Search

• Everything Documents Members Notices Links Events All Regions Auckland Bay of Plenty Canterbury-Westland EastCATE Hawkes Bay Manawatu-Whanganui-Horowhenua Marlborough Nelson NorthCATE Otago South Canterbury Southland Taranaki Waiariki Waikato Wellington-Wairarapa

Key Points from National Executive meeting 11 April 08

Changes to National Executive:          

We welcomed Craig Wilkie (EastCATE), Peter Kemp (Marlborough) and Cath Thomson (Wellington) to their first full National Executive meeting.  Sheryl has sent thank you gifts to Teri Nichol and Cheryl West in appreciation of their contributions to CATE and will do the same for Anne Grimmer.

Increasing professionalism:                

• On CATE's behalf, National Exec. has accepted the invitation to apply for affiliation with the Careers Industry Council of Australia (CICA)
• Maggie commented that Career Services had invited her to join the selection panel for a new consultant in Auckland. 
• Exec is in the final stages of producing a Procedures Handbook.  This will support the Constitution and be the main "working document" that Exec and the regions will operate from.  Sheryl thanked Pam and Teri for the hours they have spent preparing the draft document.

CDAA (ex AACC) Conference 08:

Once she receives them, Sheryl will send a copy of the Conference notes on CD to all National Executive regions, for them to process for their members.  A link to the notes on the CDAA website will be placed on the CATE website also.  Next year's conference will be in Melbourne during the Victorian school holidays.

CATE Survey 07:

Because of the relatively small number of returns (~50) it was decided to re-run the survey, with regional reps taking it to their regional meetings.  Peter pointed out that a good response could provide useful data for any forthcoming lobbying.   The re-vamped survey will be available shortly.

Website:

• Survey, (Nov 07):Collated results are now on the website and many of the members' suggestions have been followed up.
• Exec. has approved changing to a new management system for the website.  This is needed because the website has outgrown the capabilities of the current system.  The new system will also enable facilities such as a membership database, allowing member-only access to certain pages.
• Photos of Exec members are to be posted on the website, so members can more easily identify who they are.
• There is a new website set up for the CATE Conference.  This will link with our CATE website.
• More members are sending in material for the website ? keep it coming.

Conference 07 report:

• Southland have utilised funds created by generous sponsors to set up scholarships.
• Dave has produced CDs of stationery, templates, sponsorship etc for the use of future Conference committees. 

Conference 08 report:

• The venue is the New Plymouth International Hotel. 
• Members will book accommodation and register for workshops on-line at the same time as they register for Conference.  This should be available on 2 May.
• There will need to be a limit on numbers because of the size of workshop rooms available.
• Sheryl reminded regions that they must have their membership lists in on time so that organisers are able to confirm CATE membership. 

Graeme Marshall (Project Manager for Schools Plus, Ministry of Education) joined the meeting in the afternoon.

He is now in his second week of consulting with sector groups.  He encourages responses to the Discussion document and said feedback will be published on the Schools Plus website after 31 May.  He sees CATE as a key sector group.  Graeme distributed a copy of his power point presentation and spoke to it. 

Points mentioned:

• Schools Plus has strong buy-in from the Government; 11 Cabinet ministers meet monthly with the Schools Plus committee.  Slide 2 is taken directly from Cabinet minutes.  It does not say students must stay at school till 18.
• Goal: Schools Plus infrastrucure to be in place by the end of 2011
• Re-iterated the MOE is still strongly against tagging funding
• Youth Apprentice pilot scheme should be in all schools by 2011.  Initially 10 successful Gateway schools were invited ? the numbers were increased to 20 to ensure balance and spread.  It was originally intended for Yrs9-10 (to develop generic skills for the trades) to help settle them into further school studies.  In practice, it is being applied more in the senior school.
• Under Section 71, young students can do work experience.  If this continues outside school hours, they can be paid for that extra time.
• Importance of a Level 2 qualification ? 40% leave school without this.
• Graeme is happy to receive any feedback re experiences with Modern Apprenticeships or anything else relevant to Schools Plus
• NGos say there?s plenty of money already but it?s spread over a number of areas (eg STAR, Gateway, Youth Apprentice pilot , CIG + transition funding in Bulk Ops grant) and there?s overlap.  Graeme is sure STAR and Gateway will remain.
• Western Australia, Queensland and the UK have similar programmes to Schools Plus

Issues identified by Exec:

• Impact on Careers & Transition staff (Graeme could not give any details at this point, but suggested principals must become more creative in the allocation of their current resources ? some changes to pedagogy will be required)
• Teacher attitudes could be a barrier
• Many alternative providers do not have qualified teachers
• Diversion of funds by principals
• Dual enrolment concerns (Graeme says a Legislation committee is looking at what changes may be required to address double dipping
• More curriculum alignment required
• NCEA endorsement