What we have heard from tertiary education providers in Manawatū-Whanganui

Opportunities for kaimahi and ākonga are vast, from farming and agriculture through to specialist architectural technology training.

For the purposes of this advice, tertiary education providers that offer training relevant to horticulture, health and the freight, logistics and warehousing sectors have been prioritised.

Tertiary education providers have identified the following drivers of ākonga interest in their courses and desired modes of delivery:

• A flexible mixture of on-the-job and online training that caters to the need of both the learner and employer.
• Micro-credentials are increasing in popularity as ākonga either look to upskill in a certain area, or are trying a new industry before committing.
• Online options are proving popular, but this does require ākonga to have access to suitable technology and materials, which has hindered providers from offering these courses as it is costly to send materials to enrolled ākonga.   
• Current funding models are not conducive to flexibility for online (extramural) delivery, and favours provider-based training. This contradicts what ākonga are demanding in more rural areas of the rohe.
• Pre-employment training that is targeting those with historically low achievement rates has proven highly successful, with many looking to expand these programmes

Manawatū-Whanganui is home to various training and tertiary education providers, although the majority are located in the main centres; Whanganui and Palmerston North.

To enable all ākonga throughout the rohe to access training, many tertiary education providers are looking to offer a flexible mixture of extramural and on-campus training.

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