Vocational education and training and social capital in New Zealand

Abstract

There is much interest from researchers and from third way governments in the concept of social capital. Debate exists over whether or not government interventions create or destroy social capital.

Tertiary education reform and legitimation in New Zealand: the case of adult and community education as a ‘local state of emergency’

“…Firstly, by the time Robertson and Dale's (2002) paper was published, the political terrain in New Zealand had shifted considerably and the regime of governance analysed by them was in decline. The election of the Labourled Coalition in 1999 signalled that the neo-liberal regime described by Robertson and Dale (2002) had lost ground to a modern social democratic regime, which employed *Email: rob.strathdee@vuw.ac.nz R. Strathdee a mix of neo-liberal, social democratic and neo-conservative strategies (Giddens 1998;Strathdee 2004;Thrupp 2001). Secondly, Robertson and Dale's (2002) analysis does not recognise that different 'regimes' can (and often do) operate in conjunction with one another.…”

On the impact of government policy on programme design in New Zealand post‐compulsory education

“…'Education continues to be viewed as a commodity to be sold, traded, franchised and consumed' (Roberts 2005, 44). Education even has its own currency: the credit (Strathdee 2003), a number which is defined, in New Zealand, as being equivalent to 10 hours of student learning (NZQA [New Zealand Qualifications Authority] 2006a).…”

International briefing 17: training and development in New Zealand

“…Abbot and Doucouliagos (2000) suggest a freeze on the number of New Zealand polytechnics and the need to expand enrollments. Strathdee (2003) discusses the impact of New Zealand’s market‐led vocational education and training strategy where, whereas employers determine the standards trainees require, the participation by employers in training remains voluntary, and private, and public providers compete with each other to deliver training purchased by Skill New Zealand and by the ITOs.…”