TEC SectorLeadership Fund with the productionof a Draft Strategic Training Strategy inconsultation with industry. The strategicplanning process involved the identificationof what must be done differently in the skillsand training area to improve the industry’slong-term economic performance. Therewas also a consensus reached on themost important issues and risks facing theindustry and the development of strategiesfor addressing them.STITO presented the draft strategy at the2009 NZ Turf Conference and a survey ofdelegates substantially confirmed the issuesidentified in STITO’s earlier research work,and endorsed the direction of the strategictraining plan strategy and its proposedimplementation process.During 2010, MWB Consultancy Ltd hasbeen engaged to analyse and synthesiseinformation compiled, carry out a gapanalysis to identify additional developmentrequirements and activities, and to completethe Sports Turf Strategic Training Plan.Subsequent development work carried outduring 2010 has included interviews withNational Sports Organisations and other keyindustry stakeholders to verify and updateinformation, further analysis of 2006 surveysource data, analysis of recent labour marketand educational data, and the formulationof a Sports Turf Industry Qualifications andCareers Pathway.The Sports Turf Strategic Training Plan willbe used by a range of audiences includingindustry, tertiary education providers,and Government. It will provide the userswith an outline of the sports turf industry,its characteristics (industry, labour andeconomic), issues and trends, currentand future skill development needs andthe identification of priorities for futuredevelopment in a summary of key messages.“This project has been valuable to confirmwhat the ITO needs to focus on over thenext 3 -5 years in its leadership role, as itworks alongside industry to develop skilllevels in the workforce”. (Jenny Lupton – ITOExecutive Officer).www.nzstito.org.nz5

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT2Industries in New Zealand need to adaptover time to deal with changes in the waythey operate, or to respond to particularworkforce issues. In such cases ITOs workwith their industries to help develop theindustry workforce to respond to thesechanges, or to best meet the unique needsof the industry. Workforce challenges maybe caused by changes driven from within thesector or externally, or stem from particularunique characteristics of the sector.Sectors can have particular characteristicsthat mean they need to train their workforcein a different way from many other industries.For example, if an industry is highly seasonalor transient it will have different training needsthan one with a more stable or year-roundworkforce.Industries can also face large changes drivenby the industry itself. In these cases anindustry may have a vision for where it wantsto go in the future. ITOs play a role in helpingthe industry consider skill needs and trainingrequirements to meet their future vision.Other industries face sizable changes drivenby factors beyond their control. For example,one particular issue that will have an impacton many New Zealand industries over thecoming years is the effect of climate changeand the differences this will make to workpractices. In such cases ITOs need to workwith industries to upskill workers to dealwith change before or as it happens so thatbusinesses can remain productive and theindustry can remain viable.6

2WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENTSkills for Wellbeing, 2020Skills for Wellbeing, 2020 is the workforcedevelopment project for social servicescurrently being developed by the socialservices industry and the Social ServicesIndustry Training Organisation. Sector leadersfrom social services and voluntary welfareumbrella organisations are collaboratingwith the Social Services ITO on the project,with funding from the Tertiary EducationCommission.The project is intended to provide avision-driven framework for strengtheningand developing the social services andcommunity sector to effectively contributeto the sustainable wellbeing of individuals,families, whānau, and communities for theyear 2020 and beyond. The skills frameworkwill be reflected in the improved educationand training of social service and communityworkers and leaders.Skills for Wellbeing, 2020 has a broadscope because the future social wellbeingworkforce will need to be flexible. Theproject has identified common principles andcompetencies needed across social serviceroles, and the leadership and organisationalcultures required to support efforts tostrengthen families and communities.The project aims to be practical andtransferable and supports significant changein the social services and community sector.It encourages the embedding of values,attitudes, knowledge, and skills that willinfluence practice, organisation cultureand relationships.The project is in the early stages – a discussion7

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT2paper has been distributed to interestedparties in the social services, community, andvoluntary sector, with feedback received inJuly 2010. The discussion paper draws onlocal and international research and trends, aswell as the views of people involved in familysupport and community building.The Skills for Wellbeing, 2020 frameworkis due to be launched in 2011. After furtherdevelopment during 2011 and 2012, theproject will be rolled out to the social servicessector, including in education and training, from2013 to 2017. It is envisioned that the projectwill be fully operational by 2020.The ‘skills’ in this framework are the commonset of values, attitudes, skills and knowledgeconsidered necessary for social service andcommunity work in the upcoming decades.These skill sets are portable and applicable towhatever additional specialist skills are neededfor a particular role or discipline. Organisationsthat choose to adopt the proposed frameworkwill commit to develop, support, anddemonstrate these skill sets.The project has been aligned to Whānau Oraand Ngā Kaupapa o Moemoeā as guidingvisions, as they already influence a wide rangeof services and groups involved in socialwellbeing and community development.Social services are already moving towardsthe integrated, holistic ways of working whichiwi and Māori Hauora services have beenusing for years, and these ways of working willbe reinforced by future workforce strategiesincluding Skills for Wellbeing, 2020.www.socialservices.org.nz8

2WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENTSkills Active Aotearoa National Snowsports CertificateSkills Active Aotearoa* has worked with NZSkito develop a nationally-recognised Level 3certificate for the snowsport sector. SkillsActive Aotearoa went on to collaborate withthe Aviation, Tourism and Travel ITO to developa National Certificate in Tourism with Strands inSnowsports in 2009.NZSki has a proactive attitude towards staffdevelopment and wanted to make it possiblefor their workforce to have the opportunityfor on-the-job learning in customer serviceand leadership development recognisedby a qualification. The certificate is provingextremely popular with NZSki employees andis useful as a base qualification from which toinvestigate future snowsport training needs.The seasonal nature of the snowsport sectormeans that NZSki, with a small permanentstaff of 40, need to recruit and train nearly1000 seasonal employees for 16 departmentsat three south island ski fields each year. Untilrecently, their annual retention rate was only30%, with few ongoing job opportunities forcareer development.The philosophy of NZSki is to create a highperforming, values-driven culture, and NZSkiis leading the way in snowsport careerdevelopment. In 2009, after researchingemployees to discover their career aspirations,the company embarked on a project to attractand retain staff, featuring various careerdevelopment initiatives and support for staff togain nationally recognised qualifications.As well as the training initiative with SkillsActive Aotearoa, NZSki initially worked with aprivate training provider to design and deliverleadership, induction and training events.This led to the creation of the NZSki-Uprogramme, an umbrella for a range ofdevelopment, coaching, training andmentoring initiatives to shape snowsportsleaders of the future. More recently, thecompany created a dedicated, 21-monthDiploma in Snowsports Adventure Tourismwith another private training provider.Company leaders are also being offeredformal qualifications via a mentoringcourse to develop their skills in all areas.The company has also been piloting aprogramme with Otago Polytechnic whichrecognises leaders’ prior learning.The benefits of NZSki’s new approach to* The industry training organisation for the Sport, Fitness, Community Recreation, Snowsport,Outdoor Recreation and Ngā Mahi ā te Rēhia sectors.9

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT2training and developing their workforce arealready apparent in its soaring staff retentionand engagement rates. At the beginning ofthis year’s season, the retention rate hadnearly doubled from the traditional 30% tonearly 60%. The workforce is now 64% NewZealanders, compared to 34% in previousyears. Despite the threat to tourism broughtby international recession, NZSki has seenrevenue increase by 169% this season andpackage sales jump by 304%.In 2009 NZSki received the Supreme Awardin the Equal Employment OpportunitiesTrust Work & Life Awards in honour of theiroutstanding success in training and developingtheir workforce.www.sfrito.org.nz10

