Upskilling New Zealanders for China, Japan and Korea

Upskilling New Zealanders for China, Japan and Korea

Targeted support for small and medium size enterprises, schools and students working with and learning about the countries of North Asia is being rolled out across the country.

The North Asia Centre of Asia-Pacific Excellence (CAPE) is one of three CAPEs set up to improve New Zealanders’ understanding and ability to engage with the diverse countries of the Asia-Pacific region. The North Asia CAPE covers China, Japan and Korea and is hosted by the University of Auckland.

North Asia CAPE Establisment Director Anne French says research has informed the approach she has taken to target the unmet needs of businesses and schools to ensure the work of the CAPE adds value.

“Research has allowed us to identify business sectors in different parts of New Zealand that want to build their knowledge and understanding of China, Japan and Korea and the specific skills they need. It has also informed the needs of schools and programmes developed for them.”

Upcoming North Asia CAPE activities include:
• Business modules targeting regional SMEs. Drawing on the insights of University of Auckand Business School researchers Antje Fiedler and Ben Fath of the UoA Business School the modules will explain how to prepare to engage in China, Japan and Korea and how to undertake due diligence on prospective partners in country. It is designed to complement the excellent services offered by NZTE and other providers.
• A targeted business programme for NZ schools involved in international education, delivered in partnership with Education NZ, that delivers inter-cultural competency training.
• Support for schools teaching Chinese, Japanese and Korean languages, especially those who have been supported by Ministry of Education Asian Language Learning in Schools programme.
• A conference for secondary school students studying Chinese, Japanese and Korean languages and their teachers.
• A pilot programme to create Mandarin Teaching Assistants to support the teaching of Chinese n NZ school classrooms. This would add to the Mandarin Language Assistant programme, which brings Chinese students to New Zealand to support schools in culture and language learning
• A nationwide programme of specialist talks for businesses on aspects of trade, strategy, and geopolitics in the region continues in 2018. Full details on the CAPE North Asia web site.

Ms French says the programme of activity is attracting interest.
“New Zealandes are increasingly aware that they need to step up their knowledge, understanding and skills if they want to engage successfully with their counterparts in China, Japan and Korea.”

The North Asia CAPE, along with the Southeast Asia CAPE and Latin America CAPE were formally launched at Parliament by Education Minister Hon Chris Hipkins.

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