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Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Steven Joyce and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley have today announced two new Auckland jobs and skills hubs as part of the latest update of the Skilled and Safe Workplaces chapter of the Business Growth Agenda.

“I am pleased to announce new jobs and skills hubs at both the Wynyard Quarter and Tamaki, which will give young people a pathway to employment in the construction sector, as well as on-site numeracy, literacy and practical skills training,” Mr Joyce says.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce has today welcomed a report which shows the economic value of New Zealand’s international education industry rose to $4.28 billion last year.

This is a 50 per cent increase from $2.85 billion when the sector was last formally measured in 2014, and places international education (onshore and offshore delivery) as New Zealand’s fourth largest export industry, overtaking wood at $3.82 billion.

Tertiary Education Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce says the Labour Party has completely missed the mark with its idea of marshalling young people into a new make work scheme.

"Labour has completely mis-read the current job market in New Zealand. The problem is not finding enough work for young people, it’s finding enough young people and skilling them up for the work that is already there.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce has today welcomed a drop in the unemployment rate to 4.9 per cent, the lowest rate since December 2008.

The latest Household Labour Force Survey (HLFS) shows 35,000 more jobs over the past three months and 3,000 fewer unemployed. Over the past year an additional 144,000 people are in work.

“The Government’s comprehensive economic plan is working for families, as we see more jobs and higher wages helping people get ahead,” says Mr Joyce.

An information exchange agreement with the Australian Tax Office (ATO) has carried out its first match, locating 10,400 student loan borrowers living across the Tasman.

Inland Revenue last week sent an initial list of 104,000 names of New Zealand borrowers who are living overseas to the ATO. Those names matched with the contact details of 10,400 people living in Australia.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce today announced three appointments to the board of Education New Zealand (ENZ).

Charles Finny has been reappointed at Chair, while Karen Rolleston and Linda Sissons are newly appointed board members.

Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, and Employment, and Minister for Women, Louise Upston has today opened the inaugural Women in Trades Conference, where she’s encouraged more women to consider a career in the trades.

“People need to push aside gender stereotypes and encourage young women to consider careers in trades where there is high growth and high demand, like building and construction.” Ms Upston said.

Finance Minister Bill English and Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce have today acknowledged the release of the Productivity Commission’s draft report New and Emerging Models of Tertiary Education.

“The report was commissioned to investigate how trends in technology, tuition costs, skill demand, demographics and internationalisation may drive new and changed business models and delivery models in the tertiary sector,” Mr English says. 

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce has today welcomed figures that show the impact of New Zealand’s academic research has been rising when compared with the rest of the world.

A report released today, Profile and Trends, New Zealand’s Tertiary Education Research, shows the rate of citation of New Zealand’s research is now 1.26 times the world average.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce has today released an exposure draft of a bill that makes a range of changes to tertiary education legislation.

The proposed Education (Tertiary Education and other Matters) Amendment Bill makes a number of largely technical proposals for legislative change which: 

•         increases the flexibility of funding

•         further strengthens monitoring and compliance

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata have today announced the release of a new Youth Guarantee Secondary-Tertiary pilot programme, DualPathways.

DualPathways students will be enrolled part-time in secondary school at Year 12 or 13 and part-time in either tertiary education or industry training. The programme will come into effect next year and replaces a small scale Secondary-Tertiary pilot that finishes in December this year.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata have today welcomed a report which shows the performance of New Zealand’s education sector, at all levels, compares well with those of other developed countries.

The OECD Report, Education at a Glance 2016, measures 35 countries on the output of educational institutions, the impact of learning, financial and human resources invested in education, and participation.

New Zealand’s average annual wage has increased by 25 per cent to $58,000 since 2008, while low inflation means much of the increase is lifting the spending power of Kiwi families.

“Delivering a stronger economy for Kiwi families remains front and centre of the Government’s busy work programme, and it is helping to drive up incomes across the country,” says Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce.

Tertiary Education Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce has today congratulated all eight of New Zealand’s universities who are ranked in the top 450 universities worldwide, according the annual Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings. 

The QS Rankings were released today and show six New Zealand universities have improved in the rankings, while all eight are ranked in world’s top 450.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce has today announced a new appointment to the board of the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC).

Dale Karauria, currently chair of Careers New Zealand, an organisation whose functions are soon to be transferred to the TEC, will help oversee that transfer in her new role as member of the TEC’s board. 

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce has today welcomed figures that show  56 per cent of New Zealanders aged 25-34 years old now hold a higher-level tertiary qualification.

A report released today - Profile & Trends 2015: Tertiary Education Outcomes and Qualification Completions, showed that last year there were 138,000 tertiary qualifications completed by New Zealanders and 22,500 qualifications by international students at tertiary providers across the country.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce today announced two new appointments to the Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki council. Robin Brockie has been appointed as a member and as Chair, and Lyal French-Wright as a member and as Deputy Chair.

“I welcome the valuable knowledge and skills that these appointees will bring to the Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki,” says Mr Joyce.

Got a Trade Week 2016 is being launched tomorrow by Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Louise Upston.

The week-long event is part of the Got a Trade? Got it Made! campaign which aims to raise awareness of on-the-job training and career opportunities in New Zealand’s trades and service industries.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce has today welcomed a report which shows the revenue from New Zealand’s education services delivered offshore rose to $171 million last year, an increase from an estimated $104 million in 2012.

Figures released today by Statistics New Zealand show New Zealand’s unemployment rate is now 5.1 per cent.

The Household Labour Force Survey (HLFS) shows unemployment in the North Island has decreased to 5.2 per cent, reducing the gap between the North and South Islands.  Auckland’s unemployment rate is 4.7 per cent, the lowest since 2008. There were also significant decreases in Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay/Gisborne, Manawatu/Whanganui and Bay of Plenty.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce has today welcomed figures that show a greater proportion of domestic degree-level students are enrolling in qualifications in STEM-related subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths). 

A report released today, What are they doing? The field of study of domestic students/learners analyses the fields of study of domestic students in the New Zealand tertiary education system over the past eight years.

Figures released today by Statistics New Zealand show the number of filled jobs has grown strongly.

The Quarterly Employment Survey (QES) shows an increase of 3.1 per cent in the year to June.

“It’s great to see more people moving to areas where skills are required. There were an additional 10,000 construction jobs which was up 6.8 per cent. Construction is now at an all-time high and that trend is set to continue,” Mr Joyce says.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce today announced two appointments to the new combined Waiariki Bay of Plenty Polytechnic council. Michael Chapman has been appointed as Deputy Chair, while Ian Macrae has been appointed as a member.

“I welcome the valuable knowledge and experience that these people will bring into their new roles. Both have extensive knowledge of The Bay and a deep connection to the region. I’m confident that they will contribute to the successful leadership of the polytechnic,” says Mr Joyce. 

More than half a million people will be employed in  construction-related occupations  by 2021 in support of New Zealand’s building boom, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith say.

The ministers today released the National Construction Occupations Projections report, which shows construction-related occupation numbers are expected to hit 539,500 in the next five years, up 10 per cent from 2015.