Hon Maryan Street
Associate Minister for Tertiary Education
4 March 2008 Speech
Address to the NZ Vocational Education and Training Research Forum
Te Papa, Wellington
Thank you for your kind introduction, Jeremy [Baker, Executive Director of the ITF].
Douglas Watt (Executive Director with the Conference Board of Canada), Dr Peter Coolbear (Director of Ako Aotearoa: The
National Centre for Tertiary Teaching Excellence), Forum presenters and attendees, distinguished guests, ladies and
gentlemen. Kia ora and good morning to you all.
It is a pleasure to be here today to open the fifth New Zealand Vocational Education and Training Research Forum. The
inaugural Forum was held in June 2004 and it is great to see that the Forum has not only survived, but matured and grown
in stature since then.
I think it is also important to acknowledge the Industry Training Federation for taking the initiative in establishing
this forum.
I would like to take a few minutes this morning to talk about the value and importance of research as a basis for good
decision-making and policy-making around vocational education and training.
I will also say a few words about how we see this government’s investment in high-quality vocational education and
training contributing to economic transformation and enhancing business productivity.
I know that there has been extensive discussion over the years around the relationship between research and policy
making. In fact, it would probably be fair to say that this relationship is as old as the two disciplines themselves.
For all those taking part in that discussion, I applaud you. Discussion on this topic, ladies and gentlemen, is vital if
we are to improve the linkages between researchers and policy makers.
For someone who seeks sound policy advice, I can unequivocally state that the better the research, the better the
policy. And, by the same token, the more important the policy decision we have to make, the more important the research
that policy decision is based on.
The Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey is one of those important pieces of research we just couldn’t do without. The
survey is a key tool that we are using to inform our policy making.
It will influence many of our education and training programmes. I understand there will be a presentation on the
findings of the Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey during the conference.
What we do know from the Survey is that we have to improve these skills and this ís a priority for this Labour-led
Government.
When the Prime Minister outlined her programme for the year to Parliament last month, she talked about our new Schools
Plus programme, under which the age of participation in school, education or training will be lifted to eighteen.
Under Schools Plus, the school of the future will be the gateway to a range of education and training opportunities
which are on offer, be it a youth apprenticeship, tertiary courses or programmes offered by the school itself.
Industry Training is also a top priority for the government. The government’s total investment in the Industry Training
Fund will reach $180 million by 2010 – more than three times what it was in 2000.
On top of this, by 2010 around $50 million will be going into Modern Apprenticeships annually. This investment is paying
off - a more highly skilled workforce is developing, which is something we are very proud of.
As at September 2007 more than 170,000 people were in industry training in New Zealand and the number is increasing
steadily. A lot of this has been due to highly visible programmes like Modern Apprenticeships which have raised the
profile of workplace learning.
The number of Industry Trainees and Apprentices achieving have risen impressively. From 2005 to 2006 qualification
achievement increased 35% to over 35,000.
This success is not just in the numbers. Research on the effectiveness of initiatives to improve skills and increase
qualification achievement is critical to their ongoing success.
Industry Training Organisations have an important contribution to make in this area through their developing Strategic
Leadership Role. I understand that projects approved by the TEC through the first round of Investment Plans showed great
promise, and we look forward to the results of this work.
This forum came about because of recognition among some of the key players that we needed to bring people together to
generate a body of knowledge and a network of like-minded people - an excellent concept that is most obviously a
success.
The government welcomes and encourages the research that is taking place. This is necessary and complementary to our
increased investment in both vocational education and training, and the push for research excellence.
Our belief in the importance of research is manifest in our Performance-Based Research Fund for tertiary education. The
PBRF ensures that research excellence in the tertiary sector is encouraged and rewarded. This year we have put more than
$200 million into the tertiary education sector though this fund.
The value of research can be greatly enhanced by partnerships - between policy advisors and researchers and between
researchers and businesses. This government is committed to continuing to build these relationships.
The reforms in the tertiary sector were possible because of the strong partnerships between government, the education
sector and industry.
The Unified Skills Strategy is a prime example of where we can use research to assist decision making as we roll out
this important policy platform. This is being developed though a partnership between the government, Business New
Zealand, the Council of Trade Unions and the Industry Training Federation.
The Literacy and Life Skills Survery has found that 800,000 of our workforce do not have the literacy skills they need.
It’s no coincidence that Literacy, Language and Numeracy is one of the core planks of the Skills Strategy, and we will
be looking to make traction in this area quickly.
Industry, and Industry Training Organisations, will have a leading role in ensuring that these literacy solutions work.
Industry Training Organisations are in a position to become the industry voice on education and training for the
tertiary system and drive the skills agenda for New Zealand industry. The strategic leadership demonstrated by the key
role the Industry Training Federation has taken in establishing and organising this forum is but one example.
I am proud to be part of the work on the Skills Strategy which I believe will be a major cornerstone of our continued
economic transformation.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am delighted that you are getting together here at this seminal forum to discuss and exchange
ideas on research in vocational education and training. And I am delighted that you have such high-calibre speakers here
to bring fresh perspectives to our thinking.
It is as exciting as it is necessary that we gain an understanding of international trends, for example, and it is in
this context that I would like to thank the forum’s key note speaker, Douglas Watt, for making the long journey from
Canada to share his insights into research in small and medium sized enterprises here with us today.
Before I close, and at the risk of preaching to the converted, I would like to stress the point that excellent research
is a key to the transformation of New Zealand into an innovative and dynamic economy as well as meeting our social and
cultural aspirations.
This is a big responsibility for us all, and, without wanting to put on too much pressure, it’s a big responsibility on
you. Without you, we simply will not be able to stand tall in this competitive global market. We need you. We need you
to be fresh in your thinking, alert in your observations, astute in your judgements.
We need you to make a major contribution to the development of the educational and vocational sector. Not just for the
sake of our country, but also for the sake of New Zealanders on a personal level.
I believe passionately in the power of education to change people’s lives. It is the key to opening many doors, to
realising your professional ambitions and enhancing your contribution to family and community life.
The government recognises how important tertiary education is to the lives of New Zealanders.
To reflect this, since 2002 government funding for tertiary education has risen to more than $3 billion a year, not
including the investment we make to support students through the student loans scheme.
Don’t get me wrong – this is not just about money. Yes, money is vital if we want to succeed. But more importantly, it
is about the individual effort, our dedication and our commitment to excel. It is about making a contribution to the
common good.
Your conference is that kind of contribution, is the kind of opportunity we need to take to make the most of our
abilities.
I thank you very much for inviting me here today. No doubt you will enjoy all the wonderful sights and activities our
capital city has to offer, but more importantly, you now have a chance to compare notes with your peers, to learn and to
share your own learning with others.
I wish you all the very best for your conference. Tena koutou katoa.
ENDS