3SKILL AND LABOUR SHORTAGESThe New Zealand labour market has beencharacterised by skill and labour shortagesfor much of the past decade. Theseshortages are a problem for businessesand the economy as a whole because theycan prevent companies from expanding,becoming more productive, and operatingat their full potential.Even during the recent recession therewere industries and occupations whereparticular skills were in demand, yetworkers with these skills were difficult tofind. Skills in demand can be influenced bya number of factors, such as technologicalchanges, economic shifts, globalmovement of skilled workers, and ageingpopulations.There are two basic kinds of skill shortages.Genuine shortages occur where employersfind it hard to fill vacancies because thereare not enough job seekers with therequired skills. Recruitment and retentiondifficulties can also cause shortages whenadverse pay rates or working conditionsmean individuals with the right skills areunwilling to do available work.Labour shortages occur when there arenot enough workers available to do all thework required. This can happen across allindustries and affects jobs at a range ofskill levels. Low unemployment rates arethe major cause of this type of shortage.New Zealand is likely to continue to facea variety of skill and labour shortages.Some of these will be short term, forexample around a critical event some willbe much longer term and some will bearound very specific skill sets.Industry training organisations areworking with their industries to identifyand address skill and labour shortages.Their strategies include providing moretraining for workers, actively attractingpeople to their industry, and recognisingand developing the skills of unemployedor under-employed workers. This workis critical to alleviate skill shortages thatalready exist and help prevent those likelyto occur in the future.11

SKILL AND LABOUR SHORTAGES3Truck Drivers Cadetship ProgrammeTranzqual, the ITO for the road transportindustry, recognised that there was ashortage of newcomers to truck driving inparts of New Zealand.They responded to a shortage in Taranakiby establishing a cadetship programme foraspiring truck drivers that introduced them tothe industry, provided the training needed tostart their careers, and supported them intofull employment.The 12-week programme was developedin partnership with the Road TransportAssociation (RTA) and supported by industryleaders and training providers. It focuses onessential skills and knowledge for entry intothe road transport industry at the Class 2 or 4heavy vehicle licence level.Cadets are placed with participating transportoperators where they learn basic practicalskills and gain valuable work experience andconfidence. In tandem they attend trainingclasses where learning is tailored to the needsof the transport industry.New Plymouth man Peter Tohu is one ofthe graduates of the initial cadet course.Peter enjoyed the classroom work but itwas the practical skills learnt on the job thatwere most important for him. He gained arange of valuable experience about howthe workplace operated and learnt at hisown pace. His transport operator was sopleased with his progress that they offeredhim employment shortly after he began hiscourse work placement.Peter is very enthusiastic about the programmeand recommends the road transport cadetshipto any aspiring truckies. He says the cadetshipis the perfect stepping stone to learn aboutdriving and then get a job in the industry.“Driving a truck might look easy to somepeople but there is a lot to take on board:our safety, the public’s safety and customers’goods,” Peter says. “You can’t just get inand drive as there is lots to learn. You haveto learn to walk before you can run. On thecourse you will get all the dos and don’ts - ithas really opened up my eyes.”The initial cadet programme in Taranaki hasbeen very successful with the majority ofparticipants now employed by the industry.Further phases of the cadetship programmehave subsequently been introduced there.Tranzqual has continued to work with the RTAelsewhere and has rolled out the scheme inother regions with similar success.The cadetship programme for truck drivers isnow considered fundamental for the future ofthe industry and it is envisioned that in the longterm, the margins and productivity of the roadtransport sector will be lifted by the scheme.www.tranzqual.org.nz12

3SKILL AND LABOUR SHORTAGESEventStarNZ ©The Rugby World Cup (RWC) in Septemberand October 2011 is going to generate alarge although temporary increase in thedemand for trained hospitality workers.People will need to have both basic andspecific skills to work in the context of abig international event. Such workers willbe critical to the success of the RWC 2011and to the experience the estimated 80,000visitors to New Zealand have during their stay.In response to this demand, the HospitalityStandards Institute (HSI) has been working withRugby NZ 2011, industry groups and trainingproviders – the RWC 2011 Hospitality SteeringGroup – since 2008 to develop specific stadiumhospitality training. The result is a short, tailoredprogramme called EventStarNZ© which will giveworkers the skills they need in this environment.It is anticipated that over 10,000 staff will needto be trained to cover 5,000 jobs at the 13RWC venues across the country. “We want toshow that New Zealand can deliver great rugby,great times, and great hospitality to meet thehigh expectations of visitors and locals,” saysHSI CEO Steve Hanrahan.EventStarNZ© is an induction trainingprogramme aimed at establishing corestandards for the food services sector – asector of the hospitality industry where ithas long been difficult to recruit, train, andretain casual staff for large-scale events. Theintensive programme will provide peoplewith the opportunity to be involved in RWC2011 events by being trained or up-skilledto deliver great service in a range of venueareas. The certified training will be availablefor on-job delivery by workplaces (In Source)or off-job delivery (Out Source) by Institutes ofTechnology and Polytechnics.The programme includes the service sector’sKiaOraMai Essential Skills training programme,designed for employees working with visitorsand customers. KiaOraMai was developed bythe SITA group of ITOs and is offered in multipleservice sectors. It links to unit standards on theNew Zealand Qualifications Framework, offeringa career path for employees and a commonpoint for training in essential service skills.EventStarNZ© has been specifically designedto help meet the temporary demand forskilled hospitality staff next year at the biggesthospitality event ever hosted here, as well asto create a more skilled workforce that can bedrawn upon long after the Rugby World Cupis over.www.hsi.co.nz13

SKILL AND LABOUR SHORTAGES3BCITO Solid Plaster Master ClassThe Building and Construction IndustryTraining Organisation (BCITO) organiseda Solid Plaster Master Class for theirapprentices in February 2009. The successof this course provides an excellent exampleof what can be done to preserve uniqueworkplace skills for posterity.The master craftsman aspect of the solidplastering trade is achieved by completingan optional strand in Specialist Mouldingsand Decorative Work within the SolidPlaster National Certificate qualification.Unfortunately, very few apprentices todayhave the opportunity to complete this strandbecause very little of this type of work ispossible in modern buildings.Retired master craftsmen are generallyengaged whenever an historic buildingrequiring specialised plastering work isrefurbished. Consequently, the trade couldeventually have no one left to pass onspecialist knowledge crucial to the restorationof New Zealand’s heritage buildings.To rectify this problem, BCITO joined withother industry groups to facilitate a practical,two-week long Solid Plaster Master Class.Four senior master craftsman mentorsprovided tutoring for ten young industryapprentices in specialist solid plastering skills.The master class was timed to coincidewith the multi-million dollar restoration ofthe historic Supreme Court building inWellington. The class gave the apprenticesthe opportunity to learn the artisan side of thetrade associated with running mouldings anddecorative work in the workshop and at theSupreme Court site.The graduates of the master class cameaway with unique skills and a qualificationin a specialist strand of plastering whichwill always be in demand. As one of theapprentices remarked, “I feel really thankfulat being given the opportunity to learn thesenew skills. Even though they are the skills ofthe past, they can be applied to the work ofthe future.”www.bcito.org.nz14

4SKILLS AND PRODUCTIVITYLabour productivity, or what we do orproduce for every hour that we work, isan area of the New Zealand economy thatneeds immediate attention.Our levels of labour productivity are lowcompared with many countries includingour closest neighbour, Australia, and areimproving at a particularly slow rate. Thisis a key reason why we are no longerone of the richest countries in the world.What’s more, we currently have muchmore work to go around than peopleto do it, which makes productivity a bigissue.Productivity isn’t a measure of how hardwe work. It’s a measure of how smart wework, or how much we get done. Smartworkers are skilled workers but just havingskills isn’t enough. They have to be theright kinds of skills, and they have to beput to good use. Putting skills to good usemeans paying attention to a lot of things:motivation, working environment, rewards,plans, teams, and many other factors.A ‘stockpile’ of skills will not, on its own,lift productivity. It’s also important tothink of what skills are actually needed toincrease productivity and smart ways toorganise work.As a small economy, New Zealand facesparticular challenges when doing somethings other countries often do to improveproductivity, such as investing heavilyin new technology. This is because thereturn for such investments may not behigh enough in such a small market.Industry training organisations workcollaboratively with their industries andbusinesses to implement and monitor avariety of innovative training programmesfor their employees. This puts them atthe forefront of being smart - developingtailored schemes aimed at improvingproductivity.15

