Another 940 Trades Academy places from 2016

By Education Gazette editors

Issue: Volume 94, Number 18

Posted: 12 October 2015

Reference #: 1H9cuu

The Government recently announced that from 2016 there will be an additional 600 Trades Academy places per year, in addition to the 340 that were funded from Budget 2015. In total, this is an increase of 940 Trades Academy places per year, bringing the total to 6,190 Trades Academy places from 2016.

In 2015, there are 23 Trades Academies with students participating from over 300 schools. Trades Academies support secondary school students to gain NCEA Level 2 with practical learning opportunities relevant to careers that are aligned to one of the Vocational Pathways for the six main New Zealand industry sectors. They involve learning within school and tertiary settings.

The additional Trades Academy places will support more young people to achieve NCEA Level 2 and gain skills needed by industries to support their career pathway.

The extra funding of $21 million over 2016-2019 for Trades Academies comes from reducing the number of places in the Youth Guarantee fees-free tertiary education programme. Demand for Youth Guarantee fees-free places from young people is easing because more young people are achieving NCEA Level 2 at school.

Trades Academies are part of the Ministry of Education’s Youth Guarantee programme, which includes Vocational Pathways, Youth Guarantee Partnerships, STAR and Gateway, Achievement Retention Transitions, and Youth Guarantee fees-free places. Visit the website for more information about Trades Academies, and other Youth Guarantee programmes(external link)