Next steps in strengthening the careers system

The next steps in strengthening the careers system have been announced today by Associate Education Minister Louise Upston.

“Over the next 12 months, the Ministry of Education and the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) will work with Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako and schools that are willing and able to explore new and innovative approaches to deliver better careers education to children and young people.”

“The Ministry of Education and the TEC will partner with the Communities of Learning and schools to deliver careers education at an earlier age that is connected to student aspirations and opportunities in their communities and the world of work,” says Ms Upston.

“We are committed to improving careers education in every school in New Zealand. Communities of Learning and schools not involved will also benefit from receiving improved careers information from the TEC.

“The plan is to ensure that careers education is available to our young people earlier than in the past, and that local and regional career opportunities will be built into the local curriculum.

“Strengthening careers education will make it easier for young people to develop the right skills for the right job. Our expectation is that the change will be a real benefit to regional employers and to regional economies in particular,” says Ms Upston.

“This will build on the Government’s progress in strengthening the careers system through the integration of Careers New Zealand (CNZ) into the TEC, and the publication of school-leaver destination data.”

Ms Upston says the opportunity to explore new approaches to careers education is a direct result of the Government’s decision to shift the provision of careers information to the TEC.

“The change means that the TEC can now provide a single source of careers information that is more responsive, and strengthens the links between education and employment.  It also means that the TEC can better tailor information, tools, and services to meet the needs of different groups of people at key transition points in their move from education into the world of work.

“The objective is part of our plan to see children and young people have personalised pathways along their whole educational journey,” says Ms Upston.