Overview
A Trades academy is a partnership between schools, tertiary education providers, industry training organisations and employers. It delivers trades and technology programmes to secondary students interested in a trades-related or technology career.
Students enrolled full-time at a trades academy will be able to study for both NCEA (Level 2) and a nationally transferable tertiary qualification (Levels 1-3 on the National Qualification Framework (NQF)).
Government expectations
Trades academies give students an integrated pathway into a trade by schools, the tertiary sector and industry being more closely aligned. They will help students to stay engaged in education and to achieve valuable qualifications.
Trades academies will meet Government expectations though their development of programmes and partnerships. The table below outlines the way in which these aspects will be delivered and how they will benefit the students.
Programmes
| How they are delivered |
Benefits achieved |
| Delivering trades and technology programmes to Year 11 - 13 students. |
These programmes consider local and national workforce needs to encourage career options. |
| Providing high quality teaching programmes with career advice and guidance. |
The programmes will engage young people in education so students and their parents can manage their career development. |
| Developing programmes that are aligned to each other. |
This will enable students to achieve joint or dual qualifications. |
| Providing options that appeal to both young women and young men. |
This will encourage young people to enter trades that are traditionally dominated by the other gender. |
Partnerships
| How they are delivered |
Benefits achieved |
| Developing viable working partnerships between secondary schools, tertiary organisations and industry. |
These partnerships will promote students' education, welfare and safety. |
| Developing and maintaining strong partnerships with local iwi. |