Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT DOES ‘CONCOVE’ MEAN?
ConCOVE is the name for our Construction & Infrastructure Centre of Vocational Excellence, established during 2020 as part of the Review of Vocational Education (RoVE).
CoVE is an acronym for Centre of Vocational Excellence. And the ‘Con’ at the front of the name is short for Construction & Infrastructure, which are the industries our work is focussed on supporting.
ConCOVE’s mission is to connect and align industry, learners and vocational education to re-imagine clear, equitable and supported career pathways within the Construction and Infrastructure sector.
ConCOVE’s vision is to have an inclusive, sustainable and productive Construction & Infrastructure sector with clear career pathways supported by a future focussed vocational education system, honouring Te Tiriti O Waitangi.
IS CONCOVE BASED IN AUCKLAND?
ConCOVE is tasked with working with a wide range of people in the Construction & Infrastructure industries’, right across New Zealand.
We partner with the Construction & Infrastructure Workforce Development Council and 15 Regional Leadership Skills Groups across the country.
Our Board and staff are based across the country, and we have a physical office at TechPark, MIT in Manukau, Auckland.
WHO FUNDS CONCOVE?
ConCOVE was announced in September 2020 by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister of Education, Chris Hipkins.
The Ministry of Education, via the Tertiary Education Commission has committed to funding ConCOVE to achieve its objectives over a five-year period.
SO, CONCOVE IS WRITING NEW TRAINING MODULES FOR APPRENTICES?
No. First of all, we need to establish what industry wants and needs. If it is a new training approach, we’ll certainly be involved in designing that. However, if it’s new curriculum or training modules, we’ll work with the Workforce Development Council and their curriculum experts to develop these.
With our national links into the Construction and Infrastructure industries, we think we can identify common barriers to growth, then design innovative solutions to these through a fresh approach to vocational education.
WHAT DOES CONCOVE ACTUALLY DO?
Once we better understand the issues affecting the Construction & Infrastructure industries’ workforce, we can use this understanding (as well as data from other research), to build vocational education tools and solutions to improve outcomes for employers, workers and learners.
In particular, we’ll be looking at vocational education solutions in the areas of technology, productivity, apprenticeships, diversity and sustainability.
IS THIS AN ACADEMIC THING?
Yes and no. It’s more of an industry thing.
We’ll be combining what the industry tells us with data from other research to build the full picture of growth opportunities.
The solutions we recommend will be practical and measurable.
WHO IS CONCOVE TRYING TO HELP?
Everyone associated with NZ’s Construction & Infrastructure industries.
If we can improve skills and provide clear career pathways in these industries, employers will have a highly skilled and productive workforce; employees will have greater job security, improved earnings and opportunities for training and career development; potential employees will see the industries as attractive; and NZ Inc will be stronger economically.
IS IT JUST TARGETING CHIPPIES?
No.
Chippies are certainly part of the mix. But the number of roles and opportunities in the Construction & Infrastructure sectors are so numerous and diverse – that’s part of our challenge – to get Kiwi’s to re-think their traditional understanding of these industries.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR THAT CONCOVE IS TRYING TO FIX?
We don’t have a pre-conceived idea of anything that needs ‘fixing’.
We are looking for the industry to tell us what the growth barriers and opportunities are for them. We can then research these and identify possible solutions.
What we do know is that the industry’s health has been cyclical; many employees don’t progress once in the sector; many people aren’t attracted to the sector; technological advances have found the industry un-prepared; and the industries’ learning model hasn’t worked for everyone.
HASN’T THIS BEEN DONE BEFORE?
Not like this. Not by the industry, for the industry.
HOW WILL CONCOVE GATHER AND ANALYSE THE DATA?
We will collaborate with industry to study past and current initiatives, set metrics where required, and collate data over a specified time. We will also source historical data where it exists.
WHAT ARE CONCOVE’S ADVISORY GROUPS?
We have created three Advisory Groups – the Māori Advisory Group, the Pasifika Advisory Group, and the Women’s Advisory Group (which is open to all people identifying as Women). Other Advisory Groups may be established in the future or formed for specific purposes and disbanded as required.
WHAT WILL THE ADVISORY GROUPS DO?
These Advisory Groups provide the Directors and Board, ConCOVE, with advice on issues, trends and solutions and how it will support the objectives of ConCOVE.
HOW OFTEN WILL ADVISORY GROUPS MEET?
The Advisory Groups will meet monthly with video and teleconference facilities made available as required, and for bi-annual and annual conferences with the remaining Advisory Groups, as required.
WHAT WILL ADVISORY GROUP MEMBERS BE REIMBURSED FOR?
Members will be reimbursed travel expenses if required / invited to attend ConCOVE face-to-face meetings (with limitations and an approval process). Advisory Group Members will not be reimbursed for costs associated with attending the monthly meeting via video and teleconference.
HOW LONG WILL THE ADVISORY GROUP MEETINGS LAST?
Meetings should last from 2 – 4 hours, once a month (usually via video and teleconference). As they may be during normal business hours, it is crucial to have the endorsement of your employer (if necessary). Your employer, or business (if self-employed), will then be listed on the ConCOVE website, as a supporter of our Advisory Group Members.
WHY DOES CONCOVE HAVE CO-CHAIRS?
The two Co-Chairs work together in partnership, bringing Te Tiriti O Waitangi into the flow of discussions, ensuring we are working in alignment and raising awareness of Māori-led programmes within our industry.
IS THE CONCOVE BOARD A DIVERSE RANGE OF PEOPLE?
The Board Members bring a diverse range of ethnicity to ensure we can engage with Māori and Pasifika communities; Iwi, Hapū and whānau; and both male and female business owners within the Construction and Infrastructure sector.
WHO IS TE PŪKENGA, AND WHAT IS CONCOVE’S RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM?
Te Pūkenga is a unified, sustainable, public network of regionally accessible vocational education, bringing together the existing 16 ITPs.
ConCOVE will report back to Te Pūkenga with our Project findings, for them to use in future vocational education and training.
WHAT DO THE ACRONYM’S STAND FOR?
TEC – Tertiary Education Commission
A Crown Agency that leads the Government’s relationship with the tertiary education sector in New Zealand and provides career services from education to employment.
WDC – Workforce Development Council
Currently in development are six Workforce Development Councils (WDCs), which represent different industries. The WDCs use information from employers regarding what skills they want, and need in the future, to develop appropriate qualifications and to help Te Pūkenga develop programmes that will deliver the right skills for your industry.
RSLG – Regional Skills Leadership Groups
Formed to identify and support better ways of meeting future skills and workforce needs in our regions and cities. They are part of a joined-up approach to labour market planning which will see our workforce, education and immigration systems working together to better meet the differing skills needs across the country.
ITO – Industry Training Organisations
Part of New Zealand’s tertiary education sector, along with universities, polytechnics and wānanga. ITOs work almost exclusively with people who are learning a trade or skill on-the-job. These people are either apprentices or trainees.
ITP – Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics
Our 16 state-owned ITPs are being unified into a single national institution – Te Pukenga.
RoVE – Reform of Vocational Education
The Reform of Vocational Education, and its seven key changes (one of which is creating COVE’s, such as ConCOVE), is creating a strong, unified, sustainable vocational education system that is fit for the future of work and delivers the skills that learners, employers and communities need to thrive
COVE – Centres of Vocational Excellence
CoVEs will bring together Te Pūkenga, other providers, Workforce Development Councils, industry experts, and leading researchers to grow excellent vocational education provision and share high-quality curriculum and programme design across the system.