New Zealand Vocational Education and Training Research Forum

NZVETRF Presentations 

The New Zealand Vocational Education and Training Research Forum (NZVETRF) is Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading event dedicated to exploring, sharing, and strengthening research in vocational education and training. As an annual event, NZVETRF is where we connect research with practice, and foster collaboration across New Zealand’s VET ecosystem.

This page is dedicated to sharing news on NZVETRF, providing access to presentations from past Forums and enabling access to relevant research and information for the benefit of the whole sector.

NZVETRF 2026
Held at Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre on 12 and 13 October, NZVETRF 2026 brought the sector together under the theme ‘Building Bridges’.

The forum featured keynote addresses from Dr Tom Bewick, Dr Caroline Smith, and plenary sessions from Dr Veronica Tawhai, Kathrine Rich, Shamubeel Eaqub, Emily Fabling and Stacey Rees alongside a fantastic range of research presentations from researchers and practioners from throughtout Aotearoa.

DAY ONE 2026

KEYNOTE ADDRESS, Dr Tom Bewