Across the industries we represent, the common pain points relating to qualifications and recognition challenges include:
- Limited Recognition of Workplace Learning: The vocational education system has a limited ability to formally recognize learning and experience gained on the job in the MEL sectors, hindering upward mobility, transferability, and transparency of current skills.
- Barrier to Further Education Opportunities: The lack of recognition of workplace learning limits access to further education opportunities for MEL sector learners and employees, as gaps in recognized skills may inhibit their growth and development.
- Challenges in Prior Learning Recognition: While some formal recognition of prior learning and experience exists in certain areas, it is limited and challenging in the MEL sectors, exacerbating the skills recognition issue.
- Funding Limitations: One of the core challenges is the lack of funding for the formal recognition of prior learning and experience in manufacturing, placing a high burden on both learners and employers.
- Misalignment with Industry Needs: Some training programs may not adequately align with the evolving needs of our industries. This can result in graduates possessing skills that may not be directly applicable or relevant to the current demands of the sector, leading to potential mismatches between training outcomes and industry requirements.
- Length of time it takes to develop new and existing quals/programmes/unit standards: Industry stakeholders across the MEL sectors have expressed frustration and limitations imposed by the length of time it takes for an identified need to be actioned and delivered through training. And in several cases students are not work-ready when they finish their training.
What are the actions Hanga-Aro-Rau is taking?
Recognition of Prior Learning: Advocating within the VET sector for better support and recognition of the existing and prior knowledge, skills, and experience of the workforce thus facilitating pathways into further education and employment opportunities for manufacturing employees.
Informing Future Advice to TEC: Using advocacy efforts to inform future advice to the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), ensures the needs and challenges faced by the MEL sectors regarding skills recognition and pathways are effectively communicated and addressed.
Promotion of Training Pathways: Developing and promoting training pathways for the MEL sectors, highlighting current formal qualification pathways available, and working with the industry to identify improvements, improves awareness of various career pathways and opportunities, showcasing employer-school partnerships and collaborating with industry, schools, and the broader labour system.
Collaboration with TEC: Collaborating with TEC to ensure there is a strong industry voice in the development of careers website Tahatu and in the National Careers System Strategy and Action Plan. Enhance the alignment of training programs with industry need and improve the clarity of career pathways through our upcoming Vocational Pathways strategy.
