Apprenticeship Journey - December 2023 - Meri Kirihimete, study hubs in 2024, meet fellow apprentices

As the year draws to a close, we thank you for continuing to push on with your apprenticeship programme. We sincerely hope you get an opportunity over the holiday season to relax, recharge and reconnect with the people who are important to you. Check out the article below on how to Rest, Relax and Recharge. As essential workers, we also acknowledge and applaud those of you who will continue to work over the Christmas/New Years period.

Please note that Careerforce offices will be closed over the holiday break and staff are taking a break. Our offices close at midday on Friday 22 December, and will re-open on Monday 8 January 2024.

Enjoy the holidays, spend time with your loved ones, and we’ll see you in 2024!

IMPORTANT - only submit one task at a time
Although Careerforce offices are closed at these times, you can still work on your assessments over the holidays and submit them for marking. Bear in mind that there will be delays in marking assessments by Careerforce staff over this time. Please remember, it is important that you ONLY submit ONE task within a module for marking during the break. Feel free to work on other tasks, but please don’t submit these until the first task has been assessed. As staff will be on holiday, they won't be able to give you the prompt feedback they normally provide to help guide you.

The Government recently confirmed its intention to disestablish Te Pūkenga | New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology.

We want to reassure you that while Careerforce currently remains a business division of Te Pūkenga, we continue to operate business as usual, and you should not notice any impacts upon your learning.

We are currently working through the details of the Government’s expectations and are committed to ensuring that changes do not negatively impact the delivery of training.
As always, please contact us with any questions or concerns you may have.

Morgen Forbes is a shining light for young people with a range of neurodiverse conditions.The 60-year-old has supported many young people with ADHD, autism and FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder).

An opportunity to enrol in, and then complete a Careerforce | Te Pūkenga Youth Work apprenticeship with employer Te Ratonga Poumanaaki, meant he could expand his own understanding to better support these young people.

“I passed my driving test, and I got my commercial driver’s licence, but these were the only qualifications that I had ever previously achieved. I am so happy,” says Morgen.

As a Kaimahi Tautoko, Morgen has worked one-on-one with pre-teen children who have neurodiverse conditions. Together with his wife Ana, they are also supporting many of their own whānau and mokopuna with the same conditions and are getting these young people to realise their full potential.

Jing Li quit a secure job as a Beijing physician to bring her young family to New Zealand.

She had swapped Beijing for the New Zealand lifestyle, and once her youngest daughter entered kindergarten at the age of 3, Jing’s next focus was on returning to the health profession.

She landed in New Zealand in 2018 with only a few words of English, but through work experience and study, her confidence with the language grew.

This newfound confidence has helped her successfully complete an Apprenticeship in Advanced Care and Support with Careerforce | Te Pūkenga and now gain conditional acceptance into a nursing degree with Toi-Ohomai, also a division of Te Pūkenga.

Jing starts the nursing programme next year and has also received a conditional offer to complete an MPH (Master of Public Health) programme at the University of Auckland.

Over 2023 the team at Careerforce ran a number of successful drop in sessions and study events for learners to support them to achieve unit standards towards their qualifications. We have committed to continuing running these events for learners and apprentices next year.

Do you need some support with your apprenticeship programme? Come to one of our upcoming Achieve Study Hubs. These face-to-face sessions are designed for you to drop in, ask questions, meet with other trainees or apprentices, and to help you with achieving unit standards towards your qualification.

Achieve Study Hubs are run all across Aotearoa
Our Achieve Study Hubs are scheduled for different locations across the country. Apprentices are also welcome to attend sessions outside their area. See the full schedule on our website.

Study support options for Māori and Pasifika
If you identify as either Māori or Pasifika, we have study support resources and face-to-face study options available including wānanga, noho marae and talanoa events.
See our Māori support page.
See our Pasifika support page.

Learners can RSVP by completing the online form on our website.

To complete your apprenticeship programme and achieve your qualification, it is important that you are making regular learning progress. Across early 2024, we will be re-introducing the automated processes that will result in apprentices being placed on hold after 5 months with no activity, and possible withdrawal after 6 months. You can check on your learning progress at any time in Aka Toi. If your employer is claiming Apprenticeship Boost payments, these will also stop. Withdrawal is always a last resort, and we encourage you to talk with your Apprenticeship Advisor if you need additional support.