Research conducted by the New Zealand Policy Research Institute – Te Kāhui Rangahau Mana Taurite on behalf of the WDCs has revealed a number of insights into the impact vocational education and training has on wellbeing outcomes and the labour market.

The research follows a cohort of 110,262 domestic learners (at levels 1-7, excluding bachelor’s degrees), and compares them to individuals without vocational education post-school qualifications after two, five, and ten years, to highlight the benefits of vocational education and training.

Key cross-sector findings include:

• Higher qualifications lead to better outcomes: Learners with higher qualification levels tend to earn more and rely less on benefits.
• Working in a related industry pays off: In general, graduates who work in industries related to their field of study earn more than those who work in unrelated industries.
• Prior study and further study: Most learners had already recieved a qualification in the five years prior, and many go on to uptake further qualifications.
• Growing trend of self-employment among learners: The share of learners who receive income from self-employment over time increases steadily for all WDCs.

 

Read the summary of this research here ›

Read the full research on labour market outcomes here ›

Read the full research on wellbeing outcomes here ›