VOCATIONAL PATHWAYS MANUFACTURING AND TECHNOLOGY CASE STUDIES

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1 Ministry of Education VOCATIONAL PATHWAYS MANUFACTURING AND TECHNOLOGY CASE STUDIES 1

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3 Contents MoE practice what they preach and help Lachlan reach his dream career.4 South Auckland companies get local students on board.5 World First has fuelled desire to learn.6 Checking out the talent..8 Peddling to his potential 9 Refining NZ gets students through its doors into the work place 10 Work placement taster becomes pathway to apprenticeship 11 Pasifika success story.12 More than one pathway to success.14 Vodafone offers pathways to future technology stars...15 Student turns to industry for education pathway Girls at Wellington East gear up for the future of IT Interest sparked, school and industry make it happen 19 Getting a taste of the automotive industry.20 School students building careers at Rayglass.21 Working here is awesome says young apprentice...22 Gateway to Entertainment Technician 23 Gateway to business owner and employer..24 NOTE: Consent to share these Case Studies is valid for three years from the dates marked. 3

4 Case Study 27, January 2015 MoE practice what they preach and help Lachlan reach his dream career It is one thing to implement a wonderful idea but it is another to promote it to your own colleagues and see it in action. When one of the senior managers in the Ministry of Education thought that the Ministry s Youth Guarantee Scheme would benefit an employee and would help him realise his dream, she told him so. One of the Ministry s Mail Officers, Lachlan Farquhar was encouraged to look into Vocational Pathways, find it on the website and use the scheme to help get the tertiary qualifications he didn t pursue once he finished school. Youth Guarantee helps young people get real life skills and qualifications and encourages them to choose a clear pathway to study or employment. The initiatives focus on the transition from study to work by providing a wider range of learning options such as Trades Academies and Fees Free places, and uses the Vocational Pathways framework to map assessment standards and qualifications to six industry pathways, connecting skills developed with those valued by employers. Lachlan left school with NCEA Level 3 and has sufficient credits for university but he wasn t inspired to move into tertiary study after school as he was over it. He worked for a couple of years in Wellington, first as a postie and then as a mail officer but recognised he needed the best of qualifications if he wanted to go further. I realised I couldn t progress to the job I wanted without additional training, he said. When I checked out the Youth Guarantee Scheme I discovered a whole range of options available to me. The scheme is so important. It helps people get ahead. It helped identify what I wanted to do and it will work for so many other people like me too. Lachlan originally wanted an engineering career in the navy, but it didn t come about. Thankfully, he didn t let go of his dream and now the Youth Guarantee scheme has helped him map out how he can get there. As a result Lachlan, who has just turned 20, will start a two year Electrical Engineering course at UCOL in Palmerston North this month. He has relocated with his parents and has applied for the diploma course at UCOL. If all goes according to plan Lachlan will receive a Diploma in Engineering Electrical and Electronics by the end of I ve always had an interest in power generation. Without electricity nothing works, power generates communities, he says. With that qualification he can apply for positions with energy companies specialising in power generation or electrical engineering firms anywhere in the country. Lachlan would not have known about the Youth Guarantee Scheme had his former colleagues not shared it with him. I m delighted I was told about it and pointed me in the right direction. I ll try my hardest to prove her right, he says. 4

5 Case Study 34, March 2015 South Auckland companies get local students on board Healthcare Logistics and freight company Ryders Customs & Forwarding are helping to open doors for young people in South Auckland by providing work placements and on-site experience for local school students enrolled in a new logistics course offered by the Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT). Warehouse Manager of Healthcare Logistics, Terry Hamilton, says that there are plenty of job opportunities and apprenticeships in logistics and he sees the company s involvement as not just a good community idea, but an important practical step to introducing students to his line of work. The distribution of goods is the blood flow of the global economy. It is growing and it s fantastic that MIT has established a specialised course to get future workers interested as early as school age. It would be good if more businesses adopted a student while still at school. The work experience is as valuable to them as it is to us, he says. Terry says that the company wants young people to see distribution and logistics as an exciting future work prospect which offers plenty of opportunity. This is especially true for the young people in South Auckland where the Healthcare Logistics warehouse is based. This is a way of getting them on board and showing them what is involved. I tell the students that the orders they are processing could go to their Mums or Grandmothers to keep them alive, that s the importance of the job. I make them understand that the job, even on a work placement, is a small but critical way of helping others. General Manager of Ryders, Mark Ryder, says work experience is an essential step from school to employment. Students help to load and unload, unpack containers, learn the structure and systems of logistics and often accompany the driver on the road. During their 12 week placement, Mark says students have discovered another world outside school, grown in confidence, got to know the job and its challenges and experienced what it s like to work in logistics. Students learn what it s like to handle the specialised goods. During the day they will unload containers, help with stocktaking, pick up a product from an order sheet, pack it into a box and label it and be part of the important checking system. MIT s Programme Leader, Vaughan Lovelock, says the course, which is part of a Manufacturing & Technology Vocational Pathway, was launched last year with a pilot programme for 19 students from four South Auckland schools. At the start of the course, students learn theory at MIT s campus in Otara to learn everything from stock management, transport types, freighting goods to theft and fraud in retail distribution. Students then get sent on work placements with firms such as Healthcare Logistics and Ryders to put their theory into practice. This gives students the opportunity to lift, pick, pack and place in the real world. The goal for the Year 12 students is 25 NCEA credits in a specialised field and a pathway to a career in one of the most important global professions. The end result from the pilot course has seen two graduates go on to a Logistics Diploma Course, one student placed in a supermarket position and 10 returned for a second year half logistics/half business course launched in The input from businesses has been hugely valuable to us, says Vaughan They have been very generous and have seen the big picture benefit of taking students into a profession which can be largely invisible. 5

6 Students: Janiel, Maretha Remo, Michael Media release: Vocational Pathways, supporting young people to get the qualifications they need December 2014 World First has fuelled desire to learn Otaki College and Clean Technology NZ A group of students from Otaki College are helping to make the world a better place. The students are learning to emulsify fuel to reduce harmful emissions and increase efficiency in diesel engines to help the environment. This is a world first. The students are working with Leigh Ramsey, from BFS (Blended Fuel Solutions), at the Clean Technology Centre in Otaki, to understand and develop a blended fuel comprising diesel, water and a magic additive. Now, two vans, a tractor owned by the college, as well as two commercial buses are running on the blended fuel. Students have learnt more than just the chemistry of mixing the right ingredients; they are being educated on what can be done to ensure a cleaner, healthier and greener future for New Zealand. The 28 Year 12 and 13 students from Otaki College who joined this NCEA accredited course did it to experience relevant learning and be inspired to study clean technology. Clean technology is an industry growing both locally and globally and when Otaki College Principal Andy Fraser heard about what BFS was doing at the Clean Technology Centre, he immediately saw an opportunity to get his senior chemistry students involved. Andy talked to Leigh at BFS about collaborating and within a matter of weeks the students applied their knowledge of chemistry to the hands-on fuel project. We have these amazing 6

7 minds and initiatives already existing in the community, so I needed to tap into them for our students, Andy says. This has given students the practical application they needed to make their learning relevant and inspirational and has put them on a pathway to the future. I have discovered so many creative opportunities in Otaki. I simply listened to the people and joined the dots, he says. Leigh comments that the young adults are growing up in a world of resource depletion and environmental concerns never before experienced in human history. Learning about these new types of world technologies offers them a greater understanding and a pathway to transition to them, he says. Youth Guarantee is a Ministry of Education initiative which gives year old students more learning choices in how they achieve their NCEA Level 2 qualifications. This is the minimum qualification a young New Zealander needs to progress to further study or work. Students participation in Otaki College s hands-on programme will earn them credits towards achieving their NCEA Level 2. They do this by using Vocational Pathways which relates a student s learning to a particular sector or industry. A student can choose from six Vocational Pathways: Services Industries, Social & Community Services, Manufacturing & Technology or Construction & Infrastructure, Primary Industries and Creative Industries. So in this case, students will be awarded a Vocational Pathway in Manufacturing & Technology. Otaki College s initiative with BFS offers students relevant, practical and industry focused education, helping them achieve the NCEA qualifications they need. The next stage is to extend this hands-on experience to other aspects of learning. Andy has found enthusiastic support from Sue Hurst, Strategic Projects Analyst with the Kapiti Coast District Council (KCDC) and Tina Sims, Chief Advisor with the Ministry of Education. Sue has been working on youth employment in Kapiti for 13 years while Tina works to expand the Ministry of Education s tertiary/secondary partnerships model through its Trades Academies. A successful Trades Academy is already up and running in Palmerston North where students from participating secondary schools spend a day a week learning a number of trades and earning credits towards NCEA Level 2. Many have successfully transitioned to apprenticeships, employment in the region or gone on to fulltime tertiary study at Ucol. Andy has visions for his students to learn from a Trades Academy based in Otaki but realises that it is one step at a time and in the interim, his school has teamed up with a secondary-tertiary network out of Ucol in Palmerston North. Ucol, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Kapiti Coast District Council and Otaki and Paraparaumu Colleges, will administer courses that have environmental sustainability as their focus. The courses, available to students from Kapiti secondary schools through to Manawatu College at Foxton, will provide automotive and carpentry tuition with an environmental flavour. For example, students have just completed their first course which taught them about alternative ways to build houses that are fully energy efficient. These opportunities are critical for young people in Otaki. It will give them enthusiasm for learning and will help them better engage in their own education, Andy says. Andy wants to see a Trades Academy based in Otaki sooner rather than later. He believes this is the direction the curriculum should take. He sees the value in polytechnics such as Ucol collaborating with secondary schools, designing courses and working with a revised curriculum. Having Youth Guarantee and the Ministry of Education support the tertiary/secondary partnerships is critical to helping us keep our students engaged and learning, he says. We need to see more of this happening. As for Otaki College, Andy s legacy is for it to be the energy college, a place where everyone is energised and leaves the gates with a pathway for life. And he also has a hobby horse or, more accurately, a hobby bike he would like developed. If students can learn to blend fuel, they can design and build an electric bike powered with recycled laptop batteries. They d be utilising the tools of maths, measurement and construction he says. It s time we brought back our can-do attitude and we can do it here in Otaki. 7

8 Case Study 59, June 2015 Checking out the talent Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) A collaboration between the engineering industry and Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) is a winning formula giving students and their potential employers a glimpse into the future. Certificate in Engineering students spend one day a week doing work based training with employers in the region. This gives students an insight into the industry and gives employers a chance to identify potential future employees. Cuddon Ltd is one of those employers and Chief Executive Officer Andy Rowe says the relationship works well. It s a good scheme. Some of it is wonderfully successful and some of it is not so successful but that s down to the individuals. Supervisors mentor students and give them real work to do. We don t want them sweeping floors, we want them doing real things where we can, building their skill base and knowledge. So they might be in a fabrication or a machine shop. By the end they ve done pretty well most of them, Andy says. One of the real benefits is you get to see the calibre of the kids that are going through the pre-apprenticeship training. The students see a wider view of what is involved but equally the industry sees those individuals and can make some reasonably well informed decisions about whether they d make good apprentices for us. One student hoping to follow this path to apprenticeship is Blenheim s Aidan Treston. The 18-year-old is doing the Level 3 Certificate in Engineering at NMIT and is looking forward to what lies ahead. The course is one year and it gets you ready for an apprenticeship. You go out on work based training at the end of the year and most guys get jobs at the end. Aidan s interest in engineering came from studying with the Trades Academy while in Year 13 at Marlborough Boys College under the Manufacturing and Technology Vocational Pathway. This meant one day a week doing engineering at NMIT s Woodbourne campus and four days at school. Before the Trades Academy he hadn t known what career path he wanted to follow. I didn t really know what I wanted to do when I left school so I gave that a try and really enjoyed it. Then I decided I d give the NMIT course a go, and I m really liking it. NMIT Aircraft Engineering Tutor Mark Snalam says students benefit from the hands on industry experience for a number of reasons. They see industry from a warts-and-all perspective compared to the relatively sterile training environment, he says. It gives them a sense as to what it is to belong to a working team and get first-hand knowledge from peers, mentors and supervisors. Students also get a taste of commercial reality - time is money - that is often hard to emulate within the learning environment. The students can practice skills in areas hard to duplicate at NMIT and they get to experience working in different engineering companies so they can make informed employment choices. We have had excellent support from Marlborough engineering companies, some of whom have gone on to employ students and get them started on their apprenticeships. 8

9 Case Study 4, September 2014 Peddling to his potential Otumoetai College Otumoetai College Year 11 student Kieran is on track for a bright future thanks to Vocational Pathways and BMX. The 15 year-old has been riding competitively since age four and has his eyes firmly on a place in New Zealand s Olympic team but he also has a clear plan beyond BMX. I m realistic and most riders are done by about 25 years old. My other goal is to study Engineering at University. The ambition was sparked in Year 10 when Kieran, who is of Ngaterangi decent, was nominated by his science and maths teachers for the BEAMS (Business, Engineering, Architecture, Medicine and Science) programme at Auckland University. BEAMS are interactive workshops, run by the Equity Office for Māori and Pacifica students across a range of faculties, including Engineering. Kieran says the University was clear on requirements. He needed to study math in Year 10, and both math and physics in Year 11 to qualify for a place. This requirement was the foundation for Kieran s subject selection in Year 11. Otumoetai College also implemented the Ministry of Education s Vocational Pathways this year. Vocational Pathways provide a clear framework for vocational options, supports better programme design, careers advice, and improves links between education and employment. Kieran says: Vocational Pathways has helped to formalise and finalise my aspirations of Engineering. I might specialise in Civil, but am still working on this part of my pathway. Deputy Principal Bruce Farthing says Vocational Pathways is an excellent innovation as a tool to initiate discussion with students. He says the College is using the Vocational Pathways profile builder in conjunction with academic mentoring and online progress reporting with great success. The profile builder is a tool which you can use to plan your study options. The Vocational Profile is another tool which then shows a student s record of achievement, a visual graph that shows learner achievement against the six Vocational Pathways - Primary Industries; Services Industries; Social & Community Services; Manufacturing & Technology; Construction & Infrastructure; and Creative Industries. Learners are able to identify their progress and identify where they need to raise their level of achievement when planning their courses and check course selections provide the pathways needed to achieve their goals. Farthing explains: We are seeing a marked difference on previous years. Staff are mentoring for engagement. Students are more engaged and focused. Students are asking better questions when considering their options and our careers advisors are booked out. With progress at the touch of a button all involved can see what needs to be done for students to achieve their goals. This is no small task in a school of more than 2,000 students. We are also getting great feedback from parents on how motivated students are. Kieran says he is on his way to achieving Vocational Pathway Awards in the Manufacturing and Technology and Creative Industries pathways. To achieve the Vocational Pathways Award, the learner must achieve NCEA level 2 with 60 level 2 credits from the Recommended Assessment Standards for a Vocational Pathways sector of which 20 must be sector related. Learners can achieve more than one Vocational Pathways Award if they complete more than one Vocational Pathway. Otumoetai College Year 11 student Kieran 9

10 Case Study 40, March 2015 Refining NZ gets students through its doors into the work place As well as keeping the country moving with petrol, diesel and jet fuel, New Zealand s only oil refinery and one of Northland s largest employers, Refining NZ, is giving local school students the opportunity to see what it is like on the job at its Marsden Point refinery. Students spend one day a week on site getting real-work experience at the refinery to complement their school study. Students are placed under the supervision of a qualified tradesperson. In the electrical department they service transformers and high voltage switch-gear, rebuild electric motors and fix plant lighting and electrical equipment. In the mechanical department they overhaul pumps and in the instruments department they service control valves, pressure transmitters and learn how to connect testing equipment. Refining NZ has been proactive in giving students these Gateway placements to help ensure it has longevity of a skilled future workforce. Oil is the country s fourth largest export and we supply all of the country's jet fuel, nearly 80 percent of diesel; around half of all petrol and between 75 and 85 percent of bitumen for roading, says Glenn Bowmar, Electrical Supervisor who manages the students on their work placements. All fuel oil for ships is refined here too. We make sulphur for farm fertilizer and even put the fizz (carbon) in your soft drinks. Students get to see the diversity of employment opportunities a company like Refining NZ has. Plus they are learning to how to cope in a dynamic and fast moving environment. Refining NZ employs more than 300 staff and for every job at the refinery, another two is created in Northland and a further six across New Zealand. We need people at all levels, from highly qualified chemical engineers right through to cleaning staff, says Glenn. We are right behind getting better training and experiences for our future workers, and this is one way of doing that. And it is not all about Refining NZ, there are 7, 700 related jobs in New Zealand s oil and gas industries offering students plenty of opportunity for future employment. But only if they know about it and ideally, if they have had some experience of it before they head to work. How would you really know what the opportunities are if you don t see for yourself? says Glenn. There is a stark difference between sitting in a clean classroom learning physics and math and then seeing how to those skills can be used in a practical way to achieve a tangible outcome. Glenn has students from three secondary schools, including Bream Bay College, Whangarei Boys High School and Pompallier High School, offering placements to those interested in a career in the sector. Students earn sectorrelated credits toward their NCEA qualification and can contribute towards a Vocational Pathways Award in Manufacturing & Technology. They also have a much better understanding of the opportunities available and skills required for this kind of employment. This year the company took on four apprentices to take its total tally of apprentices to eight. The refinery also partners with local contractors for apprentice-swaps so an electrical apprentice from the refinery gets domestic experience and vice-versa. As well as the Gateway and apprenticeship programmes, Refining NZ offers junior engineering students summer placements and works closely with tertiary institution North Tec and advises The Skills Organisation which works with industries to help people get the skills they need and the Industry Training Organisation. 10

11 Joel, Ann, Whetu, Connor Case Study 41, March 2015 Work placement taster becomes pathway to apprenticeship Refining NZ/Bream Bay College Connor Cooper is successfully pursuing a mechanical engineering apprenticeship at Marsden Point oil refinery after he got a taste of the work on a Gateway funded placement while at Bream Bay College last year. I was top of the class in PE but disengaged in other subjects like English and social studies because they didn t interest me, says Connor. Before the Gateway placement at Marsden Point Refinery I was thinking about becoming a personal trainer. But the refinery experience completely changed my idea of what I wanted to do. Once I started, I looked forward to that day of work rather than being stuck in my class at school. I was learning how to operate machinery and rebuild electric motors. Connor says that when the opportunity came up for an apprenticeship he was keen and following his real life experiences on the job, felt confident enough to apply. I knew what I was getting into. I think this is much better for me. Mum was over the moon and Dad was very proud too. Glenn Bowmar, Electrical Supervisor at Refining NZ, believes that students need to get their hands dirty to be able to make informed decisions about their future. How do you know you want to be an electrician, technician or mechanical engineer if you ve never been in a work place like Marsden Point? There is a stark difference between sitting in a clean classroom learning physics and math to using those skills and getting your hands dirty on the job at an oil refinery, he says. Glenn has been proactive in ensuring local students get to experience the opportunities available at Refining NZ, one of Northland s largest employers. 11

12 He has partnered with three secondary schools including, Bream Bay College, Whangarei Boys High School and Pompallier High School and offers fixed-term Gateway placements to students interested in following a pathway in the manufacturing and technology sectors. We make it clear from the outset this is not just a day off school and that it is as close to work in the real world as possible, says Glenn. Students go through a full induction and preemployment check with human resources as would any new employee. We work with the school and student to come up with deliverables at the start of the placement and work towards those. These might include working safely with electrical equipment and using cutting tools and machines. The work students complete is allocated as sector-related credits towards an NCEA qualification or a Vocational Pathways Award in Manufacturing and Technology. Refining NZ is a solid contributor to Northland's economy employing more than 300 staff, says Glenn. So opportunities for young people focused in a career in this sector, and particularly if they have had some experience, are ample. Refining NZ supplies all of the country's jet fuel, nearly 80 percent of diesel, around half of all petrol, between 75 and 85 percent of bitumen for roading, all fuel oil for ships, sulphur for farm fertilizer, and it even puts the fizz (carbon) in soft drinks. Case Study 18, November 2014 Pasifika success story St Patrick s College, Silverstream In their final year at school, twins, Nanumea and Te Pine are St Patrick s College students fast on their way to success. They have been achieving tertiary level credits while still at secondary school. And Te Pine has already secured a plumbing apprenticeship for next year. The brothers, of Tokelauan decent, are Year 13 graduates having achieved NCEA Level 3, thanks to hard work, interesting subject choices and time spent on the job. I wanted a solid plan for after school. I was worried about the future, says Te Pine. I went to the Careers New Zealand website and looked at the labour market and skill shortages. I identified construction and plumbing as a good starting point. As a result, Te Pine, with the help of his career advisors adjusted his subject choices to fit this sector and he interviewed and got applicable work placements. He did a combination of domestic plumbing as well as two weeks on a large, commercial construction site. All which earned him credits. It s what I expected and it s confirmed I d like to do plumbing in the future. It s not like being at school there is no one chasing you. It s up to you to make your placement a success. It made me want to come to school. I wouldn t have tried as hard otherwise, Te Pine says. Te Pine could choose subjects related to plumbing through the school s partnership with the Plumbing Industry Training Organisation. All of this means that he is set up to earn a Vocational Pathways Award in Construction & Infrastructure. This shows that he has linked his school work with the industry he is interested in and where he wants to work in the future. Nanumea started with his work placement in Year 12 and with support from the school, he followed his interest in muscle cars. He secured a spot at G & H, a private training provider in Petone, doing an automotive course, all the while earning NCEA credits. He had a go at panel beating and mechanics and as a result of what he learnt, Nanumea plans to do an automotive course at Weltec next year. He wants to secure an apprenticeship too. 12

13 Rector Gerard Tully says that work placement offerings and tailored curricula which include a wide and more relevant choice with better links to industry is helping keep students at school longer. Research shows the longer students stay in education, the more success they will have in life. Gerard also says that these non-traditional choices make no difference to the students experience of school in the pastoral sense: Camaraderie is an important part of this school. Students are proud to be Streamers. The guys that do the Trades Academy or work placements are still part of the school. They can play rugby for the school team and go to the Year 13 Ball. There are not many New Zealand schools more steeped in tradition than Silverstream s St Patrick s College but to stay relevant, Gerard says the way boys are educated must change, especially when targeting better results for Pasifika students. As a school we ve identified the need to raise Pasifika student achievement and we are working hard to address this through curriculum offerings. We are supporting Pasifika families to see how the system can work for their children because we know parental involvement is key. Gerard believes another key to success is relationships. You need to treat people differently to get the same result. Research shows us that strong relationships between teachers and students improves learning outcomes. Gerard believes this is particularly important for Pasifika students. What I have found, is if students get on with their teacher, respect that teacher and know that that teacher cares and wants the best for the student, we will get better results. It s about knowing your learner, creating a respectful relationship, and understanding motivations, he says. Te Pine Nanumea 13

14 Case Study 58 More than one pathway to success Trade Me and Workchoice Trade Me Jobs Marketing Manager, Fran Bellingham, has been talking to students about her career pathway into one of New Zealand s most successful companies. It s great to be able to let students know there isn t just one pathway to success. Some students learn differently like me, the traditional education system doesn t suit everyone. I needed to be hands-on and found success learning on the job. My career path started in radio after a short course straight from school. Fran relates her story to students visiting the organisation as part of the Earn and Learn programme run by Workchoice Trust, a charity that focuses on youth employment by bridging the gap between schools and businesses. The programme tells students about opportunities in apprenticeships, cadetships and trades, and explains how they can successfully prepare for a variety of entry-level roles. Fran recently opened the eyes of 20 students from St Catherine's College and Hutt Valley High School to the opportunities out there. One of the accompanying school teachers said that the students were impressed by the variety of backgrounds that Trade Me employees came from. Trade Me will also be hosting teachers as part of Workchoice Teachers Day, which gives educators a fresh look at the world of work. It emphasises the need for better industry knowledge and understanding to be incorporated into the classroom. Amanda Wheeler, Workchoice CEO says while there are some exceptions, most high schools have a strong focus on academic results rather than career and employability knowledge or transition experiences and connection with the world of work. The result can be unprepared future workers. Many young people have no idea how to market themselves successfully and little understanding of the recruitment process. They don t know about skills shortages, employability skills and may not realise what one job can lead them into, says Ms Wheeler. Fran agrees: Today s job market is dynamic. There are many jobs now that simply didn t exist 10 years ago. Many organisations have a strong focus on hiring people who fit the business culture and are passionate about what they do - both at work and outside it. It s not always about what qualification you ve got but your attitude and experience that is key." Trade Me Jobs Marketing Manager, Fran Bellingham 14

15 Case Study 45, April 2015 Vodafone offers pathways to future technology stars Vodafone is taking a proactive approach to developing future technology talent with a new twist on its apprenticeship programme. The company will be offering eight full scholarships for a technology-based Level 5 or 6 Diploma or Certificate to school leavers who have completed their NCEA Level 2 with Maths, English and a Science subject. The selected students will be sponsored for two years of full time study, which will include at least one day a week on the job at Vodafone. To prevent them learning in a vacuum, students will combine their study with time spent in the workplace at Vodafone, says Anton Pienaar, Learning Partner for Technology within Vodafone s Learning and Capability Development team. This gives them a chance to gradually understand the culture of the company, learn how to conduct themselves in the workplace and gets them thinking about which part of the organisation they have an interest in. We think there is a better chance of young people succeeding on a telecommunications pathway this way. Once they have completed their study, the eight students will be placed in an apprenticeship position for a year, rotating around various Vodafone teams. After this, they will be offered full time permanent positions at Vodafone. The company is also exploring options of pathways to university for the scholars. Identifying young school leavers for the new scholarships will be done collaboratively with the industry training organisation, The Skills Organisation, various teams at Vodafone and sensibly leveraging all available channels. Our programmes are aimed at young New Zealanders who may not have had the opportunity to take a conventional pathway into the world of business, says Anton. We want to uplift these students and we want to open the door to technology as a career, particularly for young women, and prove that it is accessible regardless of your background or circumstances. We value what young, energetic people bring to Vodafone, says Anton. They bring new ideas, trends and it is good for our managers to mentor and coach above their business-as-usual roles. It is very encouraging to see how the students grow and develop from their experience at Vodafone. It s amazing to see the difference between a school leaver on the first day to six weeks on. Their confidence builds and they are able to contribute so much more in a fast moving corporate environment. Kirstin Te Wao, Diversity Lead at Vodafone New Zealand says: Bringing young people into our business is beneficial for so many different reasons, sustainability of our workforce and innovative thinking are two that immediately come to mind. This also supports the goal of the Vodafone Foundation to engage young people in meaningful learning. As well as building our technology talent pipeline, it s a great opportunity for us to increase the diversity of our workforce by recruiting students who are female, and/or of Māori and Pasifika descent in an effort to reflect the demographic of Aotearoa today and what our customers want. Vodafone s new scholarship programme follows on from its previous apprenticeship scheme where students were offered a two-year apprenticeship position during which time they also had to complete their Level 3 National Certificate in Communications. Vodafone ran this programme for two years, starting in 2013 with twenty school leavers. 15

16 Case Study 47, April 2015 Student turns to industry for education pathway Nineteen year old Auckland man, Faleola Fale Faingataa, opted for the path less taken when he chose an apprenticeship at Vodafone over his university education. And his decision has led to success. Only 18 months into his apprenticeship, Fale is working as a release and deployment manager and has won the telecommunications industry award for Apprentice of the Year due to his rapid assimilation into Vodafone and his contributions thus far. Following Vodafone s rigorous apprenticeship selection process early last year, Fale received the acceptance call from the company on the same day he got acceptance calls from two universities. I was shocked Vodafone had chosen me, says Fale, and then thought I would sit on the fence because since Year 9 I had wanted to go to varsity. But I surprised myself by saying yes immediately. Choosing Vodafone meant I could learn and earn at the same time and it meant that I wouldn t start my working life with a student loan. Fale also explains how his family; Mum, Dad and five siblings; were initially confused and asked lots of questions. In the end they were supportive. Dad always wanted me to go to university but he could see the benefits of heading straight into business. Since starting at Vodafone in February last year, Fale has been completing his Level 3 National Certificate in Telecommunications which he will finish by February He has also worked in four different areas of Vodafone. These include Business Intelligence, where he analysed customer data, and System Testing where he tested systems following app or iphone updates. Fale believes he is particularly suited to his current role as it gives him more responsibility and he responds well to that pressure. I have to ensure that any changes or updates are incorporated into all Vodafone systems the website, any back office functions overnight. I have grown up a lot in a short time, says Fale. I am working with professionals who expect a lot from me. In ten years time I see myself as a senior manager at Vodafone, he says. Which means Fale would have come a long way from his state junior school in South Auckland and his scholarship at King s College, to end up exactly where he wants to be in the world of business. Fale is one of twenty apprentices accepted by Vodafone over the last two years. This year, the company is offering up to eight full scholarships for a Level 5 or 6 Diploma or Certificate. Identifying the students will be done collaboratively with an Industry Training Organisation (SKILLS.org) and various teams at Vodafone. Our programmes are aimed at young New Zealanders who may not have had the opportunity to take a conventional pathway into the world of business, says Anton. We want to uplift these students and we want to open the door to technology as a career, particularly for young women, and prove that it is accessible regardless of your background or circumstances. Kirstin Te Wao, Diversity Lead at Vodafone New Zealand says: Bringing young people into our business is beneficial for so many different reasons, sustainability of our workforce and innovative thinking are two that immediately come to mind. This also supports the goal of the Vodafone Foundation to engage young people in meaningful learning. Faleola Fale Faingataa 16

17 Case Study 22, December 2014 Girls at Wellington East gear up for the future of IT Wellington East Girls College Connaire, a Wellington East Girls College Year 12 student, is challenging her own stereotype. She is a bright, young women predisposed to studying law or commerce, but after a life changing school trip this year, she is now focussed on a future in ICT. Connaire was one of 39 Wellington East Girls pupils who visited Silicon Valley and Seattle in the United States earlier this year on a trip designed to counter the computer-nerd myth and to show students what a real job in the ICT sector actually looks like. It s all very well to hear in class about how the ICT industry is huge and that there is not many woman in ICT roles, says Connaire. But you get another level of understanding by actually visiting Facebook and Google. Now I know what is really out there. The trip was arranged to inspire young female students to consider ICT as a future career and to encourage them to plan their studies to that end. Using the Ministry of Education s Youth Guarantee Vocational Pathways tools students are able to choose a combination of subjects, which will help them be better prepared for further study or work in a specific industry like ICT. Head of Digital Technologies and Computing at the college, Cris Roughton says: There s been a high level of excitement since we ve returned and that has had a huge impact on engagement. You can give students the means to pursue a career in ICT but first they must actually want to go down that pathway. The trip was successful in showing our girls how dynamic the industry is, and how varied. The group experienced firsthand what it s like to work for Google, Facebook, Microsoft, DreamWorks, Boeing and Adobe. Not only did they get high level information and tours, but they got to talk freely with employees even over lunch in the canteen - to get a real understanding of what the day-to-day work involves. According to the industry, New Zealand is struggling to meet the demand for IT experts and is importing foreign expertise to meet this shortfall. Initiatives at the school level, like this one, will help ensure that New Zealand is cultivating the high degree of digital literacy it needs for the future. Intergen, the information technology development and design company, helped sponsor the college s Silicon Valley trip in the hopes of encouraging further students into the industry because it too is finding it hard to source the right talent as it rapidly grows. Intergen New Zealand s Director of Solutions and Services, Emma Barrett says: We are taking on 15 graduates next year and would increase that if we could get more with the right skills. Emma says when it comes to encouraging new talent into ICT careers, the industry needs to start younger and do more. We need to help build a self-sustaining work base that supports an industry set for untold growth. We need to encourage our young talent to choose a career in IT by showing them how rewarding it can be, and bringing to life the opportunities available. Emma s own path into ICT was more by good chance rather than good planning. I was doing a business degree at Otago papers in marketing and economics. I didn t consider IT until a friend recommended INFO101. It fitted with my timetable, and turned out I really liked it. Connaire says that the trip to America has made her think carefully about her career and she has now developed a study map to help her better plan for her future. She will be following the Vocational Pathway for Manufacturing and Technology. It s definitely got me to hone in. I ve used the Careers New Zealand website to help me work out what I need to do, like subjects where I will learn to write code or do programming. If I could do Commerce or a Computer Science Degree with cross over to creative papers that mix would be my ideal. Cris agrees: These girls can now better influence their own futures. They know what qualifications they need and that if done right, there is an amazing future ahead of them. 17

18 Connaire Wellington East Girls College 18

19 Case Study 11, September 2014 Interest sparked, school and industry make it happen Bream Bay College One Tree Point teenager Marco knew university would be a waste of money for him. He was over school, and knew he wanted to do practical hands-on learning. When his mate secured an apprenticeship with an electrical firm after taking part in Bream Bay College s Gateway programme, Marco s interest was sparked too. I approached the Gateway co-coordinator and was set up with Laser Electrical too. I went to work every Monday over five months. I really enjoyed it. I d always thought it would be a useful trade. I turned up on time and was tidier than I had ever been. The people at Laser treated me like a first year apprentice. I got good feedback, they said I made a good addition to the team and I really liked the people who worked there. This was a great way to see what working is really like. It was good to do it with the support of school because they check up on you. It s nice to have someone keep you on track especially with paper work and where you are up to with credits. I did my first aid, and health and safety hazard identification credits through school as well. When the placement ended I asked if there was an apprenticeship opportunity and they agreed to take me on. I start at the end of the school year. Marco has achieved NCEA Level 2 with a Vocational Pathway in Manufacturing & Technology - the qualification considered as foundational for success in further education and work-based training. The credits also align with what is necessary in the first year of an electrical apprenticeship, so he is well on his way to a bright future. He also completed the Gateway placement unit package supplied by Skills.org.nz, and he achieved the Electro technology 101 certificate - the first student in New Zealand to achieve that this year. Gateway programmes are aligned to Vocational Pathways. Vocational Pathways provide a useful tool for course planning to provide cohesive learning options that are recommended by industry. General Manager for Laser Electrical Whangarei, Ryan Trigg, says they have had only positive experiences with the students sent their way. We are always on the lookout for new apprentices. Generally we take a new one every year and have two or three placements. If the students are any good, we look at taking the next step. We have a couple of the guys trained up as assessors. It s up to the students to fill out the paperwork and if they do the job well and learn onsite, we are happy to sign off their credits, says Ryan. Bream Bay College Co-coordinator, Gina D Ath says the school puts 48 students through the placement programme each year. It is an awesome taster for students to experience industries they may not otherwise have the opportunity to experience. We have a small community but some big industry players such as Marsden Point Oil Refinery and NIWA s landmark Bream Bay Aquaculture Park. Our goal as a school is to work with industry to keep improving the links between education and the workforce. A lot of that work is understanding what each of us is doing, and meeting needs, says Gina. Bream Bay College student Marco 19

20 Case Study, August 2016 Getting a taste of the automotive industry UCOL s Trades Academy - U-Skills Getting a taste of the automotive industry before leaving school inspired Maarten to carry on his studies with UCOL Wairarapa and enrol in a Certificate in Automotive Engineering Level 3. Maarten started his journey through the *STAR programme in 2011/12 going on to USkills in During 2014 Maarten completed an Automotive course through UCOL s Trades Academy, U-Skills, which he says gave him the opportunity to have real experiences in the real world. I had a great experience working one day a week in the year leading up to my full time study, so in 2015 it was an easy decision to further my qualifications with UCOL, he says. Maarten appreciated the assistance from UCOL Wairarapa s support staff while he studied. I found the support at UCOL amazing. I have some challenges with learning and did not feel at all disadvantaged; the support staff were always ready to help me and regularly checked on me to see if there was any way they could help me. Maarten also enjoyed the upbeat culture of UCOL Wairarapa, saying his tutors always had a joke up their sleeves to make the class laugh. Never having a dull moment and always learning something new was a highlight for Maarten. I enjoyed every day and learned a lot during my time at UCOL, he says. After completing his Certificate in Automotive Engineering at the end of 2015, Maarten quickly secured an apprenticeship with JP Motors in Masterton. Getting the job was much easier with the qualifications I gained at UCOL Wairarapa, he says. Maarten is thankful to his tutors for pushing him to achieve his goals and says they played a big part in his drive for success. My dream job is to run my own garage. UCOL has helped me to get a lot closer to my goals. Maarten 20

21 Case Study, September 2016 School students building careers at Rayglass Howick College students Nick (17) and Jayden (16) are building what they hope will be bright careers at New Zealand boat manufacturer, Rayglass Boats. The pair spend their first two days of each week learning a wide variety of practical skills at Rayglass Boats in Mt Wellington. These two students are the first to take advantage of a new School to Work programme. We were keen to give Nick and Jayden the opportunity to experience and learn as much as possible while they are with us, says Rayglass CEO Dave Larsen. We have given them one of our 8.5-metre Rayglass Legend 2800s to restore. At the moment, they are responsible for completely stripping the boat (taking out the electronics, the upholstery, even the engine), he explains. Then they will rejuvenate the boat inside and out, add the new engine and fittings and complete a totally restored as new pleasure boat for one of our customers. Nick and Jayden, who both grew up around boats and love boating, say they can hardly believe their good fortune. I was looking to get into a trade but nothing really interested me, says Nick. Then this opportunity came along and it is just fantastic. I love coming to work each day and I am learning so much. Jayden, who built a boat with his father while growing up, agrees. Both say they are keen to take up the offer of a boatbuilding apprenticeship with Rayglass when their School to Work programme finishes at the end of the year. Dave Larsen is equally enthusiastic. Our business is booming and we need more staff, he says. However, it is often hard to find the right people: people with a good attitude, who love boats and are passionate about what they do. Nick and Jayden tick all the boxes they are even getting up at 5am to get here on time. Nick and Jayden were introduced to the School to Work programme and Rayglass Boats by Tracey Eaton, the Schools Transition Advisor for the NZ Marine & Composites Industry Training Organisation. School to Work is a great Tertiary Education Commission initiative that allows students to earn credits (to contribute towards their Level 2 or 3 school and apprenticeships) while they are gaining work experience and learning new skills, she says. We know Kiwi boat builders like Rayglass are looking for new staff so we find suitable students, develop an individual learning plan for them and, if it all works out, help them transition into a full time role as an apprentice. Dave Larsen believes both Nick and Jayden will comfortably make that transition and could be with the company for a long time. Most of our staff has been here for 10 years or more and many, like me, started at Rayglass as apprentices. Once they are here full time, we will look to move Nick and Jayden into some sort of leadership role, probably over-seeing the next group of students in the School to Work programme. Nick (17) and Jayden (16) 21

22 Case Study, November 2016 Working here is awesome says young apprentice Apprentice mechanic Caleb always wanted to work with cars, and says he is lucky to be where he is today, doing an apprenticeship with K.B. Ford in Dannevirke. Caleb says it was through doing work experience with the business, thanks to the Gateway programme he began in his last year at Dannevirke High School, that he was offered the apprenticeship. I was placed here getting experience and I loved it so much I even started coming in during the school holidays as well. When it got near to the end of school, I came and saw John Clarke who is one of the partners in the business, and asked if there were any opportunities for me. He said yes, I ll sort something out, so here I am. Caleb, who has now been with K.B. Ford for three years, will finish his apprenticeship early next year and says he wants to stay with the company. The guys here have really helped me; the environment here is great, and there s heaps of support if I ever get stuck on something, there is always someone here to help me. I m really lucky to be where I am, and I m lucky to have a job in Dannevirke that s close to home. I know people who travel to Palmerston North or Hawke s Bay just to get work. I only live five minutes out of town so it s nice and close. John Clarke describes Caleb as a good young man with the right attitude. Caleb will develop in this industry because the key thing is he is passionate about it. Being a mechanic these days is more than just doing servicing and doing oil changes, today they have to be able to update software and a lot more. Apprentices these days also have to be interested in the core industry they re involved in otherwise they won t stick at it. John should know, as over the years he has had a few people that have not worked out; however he has no doubts about Caleb and his enthusiasm and ability. You need someone like Caleb who comes in and gets up to speed fairly smartly. That s why we do a bit with the Gateway programme through Dannevirke High School. You tend to get a good feel for how the kids take to the industry and the skill set they potentially have. Caleb says he is lucky to have got the opportunity to work for John, and describes him as the best boss anyone could wish for and someone who really looks after you. Now I just want to learn all I can to help other young people in the future, like the boys that have helped me here, I want to help others who come along in this industry and share my knowledge with them. 22 Caleb

23 Case Study, December 2016 Gateway to Entertainment Technician Avondale College Budding lighting designer Jack Hooper s first introduction to stage lighting was in year 12 at his school, Avondale College. I remember looking at this amazing lighting console with all the flashing lights and realising this is what I want to do. The lighting makes or breaks the show, says Jack. By chance a teacher at the school introduced Jack to the Gateway Course where he was able to spend 1 day a week over 10 weeks at Oceania Productions, New Zealand s largest production company. It was a perfect match. As part of the Gateway Course Jack was also trained in First Aid and Working at Heights. These essential courses later allowed him to easily transition to Rope Rescue and Elevated Working Platforms. With work experience under his belt he was hooked. Throughout Year 13, Jack continued working part time during the holidays helping pack in and pack out various shows at the Q theatre in Auckland. With school finished and having proven himself within the Gateway Course, Jack was offered a full time position at Oceania, part of the NW Group of companies, Australasia's largest technical solutions company. This has allowed him to get hands on experience across a range of lighting services including theatre, corporate events, concerts and dance parties. Variation is the key for me to learn as much as possible. At Oceania I have mentors who are helping me to learn about the latest technical innovations, teaching me how to operate lighting consoles like the Hog 4, and how to use the best CAD software to design and plot gigs, says Jack, as he thinks just how far he has come in such a short period of time. The hardest part of the job so far is not even the job itself, which he loves, but rather managing the long hours, fatigue and time away from family and friends. But all of that fades away when he is out on projects as diverse as dance parties with the best DJ s in the business, TV Shows at Māori TV and the musical Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Jack explains, In the future I want to do LED screens and Vision systems as well as lighting, as the line between the technologies is becoming more and more blurred. I also want to gain a New Zealand Certificate in Entertainment and Event Operations (Level 3). This is the first technical qualification of its kind offered in New Zealand, which will be released in early 2017, and will be recognised in Australia, the UK and in America. Jack is also looking at working with one of the other NW Group companies in Australia and having a British passport means adventure beckons. There is no doubt that with the skills Jack is learning within the NW Group he will be able to follow his dream to design and operate lighting and vision systems for large scale dance parties and concerts all over the world. Jack Hooper doing what he loves 23

24 Case Study, May 2017 Gateway to business owner and employer Francis Douglas Memorial College Adam Leathem had to talk his teachers into letting him do the Gateway programme at high school, but his persistence has well and truly paid off. At just 26 Adam is a business owner and an employer and has goals to expand his New Plymouth metal fabrication business Spark. Back in 2007, Gateway was in its early stages and was targeted at giving year 13 students career options in their final year of school, but Adam, a year 12 student at Francis Douglas Memorial College, was already focused on his future and wanted to get out and experience the working world. I was at the stage where I knew school wasn't really for me, I knew I wasn't going to go to uni, and I wanted to do a trade, Adam says. The school hadn't had a year 12 student on Gateway before, so I had to talk them into letting me do it. Talking his teachers around Adam became the youngest student on the programme and had work placements arranged at Steelfab Limited and McCurdy Engineering, doing the boy's jobs of measuring, cutting, and drilling holes in brackets, while also doing a welding course at school. He quickly impressed and, just six months into the Gateway programme and only 17 years old, was offered an apprenticeship at Steelfab. I loved the job and the work involved, and the people were great to work with as well, he says. After almost four years at Steelfab, Adam completed his apprenticeship and gained the National Certificate in Engineering Fabrication level 4. Eager to learn more skills and try something else, he spent the next few years working in the oil and gas industry in New Zealand and off the coast of China and Australia, doing work such as seismic surveying and drilling. With the industry starting to slow down, Adam decided to return to his roots and set up an engineering business in New Plymouth. I had mates out on their own doing the likes of building and plumbing, but no one in my age bracket was doing engineering, so I decided to give it a go, Adam says. Spark Metal Fabrication Ltd was born in November 2015 and specialises in stainless steel and aluminium fabrication, and structural steel and seismic strengthening. While setting up has been expensive, with new pieces of machinery needed as the business has grown, Spark has been a success. Adam has taken on his first tradesman and has already had to expand into larger premises. It is hard work, but you expect that with your own business, he says. He says Gateway was a very important first step on his journey to owning his own business, but he is not sitting still. He aims to eventually have four or five staff, and would gladly have a Gateway student come and get a taste of an engineering career. Gateway gave me the foot in the door at Steelfab, and gave me the chance to see exactly what the job involved, so I'm really thankful for that. If I could help someone else get a start on their career, that would be great. Business owner Adam Leatham 24

25 Contact List: MoE practice what they preach and help Lachlan reach his dream career Lachlan Farquhar ( ). South Auckland companies get local students on board Vaughan Lovelock, MIT Logistics Programme Leader ( ) Terry Hamilton, Healthcare Logistics ( ) Mark Ryder, Ryders Customs and Forwarding ) World First has fuelled desire to learn Otaki College and Clean Technology NZ Andy Fraser, Principal, Otaki College Malcolm Hopwood, Media Consultant, Silvereye Communications ( or ) Checking out the talent Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) Mark Snalam, Aircraft Engineering Tutor, Aviation School, NMIT, (03) ext 510, Andy Rowe, Chief Executive Officer, Cuddon Ltd, (03) Aidan Treston, (027) Peddling to his potential Otumoetai College Refining NZ gets students through its doors into the work place Glenn Bowmar Electrical Supervisor Refining NZ, ext Work placement taster becomes pathway to apprenticeship Refining NZ/Bream Bay College Glenn Bowmar Electrical Supervisor Refining NZ, ext Pasifika success story St Patrick s College, Silverstream St Patrick s College, Silverstream Rector, Gerard Tully ( ) Te Pine Foua ( ), Nanumea Foua ( ) 25

26 More than one pathway to success Trade Me and Workchoice Trade Me Jobs Marketing Manager Fran Bellingham , Workchoice communications advisor, Alaina Luxmoore Vodafone offers pathways to future technology stars Anton Pienaar, Learning Partner - Technology and Specialist Functions, Learning and Capability Development, Vodafone New Zealand, Mobile: , anton.pienaar@vodafone.com Student turns to industry for education pathway Fale Faingataa, Mobile: , faleola.faingataa@vodafone.com Anton Pienaar, Learning Partner - Technology and Specialist Functions, Learning and Capability Development, Vodafone New Zealand, Mobile: , anton.pienaar@vodafone.com Girls at Wellington East gear up for the future of IT Wellington East Girls College Head of Digital Technologies and Computing Wellington East Girls College, Cris Roughton ( ) cris.roughton@wegc.school.nz Intergen, Director of Solutions and Services, Emma Barrett ( ) Intergen, Marketing and Communications, Katy Sweetman ( ) Interest sparked, school and industry make it happen Bream Bay College Bream Bay College Prinicpal, Wayne Buckland ( ex703) Bream Bay Gateway Co-ordinator, Gina D Ath ( ex722) Getting a taste of the automotive industry UCOL s Trades Academy - U-Skills Angela Hewitt Campus Manager, UCOL Wairarapa ( ) School students building careers at Rayglass Tracey Eaton - Schools Transition Advisor for the NZ Marine & Composites Industry Training Organisation, Phone: ( ), tracey@nzmarine.com, website: Working here is awesome says young apprentice Kimberley Stevens - Marketing and Communications Administrator, Tararua District Council Phone: ( ), kimberley.stevens@tararuadc.govt.nz, website: Gateway to Entertainment Technician Peter Mansell - H&S Coordinator/ Lighting Department Phone: ( ), zeb@oceaniaproductions.co.nz, website: 26

27 Gateway to business owner and employer Taranaki Futures Warwick Foy, Facebook 27

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