SKILLS AND PRODUCTIVITY4Lean Marine ThinkingThe Boating Industry Training Organisation(BITO) has adopted ‘Lean Marine Thinking’,a process improvement system that placesa high premium on employee engagement,efficiency, and increased productivityregardless of a company’s core business.BITO has contracted QCD Systems to workwith local boat building companies andalready they’re producing some spectacularresults. After implementing Lean MarineThinking in 2008, Formula Cruisers delivereda boat three weeks ahead of schedule. At thesame time they reduced labour time by 2,300hours and overall saved $300,000. Anothercompany was able to reduce invoicing timefrom three hours to five minutes because theirLean Marine Thinking approach devised waysof ensuring the necessary information wasmore easily accessible.When a company adopts Lean MarineThinking, its staff attends a two and a halfday workshop that requires teams to build15 model cars in a succession of productionruns. It’s not really about building a car ofcourse; it’s about developing a process,which the team fine-tunes to maximize speedof productivity while maintaining quality.The facilitators from QCD Systems ask theemployees to set targets for appearance,production, and quality and to documentthe time it took to achieve these targets. Theresults are marked on a chart. At the end ofeach production run the team records anymistakes or defects and writes a programmeto correct them.Documentation of each step of the processis crucial, as is an emphasis on what wentright. QCD facilitator Peter Paola says thatemployees meet each morning to discuss theprevious day’s results.“They don’t want their success to be a merefluke. They want to control what went rightso that it can be replicated, and fix what wentwrong.”Valuing employees’ ideas, creativity, andexperience is a key driver behind the concept’ssuccess. By involving employees in creatingbenchmarks for each task in a boat buildingprocess, for example, the company can moreaccurately cost projects. This contributesdirectly to their profit margins. It also liftsmorale because employees understand theprocess and feel their ideas are valued.Peter Paola says that most companies spenda little time planning, a lot of time building,a little time checking and a lot of time fixing.Lean Marine Thinking turns all that on itshead. Boat builders are graduating from theprogramme with strategies that put muchmore emphasis on planning the processof building a boat and less time actuallybuilding it. And, in order to embed successfulprocesses and ensure that productivity gainsare solid, BITO contracts QCD systems toimplement and monitor each participatingcompany’s progress for a year following theirexposure to Lean Marine Thinking.www.nzmarine.com16

4SKILLS AND PRODUCTIVITYClelands Timber – Competitive Manufacturingsignificant impact on changeover times anduptime of machines.In order to achieve its business targetswithin budget and increase productivity,New Plymouth company, Clelands TimberLtd has trained their entire staff to adopt aCompetitive Manufacturing (CM) approach.The Competitive Manufacturing Initiative is ajoint venture of several ITOs, including FITEC * .Competitive Manufacturing is a systematicapproach which empowers employees toproduce high quality goods, for the least costand with the least waste. CM enables staff tolook critically at their work processes, givesthem tools to identify ways of improving thoseprocesses, and to find simple low cost – oreven no cost solutions – as a team.General Manager Alistair Doré said thetraining encourages staff to weed out wastefulpractices. Twelve months after implementingCM he has seen a significant culture change.This has led to a turnaround in ClelandsTimber’s operating results and has had a“Our finger jointing changeover timesdecreased from 20 to two minutes and fingerjointer throughput increased between 10%and 12% through simple changes the teamsmade. A simple tool belt and a set of toolsfor each operator helped reduced our planerchangeover times from 40 to 20 minutes.The total cost of $1,000 for this solution wasinsignificant when compared to the gains inproductivity,” he said. Additionally, lost timedue to sickness and injury reduced by a huge900%.Significant improvements resulted fromsupervisors and staff taking greater ownershipof their departments. Staff now have moreinformation about the business and are ableto apply what they have learnt in practice.Despite turnover going down by 22%last year, Clelands Timber’s gross profitpercentage increased slightly over theprevious year. Investing in staff training,tools, and visual management has alreadyproved to be a sustainable way of improvingproductivity. Clelands are committed tocontinue the journey of improvementwith a powerful new set of CompetitiveManufacturing skills with which to compete inthe international market.www.fitec.org.nz* FITEC is the industry training organisation for the forestry, sawmilling, wood productmanufacture, wood panels, pulp and paper, tissue converting, and furniture industries.17

SKILLS AND PRODUCTIVITY4InfraTrain – Research into the Drivers of ProductivityInfraTrain, the infrastructure ITO, has engagedthe New Zealand Centre for AdvancedEngineering (CAENZ) to investigate the driversof productivity within the civil infrastructureindustry. Commissioning this researchstemmed from a Government requirementto lift workplace productivity and value formoney across the board.The project was designed to examine whatdrives or holds back productivity in individualcompanies, particularly in small to mediumsized ones (SMEs). The effect of existingtraining on productivity was also explored.The project began in April 2009 and is due tofinish at the end of 2011.In the first stage of the project CAENZinterviewed a range of people from a crosssectionof infrastructure companies for theirviews on what productivity actually means.The following five key themes emerged fromthese interviews.• A shift in focus towards increasingmanagement skills would be desirable.• The unpredictable nature of employmentcontinuity creates difficulties in attractingquality employees.• Delivery is determined by physical workingconditions, accessibility of materials andavailability of a quality workforce.• An effective structured approach isneeded in project management as SMEshave unique requirements.• Good supply chain management isfundamental as SMEs have minimumcontrol over other parties.These findings on the drivers of productivitywere presented at industry workshops inearly 2010, where systems analysis wasused to test these views.Further analysis on the relationshipsbetween these key factors is currentlybeing undertaken. This research will beused to develop a best practice model forproductivity within civil infrastructure SMEs.This model will then be disseminated throughthe industry and other ITOs.The final stage of the project will be todevelop a strategy for improving productivityin the infrastructure industry, and to producethe tools, programmes and training provisionto achieve this.www.infratrain.co.nz18

5PATHWAYS AND CAREERSIn today’s labour market, people changejobs and careers far more frequently thanthey did in the past. People therefore needto have skills which allow them to work ina variety of roles, and qualifications thatare recognised across a range of industrysectors and by a range of employers. Itis particularly important that lower levelprogrammes and qualifications do not limitpeople’s options in the early stages of theirtertiary education for any career.There are many ways to ensure that peoplecan use their skills in a wide variety ofsituations. Some ITOs are responding bymaking qualifications more general ratherthan being very specific. Armed with moregeneric qualifications and ‘soft’ skills peoplecan apply their skills in a wider range ofindustries and jobs, and their career pathswill not be restricted along the way.Another way ITOs are working in this areais by tailoring qualifications to meet thespecific needs of roles within industriesso that potential or existing employeescan take up jobs in areas of interest.This means ensuring that programmesand qualifications are relevant and meetthe changing needs of industries andworkplaces. These programmes andqualifications also provide pathways forpeople already in employment to gainqualifications and progress within theirchosen career.ITOs have a role to play to publicise careerpathways within and across sectors sothat people already in an industry, or thosethinking about entering an industry, haveaccess to detailed information about whattypes of jobs their skills may be best suitedto. The job seekers also need to be informedabout what further training or developmentmight be needed to progress in their chosenoccupation or to change to another relatedoccupation, and where to find it.19

PATHWAYS AND CAREERS5Social Services ITO National DegreesThe Social Services Industry TrainingOrganisation is responsible for developingnational skill standards and qualifications forthe social services industry. The sector suffersfrom a chronic shortage of skilled qualifiedsocial workers and youth developmentprofessionals. The ITO has been assisted bythe Ministry of Social Development to developNational Degrees in both Social Work andYouth Development in order to standardiseand improve on the existing local degreescurrently available.Allowing the industry itself to develop nationaldegrees for these two vital social servicesoccupations will ensure the qualificationsare relevant to the work and connected to acoherent career pathway. They also representan excellent return on investment in theexisting workforce and will ultimately lead toincreased capacity and capability within it.The social services workforce includes over18 different social service occupations –including social workers, youth workers,community workers, and counsellors. Manyoccupations in this sector are in short supplyand have retention difficulties. Social workers,for example, have been on the Departmentof Labour’s Immigration Long Term SkillsShortage List for several years.It is predicted that unfolding social anddemographic factors – in both the populationand the workforce – will lead to a growingdemand for skilled social workers and youthworkers over the coming decades. It is vitalthat initiatives are put in place now to attract,upskill and retain workers in these sectors ofthe social services industry.Social services employees deliver criticalservices to our most vulnerable societalgroups. There are currently 22 differentdegree qualifications in social work. These aredeveloped and delivered locally by the relevanttertiary education provider (TEP) with varyingdegrees of industry involvement in their designand delivery. Employers have expressedconcern about the consistency and readinessfor-practiceof graduates from local degrees.The national unit standards, developed inpartnership with industry and delivered toexisting workers in partnership with TEPs,are an effective way of ensuring industrywiderelevance of the new National Degrees.Following registration on the New ZealandQualifications Framework, a National Degreecan be adopted by any existing TEP. This may,over time, reduce the inefficiencies associatedwith the proliferation of local degrees offered.National Degrees in Social Work and YouthDevelopment represent a significant strategicand cost-effective move to upskill a largelyunqualified social services workforce. Theyoffer a sustainable solution to New Zealand’scurrent skill shortages in the sector by offeringthe potential and existing social servicesworkforce clear pathways into diploma andthen degree level programmes.www.socialservices.org.nz20

