Training and qualifications for a rewarding trades career
Students in years 11-13 who are interested in a career in the trades, technology or industry, can use the Vocational Pathways to identify and plan their study options and develop clear pathways to vocational qualifications that are relevant in the workplace.
Trades Academies are based on partnerships between schools, tertiary institutions, industry training organisations, and employers. They are aligned with the Vocational Pathways to deliver an NCEA (or equivalent) qualification and a programme that leads to a trades related nationally transferrable tertiary qualification levels 1, 2 or 3.
Top of the South Trades Academy
West Coast Trades Academy
Murihiku Tertiary Academy
Prospective students
If you are interested in enrolling in a Trades Academy, you should first talk to your secondary school or with your regional Trades Academy.
As different programmes are offered, entry requirements, application, and interview processes (including selection criteria) may vary between academies.
For more information please contact trades.academy@education.govt.nz.
WorkSafe Health and Safety Teaching Resources
Kia Oho Ake focuses on applying the hierarchy of controls supporting ākonga (learners) to choose safer controls to help keep themselves and those around them safe and healthy.
Quick Prints (see the resources below) will take 15–30-minutes. Each Kia Oho Ake Quick Print is a single lesson to support the teaching of health and safety. Ākonga will learn about:
- keeping themselves and those around them healthy and safe
- reducing harm in the workplace
- choosing and applying hierarchy of control measures.
List of Quick Prints and Teacher Resources Available: Worksafe Kia Oho Ake Quick Print Resources (26 files)
Other WorkSafe Health and Safety resources to support these lessons include Pickled (online games) and Pathways Awarua (e-learning modules).
For more information, please contact guidanceandeducationdevelopment@worksafe.govt.nz
Trades Academy (Secondary-Tertiary Programme) Funding Rates
The funding model for trades academies is based on a ‘per-learner’ rate that is provided to schools and tertiary education providers. The rate is based on the proportion of study time that the learner spends at each provider.
The funding model includes annual funding (from 2024 in brackets) of:
- $10,070 ($10,400) for general teaching and learning, which is divided between schools and the tertiary education providers to reflect the proportion of the study week spent at each provider (e.g. 1 day per week equates to 0.2 FTE or $2,014 per-learner)
- $3,710 ($3,850) for trades delivery to reflect the higher costs of delivering trades education subjects — payment for these services is made directly to the school or provider delivering these components of the programme on a pro-rata basis (e.g. 1 day per week trades delivery equates to 0.2 FTE or $742 per-learner). Trades and Non-Trades Classification List (PDF, 27 KB, published August 2020).
- $1,300 ($1,350) per student for pastoral care and coordination, which is paid to the Lead Provider.
Trades academies with high transport costs can apply to the Ministry of Education for the recovery of these costs. This process is managed through the Trades Academy Lead Provider.
Guidance for participating schools
The following documents provide specific guidance for schools participating in Trades Academies.
- Staffing, funding and general guidance for schools participating in secondary-tertiary programmes (PDF, 674 KB, published October 2022)
- Staffing-and-funding-modelling-worksheet.xlsx (XLS, 19KB, published July 2020)
- Staffing and funding modelling worksheet.xlsx (XLS, 20KB, published October 2022) - version to be used from 2022/23
- Funding and staffing calculators - Ministry of Education website
To assist schools in understanding Trades Academy and other Secondary-Tertiary Programme arrangements, including funding and roll return reporting, high level guidance has been prepared to support senior leaders and operational staff. The guidance can be found via the link below:
- STP Supplementary Roll Returns Guidance - Reporting STP and Other Part Time Tertiary Programmes (published May 2021)
For more information and help please contact trades.academy@education.govt.nz
Trades Academy/Secondary-Tertiary Programme operational policy and guidelines
The document below seeks to aid programme lead providers and participating schools to ensure minimum programme expectations are clearly defined and to set out eligibility requirements in more detail.
STP-TA-Programme-Operational-Policy-and-Guidelines (PDF, 871 KB, published August 2020)
For more information or enquiries regarding Trades Academy operational policy please contact trades.academy@education.govt.nz.
