WDCs to be established to ensure industry leads in vocational education

“These new WDCs will ensure the industry takes the lead in making sure learners develop the skills they need to be ready for the world of work,” Education Minister Chris Hipkins said.

Six industry-led Workforce Development Councils (WDCs) will be established to provide the industry with greater leadership across vocational education and training, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today.

The selection and make-up of the WDCs is a key decision in the reform of vocational education.

"These new WDCs will ensure the industry takes the lead in making sure learners develop the skills they need to be ready for the world of work," Education Minister Chris Hipkins said.

"The areas of coverage for the six WDCs will be:

Construction and Infrastructure

Primary Industries

Service Industries

Health, Community and Social Services

Manufacturing, Engineering, Logistics and Technology, and

Creative, Cultural and Recreation.

"The WDCs group industries and sectors logically and are based on the business community's favored model and the way that secondary schools think about vocational education.

"Combined, they cover most of the industries that employ around two and a half million people in half a million businesses across New Zealand," Chris Hipkins said.

"Once established, the WDCs will take over some of the key functions of the current Industry Training Organisations (ITOs). These include ensuring training qualifications meet industry standards and that courses that are taught are relevant and up to date.

"Unless a training or education programme has the confidence of industry through its representation on a WDC it won't be approved or funded.

"The other current role of ITOs – the responsibility for day-to-day support for apprenticeships and other on-the-job training – will shift from ITOs to the Institute of Skills & Technology and other providers such as wānanga and private training establishments."

Chris Hipkins said the Government had been tasked by industry to move quickly to establish the WDCs, to provide sufficient time to plan for the changeover.

"This is a key decision and follows extensive consultation with industry groups, employers and ITOs since August. It follows industry preference as much as possible.

"In addition to forming more logical groupings, WDCs will bring a number of new industries or sectors not currently covered by ITOs. These industries, which include web and graphic design, fashion, ICT and teacher support qualifications, will now have a powerful industry voice.

"The final coverage areas for WDCs and their names will be agreed through Orders in Council. The current coverage descriptions for each WDC are working titles only, as is the New Zealand Institute of Skills & Technology" Chris Hipkins said.

(With Inputs from New Zealand Government Press Release)