Trades academies

Trades academies focus on delivering trades and technology programmes to secondary students based on partnerships between schools, tertiary institutions, industry training organisations and employers. Students in years 11 to 13, who are interested in a career in trades or technology are able to combine study at a trades academy with studies towards their National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) and a nationally transferable tertiary qualification Level 1, 2 or 3.

The purpose of a trades academy is to:

• motivate more students to stay engaged in learning and training by providing them with a greater number of options for study
• provide students with clear pathways post-school by giving them a head start on training for vocational qualifications and smooth access to employment
• improve the responsiveness of schools to business and economic needs.

Government's expectations

A key priority for Government is to help students to remain engaged in education and achieve worthwhile qualifications. Trades academies will provide students with an integrated pathway into a trade through closer alignment of schools, the tertiary sector and industry.

A trades academy does this by:

• delivering trades and technology programmes
  • to students in years 11-13
  • that take account of local and national workforce needs
  • that are aligned to allow students to achieve secondary and tertiary qualifications.
• ensuring that programmes have clear and relevant links to current Government strategies, especially the Tertiary Education Plan, Ka Hikitia, Pasifika Education Plan, Success for All (Special Education Needs)
• engaging young people in education through
• high quality teaching and learning programmes
• the use of culturally responsive approaches and contexts
• constructive and coherent career advice and guidance so that students and their parents can manage career development
• developing viable working partnerships between secondary schools, tertiary organisations, industry and iwi that promote education, welfare and safety of students.

Trades academies in 2011

The eight trades academies commenced operation in 2011:

• Tai Tokerau Trades Academy (Northland)
• Southern Cross Trades Academy (Auckland)
• Eastern Bay of Plenty Trades Academy (Eastern Bay of Plenty)
• Waikato Trades Academy (Hamilton)
• New Zealand Primary Industries Trades Academy (National)
• Primary Industries Trades Academy (National)
• Wellington Trades Academy (Wellington)
• Canterbury Trades College (Christchurch)

Trades academies in 2012

Trades academies planning to commence operation at the start of 2012 are:

• Central Lakes Trades Academy (Central Otago)
• Hawke's Bay Schools' Trades Academy
• Manurewa High School Trades Academy (Auckland)
• Nelson - Tasman Trades Academy
• Taranaki Trades Academy
• Trades and Technology Academy (Horowhenua - Whanganui - Wairarapa)
• West Auckland Trades Academy
• The West Coast Trades Academy

Trades academies planning to commence operation mid-2012 are:

• Kelston Girls Business and IT Academy (Auckland)
• Land Based Trades Academy (Canterbury)
• Tāmaki College Trades Academy (Auckland)
• Taumarunui High School Senior Trades Academy
• Te Aho o te Kura Pounamu Kuratini Tuwhera (Huarahi) (National)

Trades Academy profiles can be found on the myportfolio website.

The programme

Trades academies are the first example of a secondary-tertiary programme that will provide a broad range of learning opportunities for senior secondary students interested in a trades career, to ensure they stay engaged in education for longer.

The programme is delivered through partnerships developed between schools, tertiary and industry organisations.

The programme is full time (25-30 hours per week) for students already enrolled at school and:

• consists of both secondary and tertiary elements
• includes appropriate work experience where this forms part of the tertiary or secondary part of the programme.

Intended outcomes for students

The programme must lead to a worthwhile qualification for the students enrolled in the trades academy. This is a minimum of NCEA level 2. Students must also be working toward a trades-related nationally-transferrable tertiary qualification in Level 1, 2 or 3 as part of the programme.

Governance

Trades academy programmes are a new way of providing educational pathways for senior secondary students. Changes in legislation enabled approved organisations to be formally recognised by the Minister of Education to deliver a trades academy secondary-tertiary programme. The programme must also be approved by the Secretary of Education.

Once a programme is recognised and approved, it will be co-ordinated and managed to ensure that overall provision is suitably arranged.

The trades academy can be governed by either a Lead Provider or a Provider Group which is responsible for the operation of the trades academy programme.

A lead provider can be a school or a tertiary provider.

A provider group can be a group of organisations jointly responsible and will include at least one school and one tertiary provider, but can include other organisations (such as an employer).

Enrolment

Each trades academy is responsible for selecting and enrolling students.

Students must be enrolled in a secondary school, and must participate full time in the programme to be eligible to enrol.

As programmes offered differ, entry requirements, application and interview processes (including selection criteria) will vary between each respective trades academy.

Trades academies are in contact with schools to provide information about their programme, what students will achieve by participating, what is involved for schools and how interested students can apply.

Students and their families should contact their school in the first instance if they are interested in enrolling in a trades academy programme. They can also contact a trades academy directly for further information.

Attendance

Each trades academy will be able to outline the attendance arrangements for each participating student. These arrangements will specify when the student must attend the school, the tertiary organisation and/or the work experience component of the programme.

If for any reason a student aged under 16 cannot continue with the programme, they must return to their school full-time.

Exclusions, expulsions and discipline

Existing provisions relating to schools continue to apply as the student is still enrolled at school.

A Tertiary provider can withdraw a student from the programme at any time following their normal processes. This must occur in consultation with the school which will apply its own processes to determine whether or not the student can return to school.

These arrangements will be negotiated with each provider and set out by the trades academy in their memorandum of understanding with participating schools and organisations.

Funding

The funding model for trades academies is based on the use of existing funding streams.

Principles and methodology

The funding arrangements will:

• be reviewed in 2012 and will align with Youth Guarantee in 2013
• provide for a fees free education, however students do not qualify for student loans, allowances or course-related costs
• minimise double-funding – providers are funded for the provision they deliver
• reflect the principles of partnership and collaboration – providers need to work together to contribute specialist expertise and resources

The funding model includes:

• fixed co-ordination costs at a rate of $1,250 per student per year
• tertiary education costs for the proportion of time that the student attends the tertiary provider, based on relevant tertiary funding rates (including an additional rate to ensure that there is a no fees cost to students)
• provision for schooling funding (both staffing and operations) for the proportion of time that the student attends school

Trades academies funding arrangements

As part of its co-ordination role, a trades academy will receive $1,250 per student for co-ordination and administration of the trades academy programme.

For programmes delivered full-time at a school, the trades academy may also receive a tertiary top-up of $2,000 per student for additional costs relating to the tertiary provision (based on relevant tertiary funding rates).

Schooling funding arrangements

Schools will receive schooling funding for students enrolled in the trades academy programme for the proportion of time the student attends the school.

Resourcing will be calculated by the Ministry of Education for each school and will be identified on the schools Guaranteed Minimal Formula Staffing (GMFS) notice sent out to schools in September and confirmed in March.

Tertiary funding arrangements

Funding is provided for the tertiary element of the trades academy. This is based on relevant tertiary funding rates and additional funding to ensure no fee cost to learners.

Tertiary organisations, as agreed providers of the trades academy programme, will be eligible to receive funding from the Tertiary Education Commission.

The tertiary rates are available on the Tertiary Education Commission website.

• In some instances the full programme time commitment will be greater that the total hours of a school week. Schools are funded for a 25-hour week and tertiary organisations are funded for a 30-hours week.
• In the situation where the programme time commitment is greater than a school week, the tertiary element will be recognised as such. Some overlap of funding will occur when the programme requires students to attend for longer than a school day, or out of school time (eg school holidays).
• Trades academies will endeavour to ensure that a full time student programme does not exceed 30 hours per week.

More information

For more information please email trades.academy@minedu.govt.nz at the Ministry of Education.