Workforce students success celebrated
Workforce Development has gone through a few transformations since registering as a private training establishment (PTE) in 1992, and its latest incarnation is built to last.
With a $1m refit, the former home of Stuart Electrical on the corner of Austin St and Ford Rd is now a 93 squ m purposebuilt home of the company, which delivers foundation and vocational education for young adults who may not have succeeded in mainstream education.
With a degree in archaeology and a PhD in Egyptology, CEO since 2012 and co-owner for the past two years, Dr Aaron Smith brings a wealth of experience to his role. His goal is to build the first industry and community college in the country.
“A community college is very much about community ownership — families pass through the college for all sorts of reasons. There’s no such ‘community-based’ structure within the New Zealand framework presently.”
For now, Aaron is concentrating on delivering a range of certificate level courses to students, including literacy, language and numeracy (LLN), early childhood, youth work, hospitality and tourism, and from next year, IT.
“We often work with generations of families. “We’re a stepping stone. It’s about reaching out the hand.”
Workforce Development has seven campuses nationally, mostly in the North Island. The Onekawa industrial area-based site will boast the national office, to open before the New Year. Aaron says he is proud of how many people go through their doors and succeed as a result of their time and experiences with Workforce Development.
“So many people have been done such a disservice in their prior education. With us, they succeed when they didn’t think they could. We have to build their confidence and understand the capabilities of each person to fashion the training to suit.” Workforce Development operates a ‘no blame’ culture, employing 40 staff and working with local companies.
“Every student has an individualised development plan. We have communities of practise where different teams come together to share their knowledge, learnings and reflections at all levels of the company.”
He says the company has developed a self reflective tool for staff.
“This enables them to reflect on how they can develop — this is imbedded in our culture.”
They also have their own research portfolio including working with local Ma¯ ori organisation, Te Aratika Academy, a special character school offering hard skills training to Ma¯ ori youth who haven’t succeeded in mainstream education.
“This company is about learning and improving all we do. We intend to carry out a joint research with Te Aratika Academy which will include students in that research team, and work with a local iwi to help it develop education strategies that empower its people,” Aaron says.
■ For more information phone 0800 833 5581, email communication@workforce.ac.nz or visit www.workforce.ac.nz