Mei | May 2025

We cover the impact of the Government’s vocational education training reforms on Toi Mai in this month’s pānui as well as our ongoing advocacy to ensure the creative and digital technology industries are covered by an Industry Skills Board. We also feature some of the great mahi we have underway, including new qualifications and a meeting with the Arts & Culture Minister.

Work-based learning reforms update

Thanks to everyone who submitted on the Government’s Industry Skills Boards consultation.

Our submission to the consultation drives home the reasons why the proposal to sideline the creative and technology industries from ISB coverage is short-sighted and risks New Zealand falling behind more ambitious countries.  

Final decisions on the number and configuration of ISBs are expected to be announced by the middle of the year.

Want to help establish ISBs?

The Tertiary Education Commission has invited industries to nominate representatives to help establish the ISBs. 

Nominations for the Establishment Advisory Groups close 13 June. 

Click the button below to read more.

IT qualifications

Next month we’ll start to consult on updated IT qualifications (levels 2–6). One of our biggest scheduled five-year reviews, these qualifications encompass all the enabling technologies and range from basic digital literacy to skills that give students a taster of the IT professional space, to specialist skills such as cybersecurity. 

The qualifications are being updated in line with last year’s Toi Whānui (enabling technologies) workforce development plan.  

Outdoor Experiences

Tell us if you think the Outdoor Experiences qualification (Level 3 and Level 4) remain fit for purpose. Currently under review, these qualifications focus on giving learners the technical skills to personally operate safely in the outdoors. Feedback closes 20 June. 

Performing arts technical production

Following an initial review of the Diploma in Performing Arts Technical Production (Level 6), we have replaced it with two qualifications at levels 5 and 6. This provides the performing arts and entertainment industries with graduates who have a range of technical, creative and collaborative skills.

Click the button for more details and to provide feedback by 6 June.

Hui with the Minister

Toi Mai, alongside Victoria Dabbs from Share the Knowledge and Dan Betty from Te Wānanga Whare Tapere o Takitimu, met with Arts & Culture Minister Paul Goldsmith recently to talk about screen training reform, particularly industry-led work-based training opportunities. 

The meeting followed the successful Kahurangi Toi Ātea pilot, a collaboration with film industry experts, Toi Mai and provider Takitimu. The pilot was partly funded from Ministry of Arts, Culture and Heritage COVID-19 recovery funding. 

We highlighted how some small policy and funding system adjustments could have a significant impact on both our international and domestic production capacity. The Minister agreed there was potential to firm up current regulations that would optimise work-based training opportunities in the screen sector, with more discussion to follow. 

AI Creative Summit

Toi Mai Chief Executive Dr Claire Robinson was part of a ‘Creating Value of the Techno Frontier’ panel at last week’s AI in Creative Industries Summit in Wellington. 

Hosted by Datacom, the panel discussed how creativity and AI are driving innovation, business and new economic models. 

Understanding the digital skills needs for employers

Toi Mai is undertaking the Digital Skills Survey 2025, which we last ran in 2023. 

The survey is designed to help us understand digital skills needs in companies that employ digital technology workers. This information will help education providers, learners, peak bodies, government and industry know where to prioritise resources and will help inform NZTech’s next Digital Skills Report. 

The survey is open until 30 June 2025. Click the button to learn more.

Inclusive dance

A company that creates connection, expression and belonging through the freedom of inclusive dance, Jolt is challenging mainstream perspectives about dance, disability and difference in the performing arts. 

If you would like to be kept informed about either or both workforce development plans, including links to the public consultation rounds when they become available, please email feedback@toimai.nz

A strong journalism sector is critical to a healthy democracy; however, the sector is in decline with the number of journalists in New Zealand decreasing from 4,000 in 2006 to under 1,300 in 2023. 

Causes include advertising revenue that used to subsidise traditional newsmaking largely going overseas to big tech firms (such as Google and Meta). This leaves New Zealand media organisations starved of domestic funds to employ journalists.

Digital advertising revenue increased nearly 900% between 2008 to $2 billion in 2023, with 90% going to offshore entities.