5PATHWAYS AND CAREERSAttto/hsi nzSkillsConnect WebsiteTwo service industry training organisationshave teamed up to produce an innovativecareers website, NZSkillsConnect. The webportal is the outcome of the Career Mapsand Pathways (CMP) initiative – a practicalapproach to increasing the profile of trainingand education in the broad tourism andhospitality sectors. The Aviation, Tourism andTravel Training Organisation and the HospitalityStandards Institute funded the CMP project,with some assistance from the TertiaryEducation Commission.Attracting, recruiting, and developing peopleinto the aviation, hospitality and tourismsectors is a major contributor to nationaleconomic success and business sustainability.Because of the fundamental role these sectorsplay in New Zealand’s economy, in fluctuatingeconomic conditions it is essential to promotecareers in these and associated professions.Workforce planning is at the heart of buildinga competent, sustainable and productiveworkforce for the future – from significantone-off events such as the Rugby WorldCup in 2011 to the delivery of the Tourism2015 Strategy. The immediate challenge forthe industries is to consider how their newunderstanding of cross-sector pathways for jobroles and career development opportunities canassist in their workforce planning.The CMP project researched industry-agreeddescriptions of job roles for inclusion in thecareer path information and any future skillsdevelopment strategies. Distinct career pathswere mapped out from year 10 in secondaryschool to advanced studies at postgraduatelevel in tertiary education.A detailed database was created whichgraphically portrays these career paths. Aswell as showing linear career progressions,each job role includes a summary outlining itscommon tasks and responsibilities. A uniquefactor of the research was the identificationof cross-sector career opportunities showingpossible movements across the distinctworkplaces within the 10 industry subsectors.The research indicated approximately30% cross-over in core competencies acrossthese 10 distinct sub-sectors, especially ingeneric skill areas such as customer serviceand safety and health.A national ‘map’ of tertiary training provisionswas created to provide a comprehensivenational view of current accredited educationand training options across all career pathswithin the tourism and hospitality sectors.Building on the research findings and databasefrom the initial CMP phase, the comprehensiveweb portal www.NZSkillsConnect.co.nz wascreated to publicise and disseminate thecareers information. The website focuseson the ‘visual mapper’, an interactive searchtool designed to allow easy exploration andinvestigation into the career pathways thatcross the aviation, hospitality, and tourismindustries.21

PATHWAYS AND CAREERS5NZSkillsConnect has been specificallycreated to ensure a wide range of userscan connect and access the correct traininginformation and pathways for any career inthe industries that interest them.The portal also has sections for:• Industry – there is summary informationabout each of the 10 sub-sectors.• Job seekers – people can create a profileand post their CVs.• Employers – they can post job vacancies.• Providers – they can post their profilesand show-case qualifications that haveNational Certificates embedded withinthem.The portal is a powerful tool for attracting,developing and retaining the best skilledpeople in New Zealand’s dynamic tourism andhospitality industries.NZSkillsConnect clearly demonstrates that awide range of exciting long term opportunitiesexist for people with the right skills and attitudesto build a professional career within the sectors,from entry level to advanced management andgovernance. Using an agreed, cohesive, multistakeholderapproach, the CMP project hassucceeded in its aim of increasing the profile andquality of training and education provision for theaviation, hospitality, and tourism sectors, andassociated industries.www.nzskillsconnect.co.nz22

5PATHWAYS AND CAREERSRetail Institute National Certificate for SupermarketsThe Retail Institute is the industry trainingorganisation for the retail and retail relatedwholesale and distribution industries. TheRetail Institute’s experts have been workingin partnership with supermarket chainProgressive Enterprises to develop a nationallyrecognised supermarket retailing qualification,to complement the company’s existing inhousetraining programmes.23The challenge for Progressive Enterprises,one of New Zealand’s largest employers, wasto provide all supermarket employees with theopportunity to increase their retail knowledgeand skills. Any new training initiative had toadd value to the stores operations and besimple to implement.Working with the Retail Institute providedProgressive Enterprises with the uniqueopportunity to create national qualificationsfor the supermarket industry, by developing afundamental retailing course that would teachemployees’ transferable skills. Qualificationsuccess would give workers the confidenceto continue training and develop their career inthe wider retail or other industries.Stage one of the proposed qualificationwas to roll out a pilot scheme in eight storesnationwide for 18 weeks. The Retail Instituteprovided a team of training advisers to workwith store managers to develop the relatedtraining resources with their staff.The supermarket sector has a diverseworkforce with a range of existing learninglevels. The pilot scheme made sure theprogramme was accessible to people withdifferent levels of literacy skills. The coursematerials were polished and updated using theresults from the pilot scheme with literacy andnumeracy issues addressed by embeddingliteracy and numeracy learning strategies fortrainees in the final version.The pilot reinforced the need for completesupport of any training, whether workplacebasedor not, from all levels of management.The most successful stores are those where themanager has also completed the training and isactively involved in assisting and mentoring theirstaff. Managers see supporting learning in theworkplace as a central aspect of their work.The end result of the pilot process was thedevelopment of the National Certificate in Retail(Level 2) qualification for supermarkets. Thequalification provides a broad overview of theretail environment and involves the achievementof unit standards in customer service, processesand systems, selling and stock control. Trainingfor the certificate focuses on tasks common toall retailers and is carried out in the workplace,thereby encouraging learning ‘on the job’.In August of 2009 the National Certificate inRetail (Level 2) qualification for supermarketswas made available to all 150 Progressivesupermarkets. It is used as part of theiremployee induction programme. In the firstnine months of the programme more than 500trainees had successfully completed the firststage of this programme.The Retail Institute and Progressive Enterpriseswere nominated for a ‘Tomorrow’s WorkforceAward’ for developing these nationallyrecognised qualifications for supermarketstaff. The award is presented by the EqualEmployment Opportunities Trust andrecognises innovative responses to tomorrow’semployment challenges.www.retailinstitute.org.nz

PATHWAYS AND CAREERS5InfraTrain National Diploma in Civil EngineeringThe National Diploma in Civil Engineering(Applied) – NDCE (Applied) – was launched in2008 and provides recognition of practical civilengineering skills in New Zealand. The diplomahas been well received, with over 200 peopleenrolled across civil engineering consultancies,councils and the civil construction industry.InfraTrain, the infrastructure industry trainingorganisation, developed the diploma inconjunction with IPENZ, the Institute ofProfessional Engineers in New Zealand.The NDCE (Applied) has been developed tomeet the civil infrastructure industry’s need fora technician-level qualification that recognisespractical, applied skills. Depending on thecandidate’s experience, the qualification takesbetween two and five years to complete,and can be tailored specifically to theirarea of work. It requires the full support ofthe employer to provide the opportunitiesfor training that the candidate needs tosuccessfully complete the necessary work.The diploma builds on the theoreticalknowledge gained by completing a prerequisiteNew Zealand Diploma in Engineering(Civil), – NZDE (Civil) – which can be studiedfull time or in block courses at a number ofpolytechnics throughout the country.The applied skills component of the NDCE(Applied) is completed through the assessmentand recognition of appropriate work experienceand the practical application of skills. Most ofthe evidence required for this component iscompiled from on-the-job work activities.The theoretical and applied qualificationstogether provide a structured pathwayto registration as a Certified EngineeringTechnician through IPENZ, and AssociateMembership of IPENZ. The NDCE (Applied)can ‘staircase’ to the Bachelor of EngineeringTechnology and the Bachelor of Engineering.A number of people play a key role incandidates achieving this qualification, includingInfraTrain regional advisors who provide ongoingsupport and guidance to both candidatesand their employers. An assessor with industryexperience and a degree or diploma in civilengineering is assigned to each candidate soonafter enrolment.During the course of the diploma studies,mentors from the workplace provide supportand guidance in the compilation of workevidence. Supervisors or managers withindustry experience act as verifiers and confirmthat work has been completed and thecandidate ready to be assessed. The assessorthen determines if they are competent in thenecessary skills and knowledge and meetthe requirements of the qualification’s unitstandards, which also meet the requirementsfor IPENZ registration as a CertifiedEngineering Technician.Experienced or senior engineers can makea significant contribution to the learningprocess by supporting the candidateto successfully complete the diploma.Increasing the number of qualified civilengineering technicians through the NZDE(Civil) and NDCE (Applied) will in turn helpthe infrastructure industry to increase itspractical skill base and grow professionally.www.infratrain.co.nz24

