The first two stages of Skills’ transition are complete

Skills works through its transition

A group of people walk between office buildings

Since our transition plan was approved in February this year, Skills has been working through the process of transferring its Arranging Training functions to Te Pūkenga WBL and other providers (known as Receiving Organisations (ROs)). You can read the Transition Plan here.

Skills has worked with the ROs to identify the roles its staff will transfer into and has now completed the ‘Expression of Interest’ process for those roles. 

We hosted a series of information forums alongside the ROs educating staff on the ROs. You can find out more about the seven ROs Skills is working with here. 

Over the next few weeks, we’ll confirm with staff which RO they will transition to. Each RO will be scheduling time for induction training closer to the transition date. 

This change in Skills’ structure means adjustments for our digital and technology systems. Some employers and learners will need to change their logins for systems like My Skills and Skillsbank. If you’re among them, you can expect to receive communications from us guiding you through the re-set in August. 

The transitions, what we call ‘going live’, to the new arrangements will take place at three different dates.  

Go-Live  Receiving Organisation  Industries  When 
Go-Live 1  St John   Ambulance   1 July 2022  
Go-Live 2  ICE including Etec  Appliance Servicing, Customer Premise Systems, Electrical Equipment in Explosive Atmospheres, Electronic Engineering, Electronic Security, Motor Rewinding, Roofing, Switchgear Fitting  1 September 2022 
Ignite  Case Management, Contact Centre, Credit Management,  Emergency Communications, , Public Sector, Real Estate 
Vertical Horizonz  Roofing 
Go-Live 3  Te Pūkenga WBL  Adult Education, Building Surveying, Business, Civil Defence, Conservation, Coordinated Incident Management Systems, Cranes, Electricians, Elevated Work Platforms, Financial Services, Fire & Rescue, Industrial Measurement & Control, Industrial Rope Access, Organisational Risk & Compliance, Plumbing, Gasfitting & Drainlaying, Project Management, Regulatory Compliance (G-Reg), Rigging, Scaffolding, Security, Statistics and Workplace Health & Safety   1 October 2022 
ETCO  Electricians 
ICE Plumbing, Gasfitting & Drainlaying 
Ignite  Adult Education, Business, Intelligence, Offender Management, Project Management, Security  
Strategi  Financial Services 
Vertical Horizonz  Industrial Rope Access, Rigging, Scaffolding 

 Skills transitioned to the WDC in October 2021. Click here to see the WDC transition plan.

We will also be shifting out of our Wynyard Wood House premises at 60 Highbrook Drive, East Tamaki. From October, all Auckland staff working for the Skills family of brands will be based either at Ellerslie or the Auckland-based campuses belonging to Ignite and ICE. 

Skills prepares for Go Live 2

Skills prepares for Go Live 2

Man uses laptop at home

As you will be aware, the Reform of Vocational Education (ROVE) is well underway. Skills has completed the first transition to St John in July 2022, also known as ‘Go Live 1’. Skills will be transitioning the next wave of programmes to multiple organisations (also called Receiving Organisations). We call this ‘Go Live 2’.  

The transition will take effect from 1 September 2022. 

Go-Live 2  Appliance Servicing, Customer Premise Systems, Electrical Equipment in Explosive Atmospheres, Electronic Engineering, Electronic Security, Motor Rewinding, Roofing, Switchgear Fitting  ICE including Etec 
Case Management, Contact Centre, Credit Management,  Emergency Communications, , Public Sector, Real Estate  Ignite 
Roofing  Vertical Horizonz 

The information we hold about organisations and their formal training agreement(s) will remain confidential and secure throughout the process.  

As part of the transition, from 26 – 31 August 2022 Skills will implement a ‘read only’ to My Skills and Skillsbank. If employers or learner(s) use these systems, this means that:  

  • No changes can be made during the read-only period however they can still view the information in these systems before 26 August 2022.   
  • Learners will not be able to access their learning materials or assessments however you can contact your Account Manager or Skills Customer Support team who can email learners copies. 
  • Learners will also need to hold on to any paper-based assessments they complete as these can’t be submitted during this time.  

For those who don’t use these systems, the read-only period won’t affect you. 

The services and support employers and learner(s) receive will carry over to the Receiving Organisation (RO). Some Skills Account Managers are transferring to the ROs and some aren’t. If your Account Manager does change, Skills will transfer your training to the RO and work with them to ensure that all Account Managers are trained and ready to support you. 

As much as possible, Account Managers will stay with their existing apprentices. 

The details of each transition are specific to whether you’re an employer, learner or assessor; and to which RO you’re transferring. We sent out tailored communications to employers affected by Go Live 2 on August 18th explaining what will happen next and providing a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). 

If you are an employer and haven’t received these details, you can contact the Skills Customer support team on 0508 754 557 or support@skills.org.nz  for assistance. 

If you have a Trades-specific question, check out our FAQs here, or if your query is non-Trades-specific, you can read these FAQs to learn more. 

