Hon Steven Joyce

Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment


4 August 2015

Improving results for Youth Guarantee learners

Tertiary Education Organisations have increased achievement rates across all sectors, particularly in course and qualification rates for students at Youth Guarantee Providers, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce announced today.

The Education Performance Indicators (EPIs) for all tertiary institutions in 2014 including Industry Training Organisations (ITOs), Youth Guarantee providers and Student Achievement Component (SAC) funded providers were published today by the Tertiary Education Commission.

“The EPI’s saw a significant improvement in both course and qualification completion rates across Youth Guarantee providers when compared with 2013. Course completion rates increased from 61 per cent to 66 per cent, while qualification completion rates jumped from 52 per cent to 60 per cent,” says Mr Joyce.

“The improvement in completion rates for Youth Guarantee learners is a good result as these are hard to reach learners who either have disengaged or are at risk of disengaging from conventional schooling. This Government remains committed to providing a range of learning opportunities that ensure all young New Zealanders have the skills they need to prosper and contribute to their communities,” Mr Joyce says.

“It shows the government’s approach of measuring and incentivising educational performance rather than just the number of enrolments is working.”

Course completions rates across SAC providers are now averaging over 80 per cent for universities, institutes of technology and polytechnics, wānanga and private training establishments. The most significant increases for the year in SAC providers occurred in the Private Training Establishments sector, with marked improvement in qualification completions as well as student progression rates.

ITOs also recorded a 4 per cent increase in their credit achievement rate, which rose to 76 per cent. The increase came on the back of an improving labour market with employers showing increasing confidence when making hiring and training decisions.

The data release today measures areas such as course and qualification completions, progression and retention of students, and credit and programme achievements.

All 2014 education performance information is available HERE

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