5PATHWAYS AND CAREERSWork and Income Cadet ProgrammeThe Work and Income Cadet Programme wasintroduced in 2004 to support young peopleto make the transition from school to workand into sustainable long-term careers. Theprogramme is run in partnership with LearningState, the industry training organisation for thestate sector, and comes under the umbrella ofthe Modern Apprenticeship scheme.The programme provides a way for schoolleavers with few or no formal qualificationsto gain work, training and a career path.During the two-year programme the cadetsare usually placed in case manager rolesin Work and Income service centres. Theyare also encouraged to study towards twonational certificates in public sector servicesthat teach an understanding of the role ofgovernment and the public service, clientservice, effective communications, culturaldiversity, and career advice.Cadets are given the opportunity to bring theirown unique perspectives to the skills theylearn, and then move into more senior roles inWork and Income and throughout the broaderMinistry of Social Development (MSD).Work and Income employs more apprenticesthan any other state sector organisation. Since2004, there have been 258 cadets, most agedbetween 19 and 21; 31 per cent are Māori and22 per cent Pacific peoples.The cadetship programme is an excellentexample of an opportunity to develop newprogrammes and initiatives to help createbroader diversity within MSD staff, therebystrengthening the skills and experienceneeded to deal with the immediate needs ofNew Zealanders and develop the types ofassistance they may need in the future.Existing staff benefit from the cadets’enthusiasm and eagerness to learn, and thefresh ideas they bring to the organisation.The cadets themselves are excited by theopportunities at Work and Income. To quoteone of them, “If you have the chance to bea cadet, take it. It’s a truly awesome way tobuild yourself as a person and also to buildpartnerships within the Ministry.”In 2010 Work and Income will revise thecadetship scheme with Learning State. TheMinistry is now looking at ways to createpathway opportunities for the cadets acrossthe wider organisation to, for example,leadership programmes. This innovative cadetprogramme has already been recognised witha Work Place Diversity Award from the EqualEmployment Opportunities Trust.www.learningstate.govt.nz25

SECONDARY SCHOOLS6Industry training organisations are helpingto enhance career possibilities and raisethe profile of vocational learning byestablishing sector training pathwaysfrom secondary to tertiary education.The programmes give young people achance to sample particular industriesbefore choosing where to start a career orapprenticeship. They also demonstrate thevalue and importance of learning that is notspecifically geared to academic pathways.The future workforce of New Zealandis in our schools. Our young peoplecurrently perform at the highest levelson a range of educational indicatorstested by the Organisation for EconomicCooperation and Development. Thirtypercent of school leavers go on to studyat university but another 20 percent ofstudents underachieve and struggle tomake sustainable transitions into furthereducation or employment. However, allstudents will at some point look for workfollowing school regardless of their abilities.To bridge the gap between schooling,specific industry qualifications, andemployment, ITOs are forming clusters ofrelated industries to establish and publicisevocational education training pathways.Together the ITOs are working to developpackages of readily understandable andeasy to use sectoral pathways for schoolstudents. These contain a basic groundingin skills and knowledge relevant to a rangeof industries, and will provide visible andcredible vocational options for students.ITOs are working at ground level in schoolson vocationally-oriented career pathwaysin a variety of ways. Ultimately theseinnovative programmes will help studentsdevelop readily applicable skills for theworking world of today and the future.26

6SECONDARY SCHOOLSNew Zealand Careers RoadshowThe New Zealand Careers Roadshow providessecondary school students in rural areas with anopportunity to explore a variety of career optionexhibitions first hand. The roadshow is designedto fill the gap in the provision of practical,personal careers information and advice outsidethe main urban centres. The ITOs (led byATTTO) organise the events and the costs aresupported by the schools, ITOs, and providers.A similar event, the New Zealand CareersExpo, services the four main cities annually.However, for students of schools in ruralareas the cost of travel and accommodationusually prohibits attendance. The NZ CareersRoadshow targets remote rural regions,where over a 2-4 day period it visits a differentsecondary school each day. Students fromneighbouring schools are encouraged toattend the event at the host schools.The number of regions visited by thisroadshow has increased considerably fromits beginnings in Northland 15 years ago.Between March and September 2010 itwill visit Northland, Central North Island,Coromandel, the East Coast of the NorthIsland, and the West Coast of the South Island.Twenty-four different schools in seven areasof these regions will host the roadshow, with apredicted total attendance of 50,000 students.The scale and popularity of the CareersRoadshow was aptly demonstrated in March2010 when nearly 2,000 secondary schoolstudents attended those held in the CentralNorth Island region. They were organisedby the Aviation, Tourism and Travel IndustryTraining Organisation and held over threedays at a different school in Taupo andTurangi each day.Twenty-one industry training organisationsexhibited at the roadshow, along withother tertiary education providers. Careeroptions on show included agriculture,transport, forestry, aviation, tourism, buildingand construction, electrical trades, andhairdressing. Students from Years 9 to 13had the opportunity to talk with exhibitorsabout training and employment possibilitiesfor careers that interested them.Local iwi and school principals welcomedthe roadshow initiative as an easy andeconomical way to introduce potentialcareers to students. Regional mayors werealso enthusiastic about the chance forstudents to open their minds to the widercareer options the region has to offer.www.attto.org.nz27

SECONDARY SCHOOLS6ETITO Bright Sparks ProgrammeThe Bright Sparks programme wascreated in 2000 by ETITO – the industrytraining organisation for seven differentindustries, including electrotechnologyand telecommunications. The programmeaims to increase the pool of talented youngpeople available for employment and furthertraining in New Zealand’s hi-tech industries.Ten years later, the Bright Sparksprogramme continues to be a successfulway to foster the skills of youth who arekeen on technology careers. Such supportis crucial in the development of our nation’sfuture engineers, electricians, and computerprogrammers.Bright Sparks consists of three mainelements. Firstly, the National Certificate inElectronics Technology (NCET Levels 2 and3) provides a qualification pathway fromsecondary schools to tertiary institutions.NCET is currently available in 200 schools atYears 11, 12 and 13, with supporting juniorprogrammes. Secondly, the Bright Sparksinternet club encourages interaction anddiscussions with a popular blog for its 2000student members, which is supported byindustry mentors.The third part of the programme isthe nationwide annual Bright Sparkscompetition for recognising studentinnovation and excellence in electronics,software, and computer control. Thecompetition inspires youth to invent andcreate projects that are rewarded with greatprizes, and helps boost their confidenceand motivation for pursuing a future in thehi-tech industry.A recent research project surveyed a crosssection of participants in Bright Sparksto assess its effectiveness. The resultsconcluded that the programme is right ontrack with its aim of encouraging youngpeople to train and work in the hi-techindustry. The results found that the greatestinfluence in the choice of job or tertiaryeducation for the 19-23 year olds surveyedwas a passion for their vocation. Importantly,it was discovered that the majority of studentstaking the NCET aspect of the Bright Sparksprogramme continue on to tertiary training oremployment relevant to hi-tech industry.The Bright Sparks programme is successful indrawing young people into a community thatnurtures their passion and talents, connectingpeople of similar interests, mentoringtheir projects, and providing an outlet andplatform for their creativity to be seen andcelebrated by industry. Overall, it has provideda mechanism for opening doors for itsparticipants and created a useful pathway intothe hi-tech industry.www.etito.co.nzwww.brightsparks.org.nz28

