The Tertiary Education Commission is allocating $13 million in strategic funding to close to 70 private training establishments (PTEs) for new vocational education and training initiatives and to support innovative new provision for learners.
"This funding will support a fantastic range of initiatives that are directly aligned to industry and employer and learner need and will help to drive long-term benefits for the New Zealand economy," said Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) Deputy Chief Executive - Delivery, Gillian Dudgeon.
The 2023 PTE Strategic Fund was launched in July 2022 as part of the unified funding system (UFS) changes under the Reform of Vocational Education.
"The fund is a key part of our new strategic funding approach for vocational education and training," Ms Dudgeon said. "Its aim is to better meet national and regional labour skills needs and to better support vocational programme development and maintenance."
Of the 123 proposals received from 92 PTEs, 39 were funded in full and 30 funded in part.
Successful projects include funding development of: a new NZ Diploma in Cybersecurity at Level 6 by Techtorium; the use of mixed reality and augmented reality technologies to improve content for Level 4 plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying apprentices by Industry Connection for Excellence; the promotion of careers in iwi Māori primary land-based industries in the Te Tairāwhiti region by Turanga Ararau; and development of an integrated pathway that aligns attraction, job placement, training, and retention efforts for the dairy sector by Dairy Training.
The TEC ran a contestable process for all eligible PTEs to apply for funding under the national and regional skills priorities (NSRPs) and the programme development and maintenance fund (PDMF).
The NRSP supports PTEs to respond to skills priorities informed by advice from the six Workforce Development Councils (WDCs) and 15 Regional Skills Leadership Groups (RSLGs).
The PDMF supports programmes aligned with the reform’s objectives.
Ms Dudgeon said that while the majority of the available $16.8 million has been allocated, $3.7 million is still available for allocation. TEC will seek targeted allocation proposals over the next few months.
"The focus is to ensure that the PTE Strategic Fund supports a genuinely national network of provision in terms of key sectors and industries and regional spread."
The full list of funded programmes and more information can be found at https://www.tec.govt.nz/news-and-consultations/tec-awards-13-million-strategic-funding-to-69-ptes-for-vocational-education-initiatives/
