Waikato school – employer partnerships impact thousands

Smart Waikato’s Secondary School Employer Partnerships (SSEP) are having significant impact on thousands of students in the region, boosting their intention to stay at school, interest in their subjects and their qualification expectations.

Validated survey results from students involved in the partnerships in 2017 show having business people in the classroom and visiting workplaces has lifted their local awareness, with more than 60 percent of 544 respondents saying it increased the likelihood of them staying in Waikato when they leave school.

SSEP formally connects schools and employers, introducing Year 9 and 10 students to a wide range of careers and supporting contextualised learning in specific subject areas. More than 4000 students from 22 schools have taken part in the programme since it was piloted in 2016.

Smart Waikato chief executive Mary Jensen said the results, overseen by a senior analyst from Hamilton City Council, prove better connections between schools and industry, and showing students how what they learn applies on the job, increases student aspiration, retention and interest.

“It is excellent to have the anecdotal success of SSEP backed up by in-depth analysis. We constantly hear about students – and teachers – having ‘lightbulb’ moments when they are speaking with employers and visiting workplaces. Now we have the evidence that 79 percent of students experiencing SSEP better understand why they are studying the subject at school, and 75 percent are more interested in the subject.”

Educators throughout Waikato are praising the programme, saying taking students into the workplace demonstrates how what they are learning at school applies at work, also helping them build relationships with employers.

“Students and their teachers have had so many rich experiences as part of SSEP. They have doneeverything from using maths to work out roofing solutions with Comag and setting tables for a large- scale banquet with Montana, to designing their own wharenui and seeing how science is applied atthe region’s water treatment plants and Fonterra dairy factories. It really does bring their classroom learning to life.”

One heart-warming comment came from a student where both parents were unemployed. After visiting Timpack in Hamilton he told his teacher that he now felt confident there was a career path open to him, Mary said.

A Tokoroa High School teacher said taking the students into the workplace often gave them a first glimpse of life outside school.

“It was awesome to get them into a professional environment... they have never been in aprofessional setting before. Our students got a huge amount out of their visit from BNZ, learning about a range of life and soft skills. They also asked some really interesting questions,” she said

Businesses were also benefiting from connecting with their future employees and helping to shape school curriculum.

The measurement of the programme also shows SSEP participation boosts student intentions to stay at school longer by 30 percent, their interest in the subject area by 50 percent and their qualification aspirations by 30 percent.

The programme targets students before they make decisions on NCEA subjects and introduces them to key industries identified as being important to the local economy, such as ICT, trades, engineering, business, health and primary industries.

“Everybody wins because it encourages more relevant subject and vocational pathway choices, improving career prospects for young people and, ultimately, better meeting the needs of local industry and the economy,” she said.

Mary said parents are also applauding the initiative.

“So often we hear from adults that they would have benefited so much from these types of experiences when they were still at school. The spark in the students’ eyes when they hear from employers says it all.”

Along with rolling out the initiative to all schools in the region, Smart Waikato plans to establish an SSEP Resource Centre, including training, advice and facilitation support services.

“The resource centre will help build capability to ensure the initiative is sustainable well into thefuture.”

To date, SSEP has been supported by Waikato Means Business, WEL Energy Trust, Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, Mercury Waikato-Tainui Partnership, COGS, Glenice and John Gallagher Foundation, SKYCITY Hamilton Community Trust and Waikato Farmers Trust.

Smart Waikato is supported by Wintec, Gallagher Group, The University of Waikato, Stafford Industries, DV Bryant Trust, Te Wananga o Aotearoa, DV Bryant Trust, Foster Construction, WEL Energy Trust and Trust Waikato.