6SECONDARY SCHOOLSBETA BConstructive ProgrammeBConstructive is an innovative, practical,multi-disciplinary programme for young peopleinterested in a career in the constructionindustry. It provides an introduction to theconstruction trades, and builds skills that canbe used across the whole sector.The BConstructive programme was developedby a group of construction-related industrytraining organisations known as BETA: theBuilt Environment Training Alliance. BETAincludes eight ITOs. The ITOs that are partof BConstructive are: the Building andConstruction ITO, Creative Trades ITO, theFlooring ITO, InfraTrain, the Joinery ITO and thePlumbing, Gasfitting, Drainlaying and RoofingITO.BConstructive is a hands-on qualificationprogramme that is primarily based in theworkshop and available through secondaryschools and tertiary training establishments.The course also develops literacy, numeracy,and communication skills, and has close linkswith the NCEA and Technology curricula.There are two qualifications currently availablein the BConstructive programme: the NationalCertificate in Building, Construction and AlliedTrades at Levels 1 and 2. These are offered atYears 11 and 12 in secondary schools, or atpolytechnics and private training institutions.The programme complements other schemesfor young people such as Gateway, careersand transition programmes, work experience,and Young Enterprise.Students who participate in the BConstructiveprogramme can go on to apprenticeshipsin a variety of trades, such as building,construction, plumbing, drainlaying,roofing, gasfitting, painting and decorating,infrastructure, flooring, and joinery. Theprogramme also provides a good foundationfor students to enter other related areas of theconstruction industry such as architecture,quantity surveying, and estimating.www.bconstructive.co.nz29

UNDER-REPRESENTATION7In the New Zealand labour market thereare noticeable differences in employmentoptions and wage levels between differentgroups, particularly between people ofEuropean descent and Māori and Pacificpeoples, and people born in New Zealandand those born overseas, but alsobetween men and women.For some of these groups there is also adifference in skill and qualification levels.Education and training programmesdesigned to meet the needs of a widerange of learners help address theseunderlying differences in skills andqualifications, and over time should helpaddress employment and wage differencesas well.Industry training organisations areworking with their industries to identifyany particular groups with specialtraining needs within their sectors. Thereare several ways they then work withthe sector to try to address the issuesinvolved.One type of work that ITOs do in thisarea is working with Māori, particularlyin areas where Māori are asset owners.In some of these industries Māori areover-represented in the workforce, butare under-represented in training andin management. Work is being doneto encourage and enable more Māorito participate in training in their chosenoccupations, and to create specificprogrammes that cover customary skillsand asset ownership.Industry training organisations also workwith new migrants and resident ethnicgroups to ensure that they have the skillsneeded to work in the local labour marketand that any international skills they mayhold are recognised. Targeted training inlanguage, work culture, and specific skillshelps new migrants integrate more rapidlyinto the labour market and can lead tobetter employment and social outcomes.Women are still under-represented in manytrades and industries, and their incomesacross the board are lower on averagethan those of men. Some ITOs are workingto encourage women to enter traditionallymale dominated industries, and to removebarriers to women taking part in training orentering the industry at all.Increasing the representation of specificgroups of workers in our industries is vitallyimportant for developing the diversity andeffectiveness of the wider New Zealandlabour market, particularly in light offorthcoming demographic changes.30

7UNDER-REPRESENTATIONInfraTrain Māori Training InitiativeInfraTrain, the infrastructure ITO, is at theforefront of the Te Puni Kōkiri initiative ‘Māoriin Industry and Trades Training’ aimed atstrengthening the skills and qualificationsof Māori across industries that offer thebest employment prospects. InfraTrain wasselected because of its strong track record andcommitment to progressing Māori within itsindustry. Expanding industry and trades trainingis essential to improving productivity and isbeneficial for both trainees and employers.The support of Te Puni Kōkiri is enablingInfraTrain to expand its existing work with newMāori trainees to help them gain industry skillsand qualifications. The ITO is also assistingMāori who presently work in the industry togain higher-level qualifications. There is also afocus on helping more Māori into leadershiproles in the industry. InfraTrain continues towork with schools to develop opportunitiesfor young Māori to enter the infrastructureindustry through the Gateway programme aswell.As part of the training initiative, InfraTraincommissioned a pilot skills developmentproject in Waikato that was hugely successful.The pilot has now been expanded into a yearlongproject providing support to 250 Māoritrainees in Auckland, Northland, Waikato, theEast Coast, and Hawkes Bay.In May 2010, InfraTrain awarded NationalDiploma Scholarships to eight Māori in the civilinfrastructure industry. The scholarships willenable employees to develop the skills andknowledge they need to reach their full potentialin their personal and professional lives.Speaking at the scholarship presentation,Hon Dr Pita Sharples said, “The real strengthof this programme is that it is tailored tomeet the needs of both Māori employeesand employers – ensuring it is flexible andpractical enough to succeed in the everydaywork life of those involved. Those receivingthe Scholarships are an example to all Māoriworking within the civil infrastructure industryof what can be achieved with hard work anddedication.”A significant and important proportion of thecivil infrastructure workforce is Māori, andwith targeted support and upskilling theycan play a vital role in planning, designing,building and managing industry projects.Current Government plans to invest heavilyin infrastructure will create more employmentopportunities for a highly skilled workforce.The InfraTrain initiatives will enable Māori inthe industry to develop their skills and ensurethey are ready to meet the challenges thefuture will bring.www.infratrain.co.nz31

UNDER-REPRESENTATION7Esito Women in Power ProjectThe Electricity Supply Industry TrainingOrganisation (ESITO) has been running athree-year responsiveness project looking atwhat barriers might exist to prevent particulargroups within the available workforce fromentering the industry, and what might causethem to leave it. They are also trying todiscover what might encourage and retaina more diverse workforce for the electricitysupply industry.ESITO has already carried out extensiveresearch, and conducted two case studies,into the factors affecting the attraction andretention of Māori, Pacific peoples, migrants,and women. Based on this work they havedeveloped three interventions for trialling inthe electricity supply industry, one of whichis to establish a dedicated cohort of femaletrainees within the line mechanic sector.Women are traditionally under-represented intrades occupations and creative approachesand solutions are required to change this.In 2006 women represented only 29% ofall industry trainees and 8.7% of the 9,466modern apprentices.After reviewing the initial findings of theresponsiveness project case studies,ESITO decided to take deliberate action aboutthe perceived ‘entrenched attitudes’ towardswomen in the line mechanic sector. The resultwas a scheme to sponsor a cohort of femaletrainees within two electricity supply companies.The supporting research and training costs willbe financed by ESITO in conjunction with theMinistry of Women’s Affairs.Three research questions have beenproposed for the project:• Is the fact that women who are in toolsjobs are isolated and don’t have sufficientpeer groups to support them, a factorlimiting women’s recruitment and retentionin tools jobs?• Is the H & S model used in the electricalsupply industry one that primarilyassumes a male worker, and does itsufficiently consider issues that mightaffect women relative to men?• What are the work-related attributes andqualities that are valued in ‘tools’ roles inthe industry in terms of a trainee’s ability tolearn and perform, and to what extent dofemale and male trainees exhibit these?A large number of women have alreadyregistered their interest in the recruitmentprocess. ESITO also has the support ofthe two largest contractors in the Aucklandregion, who have agreed to take on ninefemale trainees between them as part oftheir usual intake. The project is ongoing, butthe positive commitment from industry anda potential supply of qualified women linemechanics is encouraging for the future offemale representation in this trade.www.esito.org.nz32

