The Edge Foundation recently undertook a virtual study exchange with colleagues from New Zealand, exploring, among other topics, approaches to the school-to-work transition and employer engagement in education. Understanding New Zealand’s approach to these shared challenges presented some interesting perspectives on how the UK might adopt similar tactics in our own context.
Arthur Graves, a leadership coach and L&D consultant, outlined New Zealand’s attempts to improve the school-to-work transition over the past two decades, starting with the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA), which was introduced in the early 2000s. Aiming to expand access to senior secondary education, the NCEA provides multiple pathways for students by shifting purely from knowledge-based learning to recognising VET skills and competencies. Given that only 1 in 5 New Zealand school leavers complete a traditional university degree, this raises important questions about the relevance and value of these qualifications to young people and the economy.
To further tackle the challenge, and as part of its economic strategy, New Zealand implemented several tertiary and secondary initiatives in the 2010s. This included a Youth Guarantee Free Scheme, providing young people not in education, employment, or training (NEET) with free entry to tertiary education. Additional school-to-work initiatives included STAR (Secondary Tertiary Alignment Resource), which provides funding for schools to incorporate tertiary or employment-related learning into the curriculum – enabling them to offer university-level courses or industry-specific training. Another initiative, Gateway, allows students to engage in work placements as part of their school learning, earning credits towards their qualifications. Trades Academies have proved especially popular. These polytechnic or training organisation-led academies allow students to spend one or two days a week with a tertiary education provider, engaging in vocational courses while still studying at school. Trade Academies currently serve around 10% of the student body.
Underpinning these and other initiatives are clear vocational pathways that demonstrate to students how their studies connect to specific, real-life industries and jobs, and what qualifications they need to enter a profession. Those who achieve a certain percentage of their credits in a vocational area receive a vocational award. While these interventions have met with varied success, Gateway and Trades Academies have served as particularly effective pipelines into tertiary education. Three years after leaving school, for example, Trades Academy students show higher job retention rates than non-participants (46% compared to 21%).
Although not without hurdles, adopting multiple educational pathways has clearly improved links between education and employment for students, parents, and employers. Broadening the number of available pathways is contributing to a clear cultural shift away from university as the ‘jewel in the crown’ of New Zealand’s education system. A lesson here, perhaps, in avoiding a one-size-fits-all solution.
Edge also heard from Andrew McSweeney, who drew on extensive experience working in both industry and educational roles, including at Te Pūkenga, the New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology. He offered some key observations about how to bridge the gap between education and employment. First, he argued that educators – particularly in vocational education – should view both learners and employers as customers of the education system, taking time to understand and meet their needs so as to provide a satisfactory experience to both. For learners, this would mean delivering effective and fulfilling training, while for employers, it should mean delivering skilled employees with the relevant knowledge to meet current and future business needs.
With the hindsight of experience, he outlined his ideal vocational education system. This included advocating for the joint development of qualifications, with industry approval, ensuring that all qualifications remain relevant to industry. He also called for a faster lifecycle in developing and updating qualifications to keep pace with rapidly changing needs. For example, to obtain their qualification, current Electrical Vehicle Engineers must learn how petrol-driven engines work – an irrelevance for this qualification. Furthermore, McSweeney emphasised the need for a unified approach to education delivery, where all providers – including polytechnics, training organisations, and open universities – prioritise the most effective combination of learning methods for each qualification, rather than allowing funding incentives to dictate their teaching approach. This 'mode-neutral' strategy, as he called it, would ensure a more cohesive, student-focused educational experience. In addition, flexible, stackable credentials and reduced bureaucracy could engage a greater number of small employers.
McSweeney shared some examples to illustrate successful employer-provider partnerships. One of these is Mitre 10, a New Zealand hardware chain. The organisation has integrated vocational education into its career development strategy, with career maps in staff rooms, on-the-job qualifications and active training advisors who regularly visit stores to support and check in with trainees. McDonald’s has also bucked the global trend of relying solely on their internal McDonald's University, by embedding industry-recognised vocational credits into their training pathways, from entry-level to management qualifications. One thing is clear: qualifications remain important to employers as they represent a rigorous endorsement of a candidate’s skills and knowledge.
And we heard from Kathryn Rowan, Executive Director of Global Apprenticeship Network (GAN), who discussed its role in promoting apprenticeships worldwide. GAN works with global companies such as Nestle, UBS, Adecco Group, L'Oreal, and Buehler. She provided insights into apprenticeship programmes in various countries, flagging Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, and Austria as examples of nations making strides in this area. Furthermore, in 2023, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) adopted a new Recommendation on Quality Apprenticeships, aimed at supporting ‘opportunities for people of all ages to skill, reskill and upskill continuously’ in rapidly changing labour markets. To support this, the ‘Corporate Champions for Apprenticeships’ initiative was launched at Davos 2024. This aims to build private sector commitment to quality apprenticeships, in line with the ILO’s new recommendation.
While the cultural shifts that underpin changes like those in New Zealand are already underway in the UK, fully embedding new approaches and qualifications requires time and targeted funding commitment. With more rigorous, industry-approved qualifications, a customer-focused approach to learners and employers, and a unified, flexible delivery system, we can better prepare students for the evolving job market.