Gateway
The Gateway programme is designed to strengthen the pathway for learners to progress from school to workplace learning. Gateway is available to state and integrated secondary schools, and supports senior secondary students (Year 11 to Year 13) undertaking structured workplace learning across a range of industries and businesses around New Zealand, while continuing to study at school.
Opportunity for increased places for 2010 Gateway programmes
Schools currently receiving Gateway funding have an opportunity to seek an increase in their number of 2010 Gateway places.
Gateway delivery
Gateway delivery involves arranging structured workplace learning with the following characteristics:
- a formalised learning arrangement set in the workplace
- clear understandings about the knowledge and skills to be attained by learners
- clear understandings about the assessment method used (workplace learning).
Gateway funding is provided to meet the costs that schools and employers incur in arranging and managing workplace learning, including assessment. The school may engage a broker to provide all or some of the activities. Funding may be used to meet the costs of a broker.
Condition TRA017: Schools receiving Gateway funding must do all of the following:
- Develop individual learning plans for funded learners
- Enter into a written agreement with each employer providing workplace learning, recording the objectives and the duration of any placement before the placement commences
- Ensure that each learner is provided with any tools, equipment, safety clothing and tuition materials that may be required for the training, at no cost to the learner
- Manage workplace learning arranged by the school, including assessment and recognition of that learning, in a way that provides each participating learner with the opportunity to achieve unit and/or achievement standards
- Satisfy itself that the workplace environment is safe and appropriate for structured workplace learning and ensure that the welfare and interests of participating learners are protected
- Satisfy itself that each employer providing structured workplace learning is aware of, and can comply with, the employer’s obligations under the Health and Safety in Employment Amendment Act 2002, the Human Rights Act 1993 and any other statute, regulation and bylaw that may be relevant to the delivery of the workplace learning to learners
- Integrate workplace learning with the broader school curriculum requirements for each participating learner
- Ensure that each participating learner is aware of the relevant employer's requirements that the learner is expected to comply with, before the learner commences workplace learning
- Use the funding solely for the purpose of supplying the activities specified in the school's approved Investment Plan
- Comply with the administrative requirements detailed in the Gateway handbook provided by the TEC
- Provide a learning environment that is responsive and flexible to meet the physical, cultural and learning needs of learners
- Ensure that learners and other stakeholders are fully informed of all of the following:
- The school's Gateway programme activities
- The school's disciplinary and complaints procedures
- The school's policies relating to holding learners’ personal information, and learners’ rights to review this information.
Rule TRA025: Funding is payable for the number of eligible learners enrolled in the Gateway programme up to the number of learners agreed in the school's approved Investment Plan.
Condition TRA018: Gateway funding must not be used for any of the following:
- Activities already funded by the Crown
- Charging for the school space used by the Gateway Co-ordinator
- Charging for the use of school office services, except for additional staff resources needed to meet Gateway requirements.
If there are any costs that a school is not sure are covered by the amount specified in the Investment Plan, the school must seek clarification from the TEC before incurring those costs.
Condition TRA027: Schools receiving Gateway funding must achieve the following targets:
- The total number of learners enrolled in Gateway meets the number of learners approved in the Investment Plan
- The average number of credits achieved per learner must meet or exceed the national standard of 10 credits on the National Qualifications Framework.
If the number of learners in workplace learning at the end of term two of the school year is significantly fewer than the number stated in a school's approved Investment Plan, the TEC may require a change to the Investment Plan reducing the target number of placements and the maximum amount of funding payable.
Learner Eligibility
Rule TRA026: To be eligible to attract Gateway funding learners must be school students enrolled in year 11, 12, or 13, and capable of undertaking a structured work placement and attaining credit achievement in the workplace.
Reporting
Condition MOR021: The following forms must be completed and submitted to the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) in accordance with the Gateway handbook:
- Gateway student details form
- Gateway student withdrawal form
- Three month labour market outcome form
- The details of learner credit results
- A summary report of Gateway expenditure for each calendar year by the end of February of the following calendar year.
Condition MOR022: Schools must keep sufficient financial records and accounts relating to funds received and paid out for the purposes of Gateway delivery to enable a balance to be identified both throughout the year and at the end of each calendar year. The TEC will negotiate the use of any credit balance that may have accrued.
Monitoring
Rule MOR113: The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) monitors delivery of Gateway provision through:
- the number of learners
- individual learning plans
- acquisition of qualifications, or credits towards them, by learners
- achievement of employment and further training outcomes by learners
- participation of Maori and Pacific learners
- any other matter or aspect of Gateway provision that the TEC reasonably considers relevant.
The TEC may wish to carry out a more general evaluation of the Gateway fund and/or the collection of data in relation to Gateway.
New Schools
Schools are eligible to join the Gateway programme if they have students who meet the above eligibility criteria (see Rule TRA026).
As Gateway is an on-Plan fund, schools must complete an Investment Plan in order to recieve funding for the programme. Most schools that are new to Gateway will not yet have an Investment Plan.
Schools that are new to Gateway are eligible to receive an establishment payment of $4444 GST exclusive ($5000 GST inclusive) to assist with set-up costs of the programme. See the Gateway Handbook for more details.
Prospective schools should contact the Service Centre in the first instance to discuss joining the Gateway programme.
Payments
Schools will be paid by direct credit in 28 day instalments in arrears, up to the total amount of funding approved through the school's approved Investment Plan. Further details on payments are available in the Gateway Handbook.
Resources
Forms