Students succeeding through Youth Guarantee

Young people who have not previously achieved at school are moving successfully into tertiary education through the Government’s Youth Guarantee programme, data released today by the Tertiary Education Commission shows.

The 2011 results show that average course completion rates across all tertiary providers, including private training establishments and polytechnics and wānanga was 65 per cent.

The results show that more than half of the 3597 16 and 17 year olds taking up fees-free places at tertiary education providers under the Youth Guarantee scheme had no prior qualifications, and a third only had NCEA Level One.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce says the results show the Youth Guarantee scheme is working well for young people who find the classroom environment challenging.

“Youth Guarantee gives young people practical skills and the opportunity for a career, particularly those at risk of dropping out of school, “Mr Joyce says.

“This scheme is motivating young people to learn new skills and gain a qualification that will set them up for a career in priority trade areas such as carpentry, engineering, horticulture, plumbing, gas-fitting, and brick-and block-laying.

“The scheme is also working well for young Maori who make up a third of the students enrolled in Youth Guarantee programmes.”

Youth Guarantee was launched by the Government in 2010. Starting this year Youth Training, which also targeted 16 and 17 year olds that had left school, was amalgamated into the new Youth Guarantee scheme.

In 2012 the Government is investing more than $97 million in fees-free tertiary places for 16 and 17 year olds with the investment increasing to $127 million by 2016.

“While the Youth Guarantee scheme is in its early stages, the 7345 places being taken up in 2012 shows there is strong demand for this vocational training option,” Mr Joyce says.

For more information go to: http://www.tec.govt.nz/Funding/Fund-finder/Youth-Guarantee/Performance/