The Skills Leadership and Advice team works with external stakeholders such as Regional Skills Leadership groups and other government departments, as well as internally across other Muka Tangata teams, to support the organisation to identify skills needs in the food and fibre sector. We then apply this knowledge to provide advice to the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) on how, where and who to invest in when it comes to vocational education and training in the food and fibre sector. This work includes:
Success begins with an understanding of what is needed. We use research and information from a variety of sources to gain insights into what the vocational education needs of Aotearoa are. Research findings and data help us to understand both how things are now and also help predict future skills and workforce needs. Get in touch if you have research you would like to share.
We may commission or partner with organisations or industry bodies to carry out research. We are interested in those areas that are key to understanding skills and workforce needs. If you have identified an area that warrants further research then contact us to let us know – we may be able to point you towards some useful sources of information or research.
Our Workforce Development Plans (WDPs) are a set of living and interactive online resources, that reflect what we’ve heard and learnt from our sector. They will evolve and be refined, in collaboration with industry partners, iwi and hapū Māori, as industry and wider challenges change.
The WDPs include relevant data and analysis on industry, workforces and learners, identify key opportunities for each industry, and include a roadmap of industry specific actions, and cross-cutting actions that apply across the food and fibre sector.
The WDPs are used to guide our advice on vocational education to the Tertiary Education Commission and other organisations, drive the development of new and existing qualifications, standards, and micro-credentials, and identify how we can best support people in the food and fibre sector to flourish.
Our goal is to understand the skills required for the food and fibre sector to thrive. This means working with iwi, hapū or Māori organisations, industry stakeholders, learners and providers to understand what skills employers are looking for in their employees, and the best course of action required for learners to gain these skills. We also work with industry to consider new skills needs in the face of climate change and other challenges, such as legislative and regulatory requirements.
We have a role in providing advice to TEC on investment in vocational education and training. Our advice helps TEC funding decisions consider industry needs, by ensuring there are enough people with the right skills to meet workforce needs. We give particular consideration to learner uptake and workforce participation of Māori, Pacific peoples, women and tāngata whaikaha. This advice is guided by our Workforce Development Plans and other research and engagement activities.
