Hanga-Aro-Rau Workforce Development Council

As we close our virtual doors this Friday 12 December, we reflect with pride on what we’ve achieved together over the last four years – including:

* Engaged with 4,524 stakeholders and 1,310 organisations
* 200+ qualifications reviewed and developed
* 2000+ skill and unit standards reviewed and developed
* 50+ micro-credentials reviewed and developed
* 2,187 pre-moderation projects and 2,575 post-moderation projects
* 9 Workforce Development Plans
* Lumana’i o Tangata Moana Pacific People’s Workforce Development Plan
* Mahere Whanake Māori Plan
* Three white papers on unlocking the potential of Māori, Pacific Peoples, and the disabled workforce
* A practical guide for employers to engage with rangatahi and schools.

We know that this has supported industry and provides strong foundations for Industry Skills Boards and the broader vocational education and training system.

From 1 January 2026, four Industry Skills Boards (ISBs) will replace Hanga-Aro-Rau. Our sectors will transition to:
* Transport ISB
* Manufacturing and Engineering ISB
* Energy and Infrastructure ISB
* Electrotechnology and Information Technology ISB

These ISBs will progress standard-setting, quality assurance, workforce forecasting, and investment advice work. Websites and emails for the new ISBs aren't live yet but are being set up soon.

Our official disestablishment date is 1 January 2026. For any final queries, contact us at [email protected].

We're committed to transforming vocational education to ensure it delivers the skills our industries and economy need—now and into the future. This advice to the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) for 2027 is targeted and focused on reviewing, validating, and updating the advice provided to TEC for 2026 investment. It also identifies gaps in the existing advice and provides new advice aligned with industry demand and engagement.

Please note: This advice is pending formal approval and acceptance from TEC.

Download the 2027 Advice 👉 https://hangaarorau.nz/publications/

A massive congratulations to the Ōamaru Pacific Island Trust, which recently received $75,000 from the Otago Community Trust to support a community learning hub for better serving Pacific peoples and the wider community.

The new learning hub will feature purpose-built spaces including a dedicated digi-hub with computers and printers to support digital access for those without devices at home.

"Everything was on the back of our pilot Project Fetu and if we can do that in the hub - then imagine what we could do with other opportunities," chief executive Hana Fanene-Taiti says 🙌

Funding boost for Pasifika learning hub Oamaru Pacific Island Trust (OPIT) chief executive Hana Fanene-Taiti is "thrilled" to receive $75,000 from the Otago Community Trust to support a...

A great initiative to put in your calendars for 2026

Mark your calendars because Girls in Infrastructure® is back for 2026, and it’s going to be our biggest year yet 🚀

We are heading to five regions across Aotearoa, and we are especially thrilled to bring the programme to Christchurch for the very first time!

Students will get the chance to roll up their sleeves, explore real project sites, try hands-on activities, meet inspiring wāhine shaping Aotearoa’s infrastructure, and discover pathways they may never have considered before💡

📩 Make sure you register your interest to receive all the latest updates straight to your inbox: https://survey.zohopublic.com.au/zs/Q7Dbde

We cannot wait to welcome everyone in 2026 and help spark confidence, curiosity, and new possibilities for the next generation of female infrastructure leaders.

If your organisation is interested in supporting the programme or exploring sponsorship opportunities, please contact [email protected] – we would love to hear from you.

🔗https://www.girlsininfrastructure.org.nz/

We’re proud to share with you our 2024/25 Hanga-Aro-Rau Pūronga Ā-Tau Annual Report, which details our extensive work alongside Industry to transform and improve vocational education for manufacturing, engineering and logistics.

Over the last year, during a dynamic and changing time in the vocational education and training system, we’ve clarified career and education pathways, created new qualifications that reflect industry current and future skill needs, supported training providers to strengthen outcomes for learners through quality training and assessment, and provided guidance to support the Government to ensure they’re investing in vocational education aligned with industry needs.

Our continued focus has been on fostering industry-driven solutions that enhance workforce capability, support sustainable economic growth, and ensure a smooth transition to the new system so that Aotearoa New Zealand’s manufacturing, engineering, and logistics sectors remain competitive on a global scale.

