Careers leadership in Aotearoa New Zealand secondary schools

A nationwide view

Following the successful launch of our research report Empowering Our Youth in August 2023, and the significant interest in its findings from careers advisors and transitions leaders in schools, professional bodies, employers, government agencies and other NGOs, we decided that, to build on the South Auckland-focused research, a nationwide view was needed.

A significant finding from the original report was the impact senior leaders in secondary schools have towards successful career transitions of their students. With this in mind, in May 2024, Dr Lynette Reid, Evaluator & Education Researcher at EPIT, distributed an online survey to all Aotearoa New Zealand secondary school and kura principals, their leadership teams, and careers advisors and transitions leaders in schools. We sought their answers to a series of questions and posed three school scenarios.

An added incentive for the current research project, was the publication of the National Careers System Strategy and Action Plan by the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), in 2023. Both documents established leadership as a critical function towards a strengthened careers system, with collaborative, visible and accountable leadership

The aim for our research was to continue to gain a detailed understanding of the career education and transitions pathway landscape, and the impact of careers leadership, in Aotearoa New Zealand’s secondary schools.

Evidence from participants and literature related to this research has highlighted the following:

1. Making sense of career education and guidance in schools for non-careers staff and leadership is fundamental to successful careers engagement. Senior leadership in schools have a significant role to play in advancing dialogue about career education and guidance for the sense-making process.
2. Curriculum models for career education should support equitable access for all students to career education and guidance. How might curriculum models achieve this? Alternatively, what other models exist for career education and guidance in secondary schools?
3. Leading career education and guidance in secondary schools is critical. What does leading leadership in career education and guidance mean, and look like?

We encourage you to download and read the report, and join the EPIT Career Transitions and Pathways Community of Practice. Get in touch if you would like to learn more.

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(Photo credit: Tāmaki College)

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