Vocational training vital for region
Making sure the regions are relevant when preparing people for the workforce is one of the goals of new UCOL chief executive Linda Sissons.
Sissons started as acting chief executive of UCOL, which has campuses in Palmerston North, Levin, Whanganui and Masterton, in June last year after the departure of Amanda Lynn, but was officially given the job earlier this month.
She has the job until January 2023 and after that the structure for Te Pukenga, the new organisation that oversees the country’s 16 polytechnics, will start.
Sissons said as part of the plan to transition to Te Pukenga, UCOL identified why the region was so important for vocational education and meeting employers’ needs.
Rather than just training people for work, they had to offer people who were relevant for employers. She said Covid-19 had been a challenge for the workforce, but the economy had recovered well, with almost full employment in Palmerston North. ‘‘But there are certain bits of the population that have done less well out of Covid. They’re women, Ma¯ori and Pasifika and young people. ‘‘One of the challenges is to provide education and training for those groups in our society. We’ll be looking very carefully how we can help them.
‘‘Whether it’s by scholarship or special programmes.’’
She said UCOL had talked to companies, the Palmerston North City Council, Central Economic Development Agency and skills groups, which were being set up to identify what skills the regions needed.
Having people ready to work at the regional rail centre in Palmerston North, to be built between the city and Bunnythorpe, was an example. ‘‘It’s 10 years away, but the sooner we start planning the sooner we get the skills ready.’’
She said UCOL offered teaching on work sites, as well as online and on campus.
As a way of meeting employer needs, more short-termcourses, like call centre credentials, will be offered, so employers don’t lose staff for long periods of study.
Student numbers at UCOL were up 10 per cent this year compared with a year ago.