B+LNZ welcomes strong industry voice in new vocational education and training entity

// Staff and training

Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) welcomes the appointments to the Muka Tangata – People, Food, and Fibre Workforce Development Council (WDC) which will play a vital role in vocational education and training.

image of young farmers

The Muka Tangata – People, Food and Fibre WDC is one of six new industry-led and governed WDCs as part of the Reforms of Vocational Education (RoVE) that will provide greater industry leadership across vocational education and training.

“We are really pleased to have Paul Crick, B+LNZ’s National Farmer Council Chair join the group amongst other council members with strong pastoral sector connections and understanding such as Bernadette Kelly from Pāmu, Geoff Taylor from DairyNZ, and Warwick Tauwhare-George (Parininihi ki Waitotara), alongside many other excellent industry representatives,” says B+LNZ’s Chief Insights Officer Jeremy Baker.

“Muka Tangata – People, Food, and Fibre WDC will be responsible for ensuring industry’s skill and training needs are met by designing fit-for-purpose qualifications and skill standards and directing where the Tertiary Education Commission should invest vocational education and training funding for the food and fibre sector,” added Mr Baker.

“Having a strong industry voice on the WDC means the sector can look forward to a coherent range of training services from the reformed vocational education and training system that better meet our needs,” Mr Baker said.

The education reforms took effect when the new legislation – the Education (Vocational Education and Training) Amendment Bill – was enacted on 1 April, 2020.

The reform sees seven key changes to vocation education and training, one of which is the establishment of the WDCs. Learn more about RoVE and the seven key changes on the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) website.

The full list of Muka Tangata – People, Food, and Fibre Committee members:

  • Bernadette Kelly (Pāmu)
  • Cathy Webb (Seafood New Zealand)
  • Chris Flatt (New Zealand Dairy Workers Union)
  • Dan Epiha-Netana (First Union NZ)
  • Erin Simpson (Horticulture Industry)
  • Geoff Taylor (DairyNZ)
  • Iani Nemani (Community Engagement)
  • Kevin Ihaka (Forestry)
  • Paul Crick (B+LNZ)
  • Turi Ngatai MNZM (Open Polytechnic)
  • Warwick Tauwhare-George (Parininihi ki Waitotara)
  • Wini Geddes (Tāne Mahuta Aotearoa NZ)

About RoVE and WDCs

Learn about the Reform of Vocational Education (RoVE) and the seven key changes to the vocational education system.

ENDS

For more information, please contact Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s Communications Advisor Abigail Delaney at Abigail.Delaney@beeflambnz.com or 027 209 9891.