7UNDER-REPRESENTATIONNzhito Pacific Foundation Programme in HorticultureThe New Zealand Horticulture Industry TrainingOrganisation (NZHITO) has developed specifichorticulture training opportunities for Pacificpeoples already resident in New Zealand, orwanting to migrate here, and those living inthe Pacific islands. The Foundation Programin Horticulture will enable Pacific peoples tolearn the skills necessary for employment in theindustry. It is hoped that the initiative will lead toincreased employment opportunities and helpimprove the productivity of the industry in NewZealand and participating Pacific nations.The overall Pacific strategy developed by theNZHITO aims to meet the future needs ofthe horticulture industry, develop enhancedlearning pathways between secondaryand tertiary education which lead to higherparticipation and achievement rates for Pacificlearners, and facilitate an innovative andintegrated training project within both NewZealand and Pacific nations.Following research into the employmentneeds of Pacific peoples and the workforcerequirements of the horticulture industry, theFoundation Programme in Horticulture forPacific trainees has been developed by theNZHITO. The programme is designed to givePacific candidates the opportunity to gainpractical skills and knowledge in horticulture,in preparation for further study and work inthe industry.The initial part of the foundation programmeconsists of four weeks theoretical classroomlearning, followed by four weeks practicalapplication of the skills learnt, including onthe-jobtraining at horticultural enterprises.This is followed by a 12-month placementin the horticulture industry with intensiveon-the-job training, supported by trainingtowards national qualifications and anapprenticeship or full time employment.The Ministry of Social Development isfunding the New Zealand foundationprogramme, on the proviso that mostparticipants do complete the trainingand gain full or part-time employment fora minimum of three months. The BestInstitute of Pacific Education Limitedwill deliver the employment preparationand personal development componentsof the programme. Sustainable PacificDevelopments Limited will assist withidentifying suitable candidates, networkingwith Pacific communities, and ongoingmentoring and support.Suitable horticultural businesses from arange of sector groups will provide traineeswith a practical introduction to the industryand on-the-job training opportunities.NZHITO will support graduates intoemployment in the horticulture industry andwith further training as a modern apprentice.33

UNDER-REPRESENTATION7A researcher has carried out an initialevaluation on the viability and effectivenessof the Pacific Foundation Programme inHorticulture. The focus group interviewedunanimously found the course beneficialand enjoyable. The training has increasedtheir skills and interest in horticulture and themajority were keen to continue in the industrywith jobs or apprenticeships.The NZHITO plans to extend the scheme tocater for Pacific people living in their countryof origin, where the foundation course will alsobe offered, followed by placements in theirown horticulture industry for further trainingand eventually permanent employment.Pacific graduates intending to come to NewZealand to live and work in horticulture eitheron the RSE programme or under the NZIquota system would also benefit from thisPacific based programme. Graduates withenhanced introductory level horticulture andpersonal skills will be work-ready upon arrivalin New Zealand.The foundation project aims to benefit peopleinterested in horticulture and contribute tothe horticulture industry in their own Pacificcountry or in New Zealand.www.hortito.org.nz34

8MANAGEMENTEffective business management is anecessary component of improvementsto New Zealand’s productivity rate.To compete successfully in the globalmarketplace, companies need to maximisethe abilities and performance of their entireworkforce from the top down. Successfulmanagement is a crucial factor in makingthat happen.A business requires skilled leadershipand staff in order to be efficient andproductive. Good management is essentialfor improving the development, use,and retention of the skills of their staff.Managers need to be able to identifythe skill requirements of employees andorganise the implementation of appropriatetraining programmes. Employees needto be shown the benefits of work-relatedtraining for their own future developmentand employability.Managers play an important role in creatinga positive and productive culture for theirworkers. They are also responsible forencouraging staff to be innovative andcreative in the way they work. Talentedworkers in a supportive environment areproductive and contented. Learning newworkplace skills motivates staff to producehigh quality goods and services and to beloyal to their firms.Organisations can improve theirperformance considerably when workplacetraining fits directly into the core purposeand strategies of the business. Anybusiness will have a diverse range ofworkers with different skills, and managingthem is the primary challenge formanagement in today’s workplaces.Training capable managers is a priorityfor industry training organisations. ManyITOs are currently engaged in researching,developing and providing managementdevelopment programmes for theirindustries. It is important that thesemanagement training programmes areled by their industries and focus on theneeds of individual firms. Enhancing theabilities and effectiveness of existing andfuture managers should ultimately leadto increased workplace efficiency andproductivity.35

MANAGEMENT8Flooring Industry Management ResearchThe Flooring ITO recently carried outcomprehensive nationwide research intothe key issues facing the performance ofthe New Zealand flooring industry and itsrequirements for successful businesses.They also investigated how the ITO couldassist in strengthening the businessmanagement of flooring firms.Project interviewees collectively identified sixcore requirements for a successful flooringbusiness:• A well developed understanding of theindustry and the options available todevelop a unique competitive brandpositioning for the firm.• A good knowledge of core businessmanagement principles as they apply tothe flooring industry value chain.• A clear understanding of product andservice costing processes and anunwavering commitment to sustainablyprofitable operations.• A consistent commitment to superiorcustomer service as a key contributor toprofitability.• A high level of technical expertise, flooringindustry experience, and commitment toconsistent product and service innovation.• Better processes to attract, develop,retain, and reward high-performing staff.The research discovered that currentindustry performance was deemed tobe only adequate overall. Areas needingparticular attention were identified as frontline sales and service, interpersonal skills,technical trade skills, financial management,and operations management.There was a consensus that well-designedand competently delivered training couldprove beneficial for all types of flooring firms.Such training would ideally be targeted,relevant, and practical. Local classroomtraining delivered in just one day would bepreferable, with individual mentoring andcoaching if necessary.The initial research recommended thatFlooring ITO develop a business capabilityenhancement programme for currentand prospective owner/operators asthe next stage in this project. A furtherrecommendation was that interpersonalcommunication skills are taught as part ofexisting flooring industry qualifications andapprenticeship schemes.The final recommendation from thisresearch is for retail flooring organisations toparticipate in a pilot programme to identifymanagement weaknesses, led by theFlooring ITO. The outcome would be used topromote the benefits of improving businessmanagement capability throughout theflooring industry.www.flooringito.org.nz36

8MANAGEMENTFarming to SucceedFarming to Succeed is the very popularleadership development programmespecifically created for the agricultureindustry, and offered by their industry trainingorganisation, the Agriculture ITO (AgITO).The programme encourages talented youngpeople to progress their careers within theagriculture industry.Previously known as Future Farmers, thecourse has recently been rebranded andexpanded, and is set to become a majorplayer in rural personal developmentprogrammes. Its specific focus is agriculturalbusiness success, but the value of personalachievement is also emphasised.Agricultural employers are encouragedto recommend suitable AgITO trainees ofany age to their AgITO Advisor. Courseparticipants are then chosen on merit to fill aspecific number of places.The intensive five-day practical courses areheld in both the North and South Islands eachyear. The programme continues to be facilitatedby Waikato farmer and business ownerGrant Taylor. Assisted by a strong network ofhighly motivated agribusiness people, Granthas delivered a structured programme ofworkshops, farm visits, guest speakers anddiscussion groups for the past seven years.Attendees are offered the opportunity toincrease their knowledge of successfulfarm business practices and agriculturaleconomics. They also learn the skillsnecessary to set business and personalgoals and improve their careers.Sponsorship by FIL New Zealand hasmeant places available in 2010 havedoubled, making this course available tomore applicants. An additional one-dayrefresher course is now also offered for pastparticipants thanks to FIL support.This inspirational course is designed tokeep talent within agriculture, make futureleaders in the agricultural sector aware of thepossibilities of their farming career, and startthem thinking about building sustainable,profitable businesses of their own.www.agricultureito.ac.nz37

