Public submissions on the Education and Training (Vocational Education and Training System) Amendment Bill closed on 18 June 2025.

The Bill is currently being considered by Parliament’s Education and Workforce Select Committee. The Committee is scheduled to report back to Cabinet in September, with the Bill expected to pass in October. Implementation of the Bill’s proposals begins on 1 January 2026.

Background#

The Vocational Education and Training (VET) system is very important to New Zealand and growing the economy.

Vocational Education supports learners to get the skills they need to thrive in employment and to contribute to growing our economy.

Around 250,000 learners access the VET system every year, with around half learning on campus and online at providers – polytechnics, private training enterprises (PTEs), and Wānanga – and half learning mainly on-job through their workplaces via apprenticeships and traineeships.

In December 2024, the Government agreed to introduce legislation that would:

• disestablish Te Pūkenga
• enable the establishment of regional institutes of technology and polytechnics as either stand-alone or federated entities
• establish industry skills boards to replace workforce development councils.

Decisions have now been made by the Government on the future model for work-based learning with further decisions being made in June and July regarding:

• which institutes of technology and polytechnics will be standalone or federated entities
• the number and coverage of industry skills boards.

We will publish public updates as they become available.

Below is an overview of the VET system changes.

Ten regional polytechnics to be re-established#

From 1 January 2026, subject to legislation being passed, 10 regional polytechnics will be re-established as independent institutions separate from Te Pūkenga. This restores local governance and decision-making.

Eight new industry skills boards will also be established on 1 January 2026. You can read more information below.

The 10 polytechnics returning to regional governance are:

• Ara Institute of Canterbury (Ara)
• Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT)
• Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT)
• Southern Institute of Technology (SIT)
• Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology
• Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec)
• Unitec Institute of Technology and Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) – merge and standalone
• Otago Polytechnic – standalone within the federation
• Universal College of Learning (UCOL) – standalone within the federation
• The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand – anchor institution of the federation.

Unitec and Manukau Institute of Technology will stand up as a single entity. Otago Polytechnic and UCOL will be standalone within the new federation model, with The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand serving as the anchor institution. Te Pūkenga will also act as a transitional entity for up to 1 year to support programme handover and continuity.

Four other polytechnics will remain within Te Pūkenga while they work toward financial viability:

• NorthTec
• Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki (WITT)
• Whitireia Community Polytechnic/Wellington Institute of Technology (WelTec)
• Tai Poutini Polytechnic (TPP).

Decisions on their future are expected in the first half of 2026.

These changes are part of Education and Training (Vocational Education and Training System) Amendment Bill currently before Parliament, and expected to pass in October 2025. The reforms aim to improve flexibility, strengthen industry engagement, and ensure vocational education remains relevant to regional employment needs.

Industry skills boards#

Subject to legislation being passed this year, Cabinet has approved 8 industry skills boards to be established on 1 January 2026.

These boards will be industry-led bodies responsible for setting vocational education standards and temporarily managing work-based training previously overseen by Te Pūkenga.

As standards-setters, industry skills boards will:

• make sure qualifications are trusted, valued, and relevant to employer
• support quality assurance across vocational education.

They will help ensure that vocational education supports good employment outcomes, retraining opportunities, and a modern, growing economy.

Industry areas#

The 8 boards will represent broad industry areas:

1. Automotive, transport, and logistics.
2. Construction and specialist trades.
3. Food and fibre (including aquaculture).
4. Infrastructure.
5. Manufacturing and engineering.
6. Services.
7. Health and community.
8. Electrotechnology and information technology.

Establishment advisory groups with members drawn from these industries will help the Tertiary Education Commission set up each board over 2025.

The Government had earlier considered giving the New Zealand Qualifications Authority responsibility for some sectors but has now decided that all industries currently covered by a workforce development council will be covered by an industry skills board.

If you're planning to study or already a student at Te Pūkenga#

You should continue to enrol or study at Te Pūkenga. Although there will be some changes to how institutes of technology and polytechnics are organised, programmes will continue to be delivered, and every effort will be made to make sure that learning is not disrupted.

See the section 'Thinking about Studying at a Polytechnic in 2026' below on this webpage.

What it means if you are planning to go into or already in work-based training#

All apprentices and trainees currently enrolled in Te Pūkenga programmes will remain with their existing work-based learning division.

There will be changes to the ownership of your programme, which will now be managed through an industry skills board. It will continue to be delivered with as few changes as possible.

There will be no changes if you are enrolled or planning to enrol in an apprenticeship or traineeship with someone other than Te Pūkenga.

You should continue to enrol and complete apprenticeships and other work-based training with existing providers.

Information on changes to work-based learning#

The Government will introduce an industry-led independent work-based learning model.

Under this model, vocational education and training providers, including industry, private training establishments, polytechnics, and wānanga, will be able to manage all aspects of an apprenticeship or traineeship in the future.

On 31 December 2025, as part of the transition to the independent model, Te Pūkenga’s 9 work-based learning divisions, including existing enrolments, will transfer to the industry skills boards for up to 2 years.

Transition#

From 1 January 2026:

• Te Pūkenga’s former work-based learning divisions will temporarily operate as separate divisions of the industry skills boards.
• Industry Skills Boards will be able to continue enrolling learners where there aren’t alternative work-based programmes at PTEs, polytechnics or Wānanga. They won’t be able to enrol new learners if appropriate programmes are available through providers.
• Over the transition, industry skills boards will actively move learners to work-based programmes at polytechnics, PTEs or Wānanga.
• On 31 December 2027, industry skills boards will cease managing training and all remaining enrolments with them will end.

End state#

After 1 January 2028:

• Industry skills boards will only be standards-setting bodies and won’t manage any training.
• Polytechnics, PTEs, and Wānanga will all be able to offer work-based learning and will have developed new apprenticeships and traineeships.
• Some industries will have set up private providers to take on programmes currently in Te Pūkenga's work-based Learning divisions.

Thinking about studying at a polytechnic in 2026#

If you're considering enrolling in a polytechnic in 2026, Careers NZ has information on study and training choices.

Study and training – Careers NZ

There are also several financial support options available to help you plan your study.

Student allowance

A weekly payment to help with living costs while you study. You don’t need to pay this back. Learn more and check your eligibility on StudyLink.

Student Allowance – StudyLink

Student loan

Helps cover course fees, course-related costs (like books or a laptop), and living costs. You’ll need to repay this once you earn over $24,128 a year before tax ($464 a week before tax).

Student Loan – StudyLink

Fees Free

From 2025, eligible learners may have the final year of their first tertiary qualification or training programme covered, up to $12,000.

Check your eligibility – FeesFree

Some polytechnics and trading providers may also provide a few courses to domestic students that have no fees, and many polytechnics offer scholarships which cover course fees.

You will need to check this with the individual polytechnic or training provider.

Publicly released Cabinet papers and other reports#

All publicly released Cabinet papers, advice and reports can be found here:

Vocational Education and Training (VET) redesign

Information will also be on the Tertiary Education Commission’s website, including links to the current consultation on Industry Skills Boards’ coverage.

About vocational education – Tertiary Education Commission