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Message from CEO, RoVE Reform Update
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              E M P L O Y E R   N E W S L E T T E R   |   M A R    2 0 1 9
In this Issue
A Message from Jane Wenman, CEO
Reform of Vocational Education Update

Qualification Pathways Review Update
Pay Equity and Qualification Equivalencies
 
A Message from Jane Wenman, Careerforce CEO
Kia ora koutou

I just want to send our aroha to our many employers and trainees in Christchurch, and indeed everyone affected by the tragic events in Christchurch, a week ago today.

To all staff at hospitals, healthcare facilities, emergency response teams, and services providing support to the victims and their families, we acknowledge and applaud your service in perhaps the most challenging circumstances in our country’s history.

Careerforce has a significant Christchurch office which went into lock-down, and many of you will have regular interactions with our Christchurch based staff. I would also like to acknowledge how proud I am of how they responded to events as they unfolded last week – they stayed calm, and ensured that they and their colleagues were safe and looked after.
Please know that I and the rest of Careerforce are here for you and stand with you in these challenging times.

Kia kaha!

Jane Wenman
Careerforce CEO

Reform of Vocational Education (RoVE) - Important Updates
Our attention over recent weeks has been well and truly focused on the RoVE consultation following Minister Hipkins surprising reform announcement in February, which includes a proposal to essentially disband Industry Training Organisations as they exist today.

Thank you to everyone who responded to our quick RoVE survey – a great response with 464 survey completions in just a week. One of the key findings was that only 13% of respondents felt familiar with the proposed reforms. If these reforms proceed, they will have a significant impact upon your current workplace training practices, and we encourage you to take the time to better understand the proposed reforms, and have your say during the consultation period. We have created a brief video in which our Chief Executive Jane Wenman explains the proposals and outlines our concerns – check it out here.
The results from the survey certainly gave us confidence that our concerns are indeed largely shared by industry, to whom we are ultimately accountable.

For those who may be unfamiliar with submission processes, we have created a simple submission form on our website, to make it easier for you – this will generate a submission direct to the formal consultation email address. You can find more information and the form here.
Please note that the deadline for submissions has now been extended from March 27 to Friday 5 April.
 
A Journey of Change from Getting Help to Helping Others
Matiu Brokenshire started growing up with a lot of dysfunction in his home. He discovered drugs at a young age, started committing crimes, and was physically and emotionally abusive. Now this Christchurch whānau support worker is sharing his journey to keep himself accountable and help change the course of others who are on the path he left behind.  

Matiu is now doing an Apprenticeship in Social Services through Careerforce.
See the video to hear Matiu's story.

2018 Annual Careerforce Employer Survey
We carried out our inaugural annual employer survey late 2017. This survey not only created a benchmark for us, it also identified a number of issues, and subsequently led to a set of actions on our part.

Late last year, we carried out the second annual survey to assess how we’re tracking. We got a fantastic response with 423 survey completions, significantly up on 2017 – thank you! At the time of the survey, we committed to sharing top-line results and themes with you, and our aim is to share these with you in April.

In the meantime, we did want to share a few key findings:
  • Overall satisfaction improved slightly on 2017
  • General satisfaction with communications & engagement remained stable, although there was a pleasing improvement in the extent to which we are seen to seek and respond to feedback
  • When asked about the extent to which Careerforce programmes meet the organisation’s workforce development needs, 87% of respondents felt they either met or exceeded their needs.
  • Training sessions and buddy/mentor systems are the most used employer training supports, and are also seen as being the most effective supports.
  • The most common barriers to starting or completing training were lack of time, confidence, or motivation on the part of trainees
  • Over the next 12 months, the key challenges facing our employers were insufficient funding and organisational growth. Compared with the 2017 results, there was a significant increase in the number of organisations citing lack of staff as a key challenge.

We take the results from this survey very seriously, and are currently finalising the actions that we will again commit to, in order to see a continued lift in employer satisfaction over the course of 2019.

Qualification Pathways Review - Update
Health and wellbeing review  (Preparing for NZQA submission)
We are now preparing for submission on the proposed qualification changes to NZQA along with other required documents. Thank you for sending us your attestation of support.
Youth work review  (Preparing for NZQA submission)
We are now preparing for submission on the proposed ‘no change to current youth work qualifications’ to NZQA.  Thank you for sending us your attestation of support.
Cleaning review  (Consultation planning)
We are in the planning phase to review the New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning (Level 2) with optional endorsement in Health Care Facilities Cleaning and the New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning (Level 3) with optional strands in Specialist Cleaning and Supervision.  If you want to be part of the review, please let us know by emailing qualreview@careerforce.org.nz.
 