LANGUAGE, LITERACY AND NUMERACY9To compete and prosper in the changingglobal economy, New Zealand requiresa more skilled workforce. Low workforceliteracy limits the ability of New Zealanders toincrease productivity, innovate, and to meetchanging customer and market demands.Workforce literacy describes the skillsneeded for effective performance in today’sworkplaces, including speaking, listening,numeracy, using technology, reading, writing,problem solving, and critical thinking.The ways workplaces and jobs areorganised is changing quickly. Newtechnologies, flatter organisationalstructures, and increasing health andsafety regulations are some of the factorsdriving up literacy, numeracy and languagerequirements for more and more jobs.The 2006 Adult Literacy and Life skillssurvey found that 1.1 million NewZealanders (43% of adults aged 16 to 65)have literacy skills below those needed toparticipate fully in a knowledge society. Over80% (800,000) of those people are in theworkforce.Literacy, language, and numeracy havebeen identified as priorities by governmentsfor the past five years. However, there isstill a need for a continued increase in thenumbers of employees accessing literacydevelopment.Further action is needed to raiseunderstanding and increase participation inliteracy development that meets the needsof the workforce and industry. Significantinvestments are needed to ensure thatworkforces are skilled enough to supportthe economic growth and competitivesuccess of their businesses.Industry training organisations are focusingon building the literacy skills of theirworkforces as a precursor to developingskills and gaining qualifications. ITOsare working in partnership with businessorganisations, unions, providers andcommunity agencies to tackle literacyproblems in the adult working populationfor the benefit of individuals, firms, andwider industries.ITOs are involved in projects which identifyand define the literacy skills needed forparticular trades, developing programmesthat embed literacy into workplaces andqualifications, and working with theirindustries to focus on literacy, numeracy,and communication.38

9LANGUAGE, LITERACY AND NUMERACYEmbedded Literacy – Careerforce ITOCareerforce has been working with thehealth and disability sector to embedliteracy and numeracy learning and nationalqualifications within on-site workplacetraining. The ‘Integrated Workplace LearningProject’ began as a TEC pilot in 2007, and iscurrently in its second phase. The aim of thisproject is to enable workplaces to developthe infrastructure necessary to ensure thatliteracy learning takes place as a natural partof on-site training.The project was designed to helporganisations support and strengthenemployees’ confidence in literacy strategies,and develop links between formalqualifications and workplace practice. Thescope of the project encompasses ‘literacy,language, numeracy and learning’ (LLNL) tobetter reflect the needs of the sector. Thefocus is on helping to build workplaces’capability and capacity to deliver the NationalCertificate in Community Support Services(Foundation Skills) (Level 2), as well as theNational Certificate in Community SupportServices (Core Competencies) (Level 3).The development of LLNL training initiativeswithin the health and disability sectorneeded to take account of both workforceand workplace characteristics. There was aclearly identified need for LLNL support forworkers, due to their low confidence levels inundertaking a formal qualification as well asrapidly changing needs within the workplace.Employees are often mature women withfew or no formal qualifications, and for manyEnglish is their second language. “Beinginvolved in the project has helped me tosupport employees to develop their verbal andwritten communication skills – they have learntto ask questions and critically think about whatthey do, how they do it, and how this supportsdiverse consumer needs.” (Iris, Trainer)The first phase of the project was a pilotfor building infrastructure and developinglearning resources that focused on the use ofworkplace trainers and external specialists.Since August 2009, the second phasehas focused on including the whole of theorganisation to create the ‘right’ environmentfor learning. The workplace and ITO learningresources and processes are then gaugedfor their effectiveness in helping to create this‘right’ environment.The project has resulted in a number ofpositive outcomes for the workplacesinvolved. Training teams within the workplacehave been established, consisting ofmanagers, trainers, assessors, and verifiers,who are working more closely together andtaking on the roles of mentors and coaches.The teams critically analyse their in-houseresources and processes as well as thequalification resources, in order to create acloser match between them, and a morebalanced training system. This initiativeenables workplaces to take a collaborativeand coordinated approach to supporting thedevelopment of trainees’ LLNL needs.39

LANGUAGE, LITERACY AND NUMERACY9The ITO is currently reviewing the languageof the assessment portfolios, has devisedfurther resources and processes to supportthe training teams, and has developed aframework of templates for the planningand implementation of on-site workplacetraining. The health providers delivering onsitetraining have played an integral part inthe development of this framework. “Thetemplates are great to help get a co-ordinatedapproach to supporting learning needs.”(CCS Disability, Abano Rehabilitation)A focus on the capability of workplaces and theITO to support LLNL and other learning withinqualifications has resulted in a closer integrationof qualifications and workplace practice.Ongoing effort is required from workplaces andthe ITO to fully understand and support on-sitetraining that includes LLNL.This project is already helping to createsustainable learning in health and disabilityworkplaces. Feedback from the sectorhighlights the positive effect of raising literacylevels, learning skills, and the morale oftheir workers.www.careerforce.org.nz40

9LANGUAGE, LITERACY AND NUMERACYPlumbing, Gasfitting, Drainlaying, and Roofing ITOuseful for existing employees consideringtaking up training, and for prospectiveemployees or apprentices wanting to knowwhat the job involves.Literacy Profiles provide more in-depthdescriptions of the literacy skills needed tocomplete job tasks. Employers use theseprofiles to work with employees to ensure theyhave, or are developing, the necessary skills.The profiles enable employees to understandthe literacy skills involved in their jobs andidentify those required for more formal learning,such as the theory side of an apprenticeship.The Plumbing, Gasfitting, Drainlaying,and Roofing ITO has been working withWorkbase (the New Zealand Centre forWorkforce Literacy Development) and industryemployers to produce workplace ‘Literacy onthe Job’ resources and ‘Literacy Profiles’ ofthe literacy and numeracy skills needed fortheir trades.This important literacy and numeracy projecthas been identifying those skills needed togain national certificates through distancelearning and block courses. Discovering thereading, writing, and maths skills required forqualifications and on the job means the ITOcan develop supporting materials for workingon those skills.Literacy on the Job describes the mainliteracy skills required in a job and howfrequently they are used. The resource isThe Literacy Profile for roofing, plumbing,gasfitting, and drainlaying is based on rolesin a number of companies. The profilerepresents a combined skill set. Individualswill have strengths and weaknesses acrossthe areas of workplace literacy described inthe profile. Tradespeople will also use differentcombinations of the skills identified dependingon the stage of their training, their workplacesystems and management structure.ITO Regional Training Advisors find theprofiles useful for working with school careersteachers, guidance counsellors, and studentsinterested in a career in the trades. Plumbing,gasfitting, drainlaying, and roofing tradesinvolve hands-on practical work, but theliteracy profiles show there are also significantliteracy and numeracy requirements.ITOs use the profiles when developingqualifications and writing study material withindustry experts. They allow the developersto match the content and demands of thequalification to the literacy skills required onthe job.www.ito.co.nz41

LANGUAGE, LITERACY AND NUMERACY9ATTTO Literacy Project for Aviation Ramp OperatorsThe Aviation Tourism and Travel TrainingOrganisation (ATTTO) is currently undertakingan embedded literacy project for their AviationRamp Operations qualification, with fundingfrom the Tertiary Education CommissionWorkplace Literacy Fund. The project hasbeen instigated to help aviation industrytrainees improve their literacy, languageand numeracy skills in the course of theirvocational training.ATTTO developed the new National Certificatein Aviation (Ramp Operations) (Level 3) in 2009.The qualification was designed to provideramp operations staff with the opportunity tohave their particular skills recognised with aprofessional workplace qualification. Airport‘ramps’ are where aircraft are serviced inbetween flights. Ramp operators are requiredto load and unload aircrafts, count, weigh andsort baggage or cargo, communicate witha range of airport and airline personnel, andcomplete forms and documentation.Ramp operations is a high-risk occupation andstaff need training to ensure they can performtheir work tasks in a safe and efficient manner.Research has indicated that a disproportionateamount of incidents and accidents in rampoperations are often caused by low workplaceliteracy due to English being the secondlanguage of many employees.The ATTTO embedded literacy projectinitially undertook a full analysis of the role ofa ramp operator and the tasks performed.Components of key duties were then splitinto the basic literacy skill groups of reading,writing, speaking and listening, numeracy, andcritical thinking. Tasks within each skill groupwere then categorised by frequency into everyday, on a fairly regular basis, or occasionally.As the project progressed it becameapparent that workbooks and other textbasedresources were unsuitable for theworkers studying for the Ramp Operationsqualification. Therefore ATTTO decided touse interactive activities in developing thelearning materials for embedding literacy andnumeracy skills. For example, they deviseda board game based on servicing an aircraftthat covers at least five unit standards.Working collaboratively with employers,trainers and trainees to embed literacyand numeracy into the Ramp Operationsqualification resources will help ensure thatthe aviation industry has employees who canfollow procedure, keep themselves and otherssafe, and confidently handle the broad literacyrequirements of their jobs.www.attto.org.nz42