Hepetema | September 2025

It’s been another busy month on the reform front with the Vocational Education and Training (VET) Amendment Bill Select Committee report published and recruitment underway for the Industry Skills Boards (ISBs) Chief Executive roles. We launched two reports highlighting the opportunity our creative sector presents and saw progress on new outdoor management and active recreation qualifications. All this and more in this month’s pānui, including a reminder that 3 October is the cut-off date for quality assurance applications.

The Select Committee has published its report into the VET Bill, following several hundred written and oral submissions, including from Toi Mai.

While the Select Committee recommended some changes to the draft legislation, none resolved the issues raised in our submission. 

We expect the Bill will be back in the House for its second reading in early October.

ISBs configuration – creative move

The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) website shows key shifts in ISBs coverage following industry consultation last month. 

It says some creative industry members requested creative industries be shifted from Services ISB to the Electrotechnology and Information Technology ISB. TEC says while the updated schedule shows this change, it is still under consideration.

Wanted – ISB CEOs

Recruitment is currently open for the ISB Chief Executive roles, with closing dates ranging from

1–10 October 2025.

As Toi Mai moves towards disestablishment at the end of the year, we have prepared a transition plan (excluding staff) for the new ISB Establishment Advisory Groups, ISBs and the TEC. We want to ensure our important work, including workforce development plans and insights are handed over to appropriate organisations.

We started disestablishing staff and Board positions at the end of June, with all roles to be gone by 31 December 2025. Until then, in line with our amended Operational Plan, we are continuing to work hard to grow the skills that will see our industries thrive.

NCEA submission

Our submission on the NCEA reforms says to be effective and provide long-term value, there needs to an expansion of foundational skills beyond numeracy and literacy to those that span across the whole economy. Research points to three areas of particular importance – digital literacy skills, creative skills and transferable skills.

Dear Minister...

The Co-Chairs of Toi Mai have written to Vocational Education Minister Penny Simmonds, explaining that the reason why Toi Mai hasn't been able to make progress on IT Digital Degree Apprenticeships is because of tertiary education and government system constraints – certainly not for want of trying on our part for the past four years!

The Co-Chairs' letter is in response to comments made by the Minister at the ITENZ conference in Queenstown earlier this month, that she was surprised no IT Digital Degree Apprenticeships had been created during the time of the Workforce Development Councils. 

Outdoor Management

micro-credential approved

Our new Outdoor Management micro-credential has been approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.

This Level 7 micro-credential is designed for individuals in the outdoor recreation sector to enhance their knowledge and skills in outdoor safety management. It focuses on teaching learners to analyse and apply organisational safety compliance requirements.

Feedback wanted – active recreation

A new Active Recreation qualification and skill standards will be on our website for consultation early October and we’d like your feedback – email qualifications@toimai.nz

Celebrating Ngā Taonga Tākaro

Ngā Taonga Tākaro qualifications make sure traditional Māori games passed down through generations are kept alive by growing skills, knowledge and leadership for whānau, hapū, iwi and communities.

The games range from traditional Māori wrestling and a tug-of-war style game to swinging and catching a poi and playing with knucklebones for quickness and movement.

The Level 3 Certificate is being offered through national private training provider Te Mahi Ako, who delivers and assesses the programme in practical, hands-on settings.  

Coming soon!

Next month we’ll launch a new Toi Mai report that will help ensure Kaihanga Toi Māori working in the built environment are recognised for the economic and cultural value they bring to projects, that they are remunerated appropriately and the tikanga of Ngā Toi Māori (Māori creative arts) is understood.

Kaihanga Toi Māori is a Toi Māori practitioner who is fluent in the visual articulation of mātauranga Māori in a creative context.

Kei te mōhio rānei koe? | Did you know?

The numbers are staggering. New Zealand’s creative sectors, people in creative roles and industries already contribute $12.9 billion to GDP and up to $19 billion when considering non-market value.

They are our fourth largest commodity export – bigger than fruit, wine and seafood. Creative sectors are highly productive, generating the equivalent of $346,000 per person per year.

Yet, we are systematically destroying this competitive advantage through broken policy and fragmented thinking. Our governments treat the creative industries as cultural hobbies or, in the case of Ngā Toi Māori, gifts to the nation.

Meanwhile, our competitors perceive creative industries as infrastructure and systematically build creative economies that drive innovation across all sectors.

The productivity per creative worker in New Zealand is on par with agriculture; yet only agriculture is something our politicians will die on a hill for.

Read more in Te Pūaotanga – The New Dawn our challenge to government and industry to take advantage of the opportunity the creative sector offers.