Reviews due to commence from May 2019
  • NZ Certificate in Skills for Living for Supported Learners L1
  • NZ Certificate in Public Health and Health Promotion L5
  • NZ Diploma in Hearing Therapy L6
  • NZ Diploma in Vision Habilitation and Rehabilitation L7
  • NZ Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Social & Community Services) L4 with strands in Community Facilitation, Community Health Work, Mental Health and Addiction, and Social Services
  • NZ Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Rehabilitation Support) L4 with strands in Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Impairment, and Chronic Illness
  • NZ Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Peer Support) L4
  • NZ Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Primary Care Practice Assistance) L4
  • NZ Diploma in Health and Wellbeing L5
  • NZ Diploma in Addiction Studies L6

To keep up to date with the Careerforce Qualification Pathway Review, please visit our website.
The Value of Care: The 2017 Pay Equity Settlement - Report Launch 28 March 2019
This is an open invitation to the launch of the report 'The Value of Care: Understanding the impact of the 2017 Pay Equity Settlement on the residential aged care, home and community care and disability sectors'.

This reports on research conducted in collaboration with the Caring Counts Coalition in 2018. Dr Julie Douglas and Associate Professor Katherine Ravenswood conducted focus groups and interviews with managers and care and support workers to understand how the pay equity settlement affected them.

AUT City Campus, 28 March 2019, 4.00pm

For more information, or to register, please follow this link
Industry Training Mayoral Graduations
The Mayors Taskforce for Jobs (MTFJ) and the participating councils run Industry Training Mayoral Graduations to recognise the achievements of their local graduates of industry training.

Graduation ceremonies are attended by graduates who have recently completed a qualification with an Industry Training Organisation (ITO) such as Careerforce, the graduates’ family and whānau, the local Mayor and Councillors and ITO representatives.

These graduations are a time for celebration as well as a way to thank local employers for their ongoing commitment to upskilling and training.

In 2019, ITO Graduations will take place in two "runs" - May/June and November. The following Councils are hosting an upcoming graduation ceremony.
Council
Date of Ceremony, Venue
Hastings and Napier District Councils
1 May 2019 - Karamu High School
Matamata Piako District Council
6 May 2019 - Kimai Cheese Café Waharoa
Gisborne District Council
31 May 2019 - Council Chambers
Marlborough District Council
6 June 2019 - ASB Theatre
Each Council has set a different criteria to be eligible to attend the graduation. We have provided them with the information based on their criteria. Invitations will be sent to eligible graduates. Please encourage them to attend to celebrate their achievements with their family and whānau, and their community.

For more information and questions, please contact MTFJ.
Top Tip 6: The Importance of Setting up a Training Plan  
In each issue of Skills for Good, we're sharing top tips on how you can best support your employees with their training.  Here is the full set of tips to date.

In this issue, we focus on why it's important to spend time setting up a training plan with your Careerforce Workplace Advisor (CWA) before training even begins. It's also worth thinking about aligning your training plan with your induction and orientation.  Sara Goff, shares her thoughts and experience.

"A training plan is like a roadmap for the training," explains Sara Goff, Acting Regional Manager Employer Services Northern for Careerforce.

"We’ll take a look at the unit standards that the workplace has chosen for their electives for a qualification. Then we’ll determine an order on how they want these completed, and break it down into bite-sized chunks. This helps trainees and employers see progress as they go through."

She encourages employers to get their trainees involved in developing their training plan. This involvement encourages them to take ownership from the get go and sets the right expectations of everyone. At the very least, trainees need a copy for themselves so they know if they are on track.

Sara explains that each training plan sets the trainee’s start date and their expected end date. Industry training allows for learning at each person’s pace as long as they are able achieve at least 10 credits a year. They can take as long as they like to complete. Industry training respects that adult learners, especially those in employment, have other commitments too.
Residential Limited Credit Programme Dementia - Now Available on Aka Toi
The Residential Limited Credit Programme (Level 4) Dementia has now been made available on the Careerforce online learning and assessment platform - Aka Toi.  This is in addition to the existing paper-based learning and assessment option.

These modules are also available as part of the Health and Wellbeing Level 4 Advanced programme.  
Training Makes a Big Difference to Health Care Assistant
Lacey Easson is a health care assistant (HCA) at Invercargill Medical Centre (IMC), Invercargill’s largest practice and one of the largest in the South Island with over 12,000 patients.

She has just graduated from Careerforce’s Primary Care Practice Assistance Apprenticeship Programme with a Level 4 Certificate in Health and Wellbeing.

Toni Day, Clinical Nurse Lead at IMC says "Lacey has been our Clinical Assistant for 3 ½ years and the role has evolved and grown and continues to do so. She is an excellent support team member for many of us here, with specific areas of responsibility where we have all come to depend on her. Education has been important to continue her growth and confidence."

Read more about the difference the training has made to her work as an HCA.
Pay Equity & Qualification Equivalencies - Update
In each issue of Skills for Good, we will continue to publish the latest 'Pay Equity and Qualification Equivalency' updates. 

As part of both the 2017 aged care and support pay equity settlement, and the 2018 mental health and addiction support worker settlement, workers can qualify for pay equity via either job tenure, or level of qualification.
Careerforce was given responsibility for determining qualification equivalence, and to date, have assessed a number of New Zealand and overseas qualifications.

The most recent qualification decisions are available here.  Please also check our website for all equivalency decisions.
 
Popular Links
Find out more about:
  • Careerforce Qualification Programmes >> More
  • Pay Equity Qualification Equivalencies >>More
  • Gateway and Vocational Pathways >>More
  • How to contact your local Careerforce Workplace Advisor >>More
 
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