Women’s participation in education and training in New Zealand: is the ‘learn while you earn’ option accessible to all?

Abstract

Strong education and training systems are viewed as a route to increased labour market participation for groups that have traditionally been excluded from, or marginalised in, the labour market. Engagement in the labour force for such groups has both individual and societal benefits. However, while this emphasis on an increased role for the state in education and training is encouraging, commentators have questioned the ability of ‘Third Way’ discourse to meet the unique needs of women, given the absence of explicit feminist dialogue in wider discussions on associated policy and practice. Informed by this critique, this article aims to evaluate changes in education and training policy and practice in New Zealand since 1999, in terms of the extent to which it enhances opportunities for women’s participation in education and training.

Notes

1. ‘Rogernomics’ was the name given to the economic reforms of the period, after the Minister of Finance, Roger Douglas.

2. Modern Apprenticeships are administered by the Tertiary Education Commission. They provide systematic, high‐quality workplace learning; are aimed primarily at 16‐ to 21‐year‐olds; are based on a training agreement, signed by employer and apprentice; lead to national qualifications at Levels 3 and 4 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF); cover generic and specific skills; extend apprenticeship to non‐traditional industries; and complement existing education and training options. The essence of the programme is the appointment of Modern Apprenticeship coordinators, who recruit and place apprentices, support and facilitate their training and mentor them (Skill New Zealand, 2001).

3. The student loan scheme has had a significant impact on women’s increased participation in tertiary education, on the one hand by providing access, but on the other hand by acting as a disincentive when women’s lower incomes lead them to take longer to repay loans (CEDAW, 2002). These developments were shown to be particularly significant for Maori women, who were more likely than Pakeha women to have left school with no qualifications, to be sole parents and to be receiving social security benefits, as well as to be more likely to face barriers to employment (CEDAW, 1998).

4. The most recent figures for Modern Apprenticeships show little improvement. As of December 2005, only 8.2% (684) of the 8,390 Modern Apprenticeships were held by women (Tertiary Education Commision, 2006).

5. The School of Applied Technology offers a wide range of vocational and trade‐related programmes, from pre‐employment courses for entry into an apprenticeship to national certificates and diplomas for those already in their chosen industry (e.g. carpentry, welding, electronics, engineering, automotive, landscape construction, boat‐building, security and offender management and road transport).