Download our 2024/25 Annual Report 👉https://hangaarorau.nz/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Hanga-Aro-Rau-Annual-Report-2024-25.pdf

Have you, or someone that you know, recently graduated with a New Zealand Diploma in Engineering (NZDE)?

Vocational Engineering Education NZ (VEE.NZ) are establishing a Learner & Graduate Advisory Group, to:

✅ Advocate for the needs and interests of NZDE and NZDEP learners and recent graduates.
✅ Provide insights and recommendations to the VEE.NZ Quality Assurance Committee (QAC) from a learner / recent graduate perspective.
✅ Enhance communication and collaboration between the QAC and learners / graduates, to ensure that assurance activities consider learner and graduate feedback.

📅 If you’re keen, expressions of interest for the group are now open!

Check out more information, including the application form 👇

NZDE Qualification & National Curriculum Review Project - veenz We’re excited to announce that we’ve begun work to review the New Zealand Diploma in Engineering (NZDE), an important Level 6 national qualification for engineering technicians.

We’re proud to present our new White Paper, “Strengthening the Vocational Education and Training System to Improve Workforce Transitions: Seven Strategies for Better Attraction, Alignment and Retention.”

Aotearoa New Zealand faces real challenges with talent shortages in key industries, and building a strong, future-ready workforce means growing a pool of skilled, work-ready young people.

This legacy document brings together four years of learning with industry and education partners, offering practical ideas to support the shift to the new Industry Skills Boards. It also highlights the importance of continued Government support for workforce transition functions that connect education and employment—capabilities that have laid solid foundations worth building on.

Download the White Paper for workforce transitions 👉https://hangaarorau.nz/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Hanga-Aro-Rau-White-Paper-Transitions.pdf

Do you know how to get students to share their transferable skills? Do you have a health & safety checklist for hosting rangatahi on site? Or a student induction plan?

Our new Good Employer Guide is packed with downloadable resources like the above. If you want practical strategies, insights, and tools to help you build strong talent pipelines – this is the resource for you 👊

🔗 Explore our dedicated Attraction & Retention Hub and download the guide today 👉 https://hangaarorau.nz/attraction-and-retention-pathways/

With rapid Pacific population growth and limited access to education in smaller areas, we need to empower communities to create a future-ready workforce for Aotearoa New Zealand.

In this episode, we chat all things Project Fetu, a pilot programme designed to upskill Pacific workers in digital technology and manufacturing - giving them new skills, better opportunities, and boosting productivity for businesses and the wider economy.

Discover the impact and the potential for scaling this nationwide 👇

Aotearoa’s Workforce Needs This! The Impact of Project Fetu on Pacific Communities In this episode, we chat all things Project Fetu, a 6-week pilot programme designed to upskill Pacific workers in digital technology and manufacturing. With ...

Do you ‘get’ Generation Alpha? 🤔 They’re digitally fluent, value sustainability, and are drawn to work that feels meaningful and socially responsible.

Our new Good Employer Guide is designed to help employers create inclusive, supportive, and future-focused workplaces. The guide offers practical strategies, insights, and tools to help you build strong talent pipelines that’ll stick with your business 👊

🔗 Explore our dedicated Attraction & Retention Hub and download the guide today 👉 https://hangaarorau.nz/attraction-and-retention-pathways/

Keen to foster your future workforce? One key way is through engagement with local schools or communities – and we have the practical actions for that, which you can do right now.

Our new Good Employer Guide is designed to help employers create inclusive, supportive, and future-focused workplaces. The guide offers practical strategies, insights, and tools to help you build strong talent pipelines 👊

🔗 Explore our dedicated Attraction & Retention Hub and download the guide today 👉 https://hangaarorau.nz/attraction-and-retention-pathways/

Do you want to hold an event to promote your industry and discover talent?

The WE3 Framework provides a strong support base to introduce rangatahi to the world of work, with an emphasis on enabling youth agency. Using our extensive checklist, you can run an event that connects your business with young people in a meaningful way.

Learn about the WE3 Framework in our new Good Employer Guide, designed to help employers create inclusive, supportive, and future-focused workplaces. The guide offers practical strategies, insights, and tools to help you build strong talent pipelines – and then retain them 👊

🔗 Explore our dedicated Attraction & Retention Hub and download the guide today 👉 https://hangaarorau.nz/attraction-and-retention-pathways/