The implementation of workplace training linked to the National Qualifications Framework

Abstract

The implementation of the New Zealand Government's Skill New Zealand strategy of the 1990s has impacted on the delivery of workplace training in small to medium sized businesses. To gain some insight into the reactions of cafe employers and employees to the strategy, it is necessary to examine the tensions that emerge as those parties with an interest in workplace training enter the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and operate within it. This research was conducted principally in the qualitative paradigm using the classic sociological theory of symbolic interaction. The purpose of this research was to investigate through a literature review, case study analysis and a broad survey the tensions that emerge as different parties with an interest in workplace training enter the NQF and operate within it. This thesis argues that tensions exist between the different parties and that these tensions need to be identified and examined in order for all the parties to get the maximum benefit from training linked to the NQF. Three key research findings were: the roles of the Education and Training Support Agency (ETSA) and the Industry Training Organisations (ITOs) were similar and there was an overlap of services provided by both agencies to employers; the employers were attracted to the ITO's products such as training agreements, but found the ITO system complex, difficult to access and costly to implement in terms of their up-front investment in time, money and personnel; the employees indicated that the NQF system was a cost-effective way for them to gain nationally recognised qualifications in their workplaces, but they were concerned about the lack of time in their schedules to do training and assessment. The analysis of the research findings led to a number of recommendations for improvements to: the implementation processes of small to medium sized businesses; the ETSA and ITO processes; and unit standard methodology. This research was limited to the views of 69 participants who provided insight into the reactions of the small to medium sized businesses to the Skill New Zealand strategy. Their views are not necessarily representative of the wider cafe population.