Learning - The Secret Of Success
Hon Heather Roy, Associate Minister Of Education
Thursday, October 22 2009

Hon Heather Roy speech to the Learning State Graduation 2009 Ceremony; St James Theatre, Courtney Place, Wellington; Thursday, October 22 2009.
Good afternoon everyone. Thank you Michelle, Pat, and all the staff of Learning State for your warm welcome.

I'm delighted to be here today in my capacity as Associate Minister of Education representing the Government.

It's a real honour for me to be part of your graduation ceremony - to celebrate with you, your friends, your colleagues and families. Please accept my sincere congratulations on your achievements. Today is your day - enjoy it, because you've earned it. State Services Minister Tony Ryall is, unfortunately, unable to attend today due to other commitments. He sends his apologies and has asked that I pass his congratulations on to graduates.

Learning State is the Industry Training Organisation (ITO) accredited to manage workplace learning in the State sector and works with agencies like Police, IRD, Internal Affairs, Transport, the New Zealand Transport Agency, the Social Development Ministry, New Zealand Defence Force, Customs, and the Department of Corrections.

I understand that in the past year more than 1,000 State sector employees have completed National Certificates and Diplomas in: Public Sector Services (Client/Customer Service); Occupational Health and Safety (Workplace Safety); Business Administration and Computing; First Line Management; Leadership Development/Middle Management; Border Management (Customs); Contact Centre Operations; Adult Education and Training; Public Sector Services (Official Statistics); Contact Centre Management (Team leader).

You can't ask for a more tangible sign of success than that.

If that result - and the turnout today from representatives of many Government agencies - is anything to go by, Learning State is doing its job well.

I would like to talk a little about the Government's goals in regard to tertiary education.

You may be aware that the Government has identified six main structural policy drivers to improve New Zealand's economic performance and support more sustainable growth in future. Two of these drivers relate directly to those of you graduating here today. They are:

• To lift the performance of the public sector;
• And to ensure that New Zealand has the skills it needs to be productive in the world economy.

Last month, the Government released the draft Tertiary Education Strategy for 2010-2015 for consultation. Our vision is for a world-leading education system that equips all New Zealanders with the knowledge, skills and values to be successful citizens in the 21st Century.

We expect the tertiary education system to raise the skills and knowledge of the current and future workforce to meet labour market demand and social needs. For the Government, this connection between skills and the workforce is extremely important and has a direct impact on our country's productivity.

Learning State, as an Industry Training Organisation, plays a big part in this. The Government is not just looking to ITOs to be responsive to current skill needs; we also want ITOs to provide leadership to their industries on skill and training matters.

From what I can see, Learning State is doing just that. The qualifications that you are graduating with today represent exactly the kinds of skills and qualities needed now and into the future.

Learning State is in an ideal position to also help its member organisations meet the expectations that Government has of the public sector. Themes of collaboration and value for money are high on the agenda for all of us at the moment - it's an ideal time for State sector agencies to look at how they can build the skills of their staff in a way that meets those themes.

The National Compliance Qualifications Project is an ideal example of how Learning State is helping the State sector work together more closely. Learning State is jointly leading this initiative with the Department of Internal Affairs and its purpose is to develop common qualifications for employees working in the area of compliance - no matter what organisation they work for. With more than 20 public sector agencies involved - including local government - this is a true example of putting words into action.

I also see examples of partnership between Learning State and public sector agencies. If you take a look at your graduation programme, you'll see just how many government agencies are represented here today.

Let me congratulate you on your commitment - it is heartening to see such investment in the skills of your employees.

When we think about education broadly, I believe that learning must never end. No matter how highly skilled one becomes, it is an individual's willingness to learn and be open to new things that matters. To stop learning is to stop growing, and when learning ceases we are less equipped to deal with change. As American philosopher, educator and author Mortimer Adler once said:

"The purpose of learning is growth and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as long as we live."

I couldn't agree more. In 2006 I had an opportunity to see this in action when I joined the Territorial Force of the New Zealand Army. Along with my fellow recruits I experienced and learned many new skills. We were tested physically and psychologically; pushed to the limit of our abilities and, because of this, able to clearly see our true strengths and weaknesses.

These lessons carry over to all areas of life - both personal and work-related. Teams and organisations can only improve their performance if each individual member continuously develops and performs well. If an individual remains static in their development they will never progress and grow. A team can only ever be as strong as its weakest member. I'm a great subscriber to the theory that everyone should get a day's worth of learning from a day's work.

This is a principle I have always tried to hold to - in my former life as a physiotherapist, as an MP, and as a Minister - and I reinforce it regularly with my current team.

So today - even though you are here to celebrate the successful achievement of your national qualification - I think it's important to remember that what you are really celebrating is:
• your commitment to learning,
• your ability to grow as a person through learning, and
• a significant step in a rewarding journey that will be life long.

Before I finish, I have one more thought I'd like to share with you - that is to remember that, as important as technical skills are, it's how you operate those skills that is just as important.

In particular, customer service is something that must underpin all we do as State servants. The job you do may be quite different from that of the person sitting next to you today - but if you're working in the State sector you'll know that it's all about ensuring our customers are well served.

It's about delivering services to our colleagues, our managers - and to the New Zealanders and communities we're all here to serve.

If you have the right technical skills supported by the ability to make good judgements and relate well to others, to be compassionate and to know how to adapt to changing circumstances, then you're on the right track.

Again: congratulations, and I wish you well on your learning journey with the State sector.

ENDS

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