The Catlins Area School - Vocational Pathways

Vocational Pathways

The Vocational Pathways are a tool that provides a clear framework for vocational options, support better programme design and careers advice, and improve the links between education and employment.
They are the product of a partnership between government agencies, the industry training sector, secondary and tertiary education representatives, and industry and employer representatives.
There are six pathways which represent new ways to structure and achieve NCEA level 2 and provide a more coherent framework for foundation vocational education and training. The pathways will help learners to develop their own individual education plan, so they are better informed and able to make better choices to meet their goals.
Every learner, even those who are 100% committed to further study at university, can benefit from gaining a Vocational Pathway award. Vocational Pathway qualifications could assist them in getting work while they continue to study.
To achieve the Vocational Pathways Award, a learner must:
- achieve NCEA Level 2 which includes literacy (10 credits) and numeracy (10 credits) atLevel 1 or above, and
- achieve 60 x Level 2 credits from the Recommended Assessment Standards for a Vocational Pathways, including 20 x Level 2 credits from Sector-Related Standards for the same sector. The NZQA website includes information about which Standards are linked to the Pathways.A learner can achieve more than one Vocational Pathways Award if they complete more than one pathway.



Other Pathway Tools

Gateway
Gateway gives senior learners the opportunity to experience learning in the workplace. Gateway placements are equally relevant to learners who are primarily on Academic Pathways and ones who are primarily on Vocational Pathways.
Students identify what employment field they are interested in - and the school explores possible placements and enters into a contract with the learner, their family and employers to provide workplace training based on unit or achievement standards - towards NCEA certificates.
The school meets any assessment costs and may provide essential personal equipment for the learner to use whilst participating in the programme.
Some examples would be:
- Working in a butchery at Balclutha, learning on the job and being assessed for Unit Standards in retail, food hygiene or butchery.
- Joining a forestry gang for 2 days a week and learning skills and theory to be assessed for forestry qualifications.


STAR
This stands for Secondary Tertiary Alignment Resource. It is a fund of money that the school applies for each year, to deliver courses that are on the margins between Senior Secondary School and the Polytechnics and Universities. These courses must be non-conventional, that is, not usually associated with traditional school subjects. These may be held in school or off site. They may be delivered by a tutor or via distance learning materials. If the course qualifies, The Catlins Area School will fully fund the course fees for approved learners. Travel, course booklets, accommodation and any other expenses associated with attending the course are the learner’s responsibility.
At The Catlins Area School we also use the same resource to provide some short courses for all learners. These courses can require financial contributions from learners.