Trades Academies information for educators
Trades Academies provide a broad range of learning opportunities for senior secondary students who are motivated by a trades or industry-related career. They help students stay engaged in education for longer, and support successful transitions in to further education or employment. They provide more relevant learning options for young people to gain the necessary foundation-level education and skills training that employers want.
What can students achieve in a Trades Academy?
Students will achieve a minimum of NCEA level 2, by combining study at a Trades Academy with studies towards their NCEA that leads to a nationally transferable tertiary qualification levels 1, 2 or 3.
What are programme requirements for Trades Academies?
A Trades Academy programme is full time (25–30 hours per week) for students already enrolled at school and consists of learning in both secondary and tertiary settings. Appropriate work experience may also be part of the relevant secondary or tertiary programme.
A variety of programmes are currently in place across the Trades Academies. Most commonly students will undertake one or two days of tertiary/trades and industry-based learning each week, with the remainder of the programme delivered at their secondary school. The school course component will involve relevant subject courses and other appropriate activities.
How do students enrol in a Trades Academy?
Students who are interested in attending a Trades Academy should first contact their school or tertiary provider and/or Trades Academy directly for information about their programmes.
As different programmes are offered, entry requirements, application, and interview processes (including selection criteria) may vary between academies.
To be eligible to use a Trades Academy funded place students must have a right to enrol as a Domestic student. A students right to enrol ends on 1 January after the student's 19th birthday (must be aged 18 at 1 January). The only exception being if the student is ORS funded whereby the student's right to enrol end on 1 January after the students 21st birthday (must be aged 20 at 1 January). International students with a right to enrol as a Domestic student (defined within the student's Visa) are eligible. For further details regarding student eligibility please refer to the STP/Trades Academy Operational Policy and Guidelines (PDF, 871 KB, published August 2020).
Trades Academies provide a broad range of learning opportunities for senior secondary students who are motivated by a trades or industry-related career. They help students stay engaged in education for longer, and support successful transitions in to further education or employment. They provide more relevant learning options for young people to gain the necessary foundation-level education and skills training that employers want.
What can students achieve in a Trades Academy?
Students will achieve a minimum of NCEA level 2, by combining study at a Trades Academy with studies towards their NCEA that leads to a nationally transferable tertiary qualification levels 1, 2 or 3.
What are programme requirements for Trades Academies?
A Trades Academy programme is full time (25–30 hours per week) for students already enrolled at school and consists of learning in both secondary and tertiary settings. Appropriate work experience may also be part of the relevant secondary or tertiary programme.
A variety of programmes are currently in place across the Trades Academies. Most commonly students will undertake one or two days of tertiary/trades and industry-based learning each week, with the remainder of the programme delivered at their secondary school. The school course component will involve relevant subject courses and other appropriate activities.
How do students enrol in a Trades Academy?
Students who are interested in attending a Trades Academy should first contact their school or tertiary provider and/or Trades Academy directly for information about their programmes.
As different programmes are offered, entry requirements, application, and interview processes (including selection criteria) may vary between academies.
For more information about each of the established Trades Academies go to find a provider.
Can student participate in Gateway/STAR programmes whilst enrolled in a Trades Academy?
Students enrolled in a Trades Academy may participate in a Gateway programme at the same time. The Ministry recommends that the Gateway programme complements the chosen Trades Academy programme ensuring a fully integrated learning programme. Credits attained from the Trades Academy course must not be used to satisfy the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) Gateway reporting requirements and vice versa.
STAR funding is untagged and therefore can be used to also support Trades Academy students if required. As the funding is untagged this decision is at the school’s discretion.
Can students participate in more than one Trades Academy course?
Students can participate in more than one Trades Academy course. This may be two courses within the same Trades Academy or one course in two different Trades Academies. Given Trades Academy places are limited and demand is high, all Trades Academy dual-enrolments must be approved by the Ministry of Education (this request should be submitted via the Trades Academy Lead Provider.
This approval seeks to ensure the available funding is used equitably. Schools should also note their operational funding will decrease to reflect the increased tertiary component time for the student.