Project Details

This was a pilot project to investigate the need for a demand-led, collaborative and responsive Vocational Education and Training (VET) system through exploration of the SET for Life programme (a skills, employment and training programme run by The Skills Organisation). This was a collaboration between The Skills Organisation, Primary ITO, NorthTec and Te Matarau Education Trust in Te Tai Tokerau.

Kotahi ano te kohao o te ngira. E kuhuna ai te miro ma te miro whero me to miro pango. Kia hakakotahi ai he taura here oranga. There is but one eye of the needle, through which the white, red and black threads must pass, to unify the strands of wellbeing.

Aims:

The aim of this project was to analyse and reflect on the effectiveness of the SET for Life operational framework, with the goal of developing good practice guidelines to inform and enable change in the connection between the world of work and the world of learning.

The good practice guidelines:

  • enable cross-sector collaboration and connectivity between education, training and employment
  • provide effective pastoral care and support for learners
  • develop relevant and specific career pathways, contextualised with real world learning opportunities
  • increase workforce capability for employers
  • provide transitional support for learners entering the world of work
  • assess and support the development of the five foundation elements of literacy.

Methodology:

The action research project included a literature review and interviews with employers, education providers and learners outside of the SET for Life programme, who had been working within the current Vocational Education and Training (VET) training system.

Data was gathered, using the following methods:

  • Diagnostic and observational assessments of the five foundation elements of literacy at programme entry and exit.
  • Learner self-assessment of their wellbeing at programme entry and exit.
  • Monthly digital reflective learner diaries.
  • Monthly one-on-one, face-to-face meetings with the learners, following a semi-structured summative assessment process.
  • Learner entry interviews at project enrolment.
  • Learner exit interviews at the completion of the project.
  • Monthly self-assessment of the project's progress completed by the project delivery and governance team.
  • Bi-monthly semi-structured interviews with employers of learners engaged with the project.
  • Bi-monthly semi-structured interviews with education and training providers of learners engaged with the project.
  • Quarterly reflective reviews with a learner’s whānau.

Team

skills org

Ken Eastwood

Project Leader

The Skills Organisation
skills org

Stephen Waters

The Skills Organisation
skills org

Amanda Wheeler

The Skills Organisation
Te Matarua Education Trust

Phil Alexander-Crawford

Te Matarua Education Trust
northtec

Mark Ewen

North Tec
skills org

Rachael Dennis

The Skills Organisation
primary ITO

Brent Ingles

Primary ITO

Status

Completed

Funding

$387,000.00 (excl GST)

$50,000.00 National Project Fund
$169,000.00 The Skills Organisation, Primary ITO, NorthTec, and Te Matarau Education Trust
$168,000.00 Tertiary Education Commission (TEC)

Key Findings

Key Recommendations

Poster

Set for Life | Approaches to Secondary Tertiary Transitions

A poster overview of the Set for Life project.

  • 1 November 2018
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Guide

Set for Life | Best Practice Guidelines Overview

A handout consisting of the poster overview of the Set for Life project and the best practice guidelines. The guidelines are aspirational and serve as a recommendation and future tool for improving career transitions for individuals across New Zealand. 

  • 1 November 2018
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Report

Set for Life Best | Practice Guidelines – Secondary Tertiary Transitions

A report containing the introduction, methods, results and findings from the project 'SET for work, SET for life, Te Tai Tokerau'.

  • 13 August 2019
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