Skills works through its transition

Skills works through its transition

A group of people walk between office buildings

Since our transition plan was approved in February this year, Skills has been working through the process of transferring its Arranging Training functions to Te Pūkenga WBL and other providers (known as Receiving Organisations (ROs)). You can read the Transition Plan here.

Skills has worked with the ROs to identify the roles its staff will transfer into and has now completed the ‘Expression of Interest’ process for those roles. 

We hosted a series of information forums alongside the ROs educating staff on the ROs. You can find out more about the seven ROs Skills is working with here. 

Over the next few weeks, we’ll confirm with staff which RO they will transition to. Each RO will be scheduling time for induction training closer to the transition date. 

This change in Skills’ structure means adjustments for our digital and technology systems. Some employers and learners will need to change their logins for systems like My Skills and Skillsbank. If you’re among them, you can expect to receive communications from us guiding you through the re-set in August. 

The transitions, what we call ‘going live’, to the new arrangements will take place at three different dates.  

Go-Live  Industries  Receiving Organisation  When 
Go-Live 1  Ambulance   St John    1 July 2022  
Go-Live 2  Appliance Servicing, Customer Premise Systems, Electrical Equipment in Explosive Atmospheres, Electronic Engineering, Electronic Security, Motor Rewinding, Roofing, Switchgear Fitting  ICE including Etec  1 September 2022 
Case Management, Contact Centre, Credit Management,  Emergency Communications, , Public Sector, Real Estate  Ignite 
Roofing  Vertical Horizonz 
Go-Live 3  Adult Education, Building Surveying, Business, Civil Defence, Conservation, Coordinated Incident Management Systems, Cranes, Electricians, Elevated Work Platforms, Financial Services, Fire & Rescue, Industrial Measurement & Control, Industrial Rope Access, Organisational Risk & Compliance, Plumbing, Gasfitting & Drainlaying, Project Management, Regulatory Compliance (G-Reg), Rigging, Scaffolding, Security, Statistics and Workplace Health & Safety   Te Pūkenga WBL  1 October 2022 
Electricians  ETCO 
Plumbing, Gasfitting & Drainlaying  ICE 
Adult Education, Business, Intelligence, Offender Management, Project Management, Security   Ignite 
Financial Services  Strategi 
Industrial Rope Access, Rigging, Scaffolding  Vertical Horizonz 

 Skills transitioned to the WDC in October 2021. Click here to see the WDC transition plan.

We will also be shifting out of our Wynyard Wood House premises at 60 Highbrook Drive, East Tamaki. From October, all Auckland staff working for the Skills family of brands will be based either at Ellerslie or the Auckland-based campuses belonging to Ignite and ICE. 

COVID-19 – What you need to know from March 2022

COVID-19

What you need to know
from March 2022

Experienced tradesman explains concepts to two apprentice electricians

We’re now in a phase of New Zealand’s COVID-19 response where providers are requiring trainees to show a valid vaccine pass or exemption to attend their block courses.  

Mask rules have also changed. Trainees must wear a mask to their block courses unless an exemption applies. Bandannas, scarves or other non-mask items of clothing which cover your mouth and nose are no longer acceptable – medical-style disposable masks are recommended. 

If you have any questions, please touch base with your Skills account manager. 

Skills’ transition plan has been approved

Skills’ transition plan has been approved

Group of coworkers enjoy a chat together

The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) Board has approved Skills’ transition plan, giving Skills and its learners security for the future under the Reform of Vocational Education (RoVE).

The transition plan lays out how Skills will transfer its Arranging Training functions to Te Pūkenga and six different Private Training Establishments (PTEs). These are known as receiving organisations.

Skills’ receiving organisations are:

Public training establishment

Skills-associated PTEs

Independent PTEs

Te Pūkenga Work Based Learning subsidiary (WBL)

Ignite Colleges

Vertical Horizonz (VHNZ),

 

Industry Connection for Excellence (ICE)

Electrical Training Company (Etco)

 

 

Strategi Institute

 

 

St John

Skills is the eighth transitional ITO to have its plan approved, but the TEC Board says with seven receiving organisations and three transition dates (1 July, 1 September and 1 October 2022), Skills’ plan was the most complex by far.

All seven receiving organisations were required to provide detailed Receiving Plans, which were endorsed by the RoVE Programme Board to the TEC Board. Approximately 57 percent of Skills’ learners will transition to Te Pūkenga WBL with the rest split across the other six receiving organisations.

Skills is grateful to have the support of its industries and employers behind its plan.

“There’s been a lot of work put into that transition plan,” says Skills chief executive Garry Fissenden. “We’re proud of getting this transition plan approved, and of TEC’s endorsement that this is a good plan. We’ve now passed another hurdle and we’re all go for the future.”

Responsibility for Skills’ qualifications development, moderation, consent to assess, and programme endorsement moved to Waihanga Ara Rau WDC, Toitū te Waiora WDC, and Ringa Hora – Services WDC on 4 October 2021.

“Congratulations to everyone involved at Skills and Primary and across TEC, NZQA and all of the receiving organisations,” said Gillian Dudgeon, deputy chief executive, delivery directorate at TEC.