The third reading of the Vocational Education and Training Reform Bill on Wednesday 19 February 2020 is a key milestone for the Reform of Vocational Education (RoVE) and represents many months of hard work and collaboration between government agencies, industry, employers, Māori, iwi, learners, and community groups.

When the legislation takes effect on 1 April 2020, a new and dynamic vocational education system will deliver the skills that learners, communities and employers need to thrive.

The Bill:

• Gives industry greater leadership across vocational education and training by establishing Workforce Development Councils (WDCs)
• Establishes the Te Pūkenga, which will bring together all 16 Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs) to provide, arrange and support vocational education and training across the country
• Introduces a new regulatory framework for vocational education and training.

 “This is a watershed day for trades and vocational education. These law changes formalise the process of creating a strong, unified, sustainable system to set us up to respond to skills shortages and prepare for the future of work,” Education Minister Chris Hipkins says.

“We’re creating a system that is simple to understand and navigate, responsive to the needs of learners and employers, and flexible enough to keep changing and evolving as the world around us changes and evolves.”

For RoVE updates, keep an eye on the TEC website.