Careers merger confirms the need for Tertiary Education

The newly announced merger between the TEC and Careers NZ sends a message to New Zealand that we already know. That tertiary education is essential to get into a career in New Zealand.

New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations President Linsey Higgins says “We know that a tertiary education is crucial to get into a fulfilling lifelong career, for everything from building and construction to medicine.”

Higgins isn’t surprised about the merger and believes it has been long signalled.

“There are too many departments working in the sphere of careers advice and there are few highlights amongst them. We are also delighted that the announcement includes a review of careers' advice in secondary schools. We have been very vocal about the lack of professional development and support, and accordingly a lack of capacity in those who should be working most closely with future tertiary students.”

However, NZUSA is concerned with the narrative portrayed by this announcement that tertiary education is solely about getting skills for jobs.

“This is a toxic narrative and will turn tertiary institutions into job readiness factories. If we look at the Education Act's tertiary sections the principal aims talk nothing about tertiary education being about employment. It’s about ‘intellectual independence’ and being ‘repositories of knowledge’ and most importantly being the ‘critic and conscience of society’.”

“Tertiary education is now the new compulsory education whether the government wants to acknowledge it or not. Just as happened 70 years ago with secondary schools, what we now need is free tertiary education to be implemented so people are able to access the life changing option of education without being burdened by impoverished living conditions and overwhelming debt at the end of their study.”

ENDS

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