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Building connections between TEOs and schools

The connections between tertiary providers and schools are significant to encouraging students on to tertiary education. These connections need to be not just with Year 12 and 13 students, but right through from Year 8, when students start to make decisions about their subject selection, potential careers and tertiary options. In some areas, schools and tertiary providers are working at the local level to improve pathways and access to tertiary education. These initiatives involve aligning school curricula with tertiary programmes and building relationships between tertiary providers and local schools.

Improved career education

The implementation of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement, the growth of vocational education and training in schools, expanding tertiary pathways, and a dynamic labour market are presenting young people with increasingly complex choices. Ongoing access to quality individualised careers information, advice and guidance is vital to enable individuals to make informed educational, training and occupational choices and plan their transition from school to career throughout their lives.

Career education in schools lays the foundation for successful transitions to tertiary education. Career Services provides a range of services to both students and influencers from Year 7 to Year 13. In 2002, Career Services launched the Informed Tertiary Education Decision Making initiative, which aims to enhance the ability of potential tertiary students to make appropriate tertiary education related decisions.

Secondary-Tertiary Alignment Resource (STAR) scheme

The STAR scheme has been available to secondary schools since 1996, enabling them to purchase tertiary courses not conventionally available from schools. It is intended to help schools provide a smooth transition from school to employment and study, as well as improve retention in senior secondary schooling.

Over 130,000 students participated in STAR programmes in 2002. A review of the STAR funding in 2002¹ found that:

• there was some tension between the two aims of the programme – facilitating transition from school to employment or further study and improving retention at school
• schools were offering a range of courses, including industry-related, generic skills and courses to meet academic needs of students. The mix of course types varied between schools
• there were high levels of participation by Year 11 to 13 students in STAR-funded courses.

Gateway

The Gateway programme was launched in January 2001 to broaden educational options for senior secondary school students by offering them workplace learning opportunities integrated into general educational provision. It is available to decile one to five schools only.

In 2002, 1,162 students participated in Gateway and were placed across 50 industries. The six most popular industries were hospitality, automotive, retail, tourism, engineering and building. Students on the programme not only made greater educational gains, but also had improved attitude, behaviour and career development outcomes and were more likely to stay on at school. It provided them with opportunities to explore industry and careers interests, as well as gain qualifications. Twenty-two percent of 2002 participants moved on to full-time employment, including Modern Apprenticeships, and 65 percent carried on to further education and training. The latter figure is considerably higher than the overall proportion of school leavers going directly on to further education and training (48 percent of students who left school in 2001)².

One of the positive effects of Gateway has been the development of stronger relationships between schools and employers. Employers have benefited from exposure to potential employees and have also developed skills in training. Schools have benefited from greater interaction with employers and the workplace³.

Youth Training

Youth Training provides an option for young people to the age of 18, who have disengaged from school, to gain the foundation competencies required for further education and employment. Training includes a focus on literacy and numeracy, as well as work-related skills.

A total of 12,530 individuals participated in Youth Training during 2002. This was similar to the previous year. Forty-five percent of participants were Māori and 10 percent Pasifika. In 2002, 47 percent of participants moved into employment within two months of completing the programme and 24 percent into further education or training outside the programme.

¹ Vaughn, K and Kenneally, N (March 2003) A Constellation of Prospects, a review of STAR, Report to the Ministry of Education, New Zealand Council for Educational Research. (↑)

² Ministry of Education, New Zealand Schools Ngā Kura o Aotearoa 2002. (↑)

³ Tertiary Education Commission, Evaluation of the Gateway Pilot, Final Report, March 2003. (↑)

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• Table of Contents

• The Baseline Picture

• Cross Strategy Indicators

• Raise foundation skills

• Skills for our knowledge society

• Strengthen research and knowledge creation

• Te rautaki mātauranga Māori

• Pacific people’s development and success

• Capability and quality

• Technical and Data Definitions