The Government recently announced it will fund 257 events promoting vocational education to be run by employers and industry over the next 18 months. This follows the announcement that more than 340 schools will be funded to hold their own local trade promotion events.

“These industry-run events will allow more than 30,000 students to connect with more than 2,000 employers in a range of activities that will help the students find out what different industries are all about,” Education Minister Chris Hipkins says.

“This is on top of the 85,000 students and 4,000 employers who will benefit from the schools-based events we announced earlier this year, and further demonstrates this government’s commitment to promoting vocational education to young people, and boosting the numbers of people studying the skills we need in the workforce.”

The events, run by 32 industry bodies, industry training organisations, community groups, local government and other organisations, offer a chance to showcase the great opportunities that exist in their sectors.

Students will be able to find out more about careers in a range of sectors including construction and infrastructure, primary industries, engineering (including automotive), social and community services, tourism, retail and hospitability, and the technology and creative industries.

“These events will provide opportunities for young people or their teachers to connect to the world of work and explore industry-specific careers while in school, and showcase trades and service industry careers to young people and their families and whānau and educators,” Minister Hipkins says.

The employer and industry-led events are part of a range of Government initiatives aimed at promoting trades and work skills training, including:

• funding 2,000 more Trades Academy places from next year, and up to 2,000 more places for Gateway
• supporting more than 350 schools to run their own local trades promotion events within their school/kura or within their Kāhui Ako
• creating a new education-to-employment brokerage service with brokers building strong local relationships with businesses and schools, and acting as a liaison between schools and employers to highlight local trades and vocational opportunities for students
• developing a marketing campaign to promote vocational careers to students, parents, whānau, teachers and employers, and
• reviewing secondary-tertiary funding and support arrangements with a view to improving school students’ access to secondary-tertiary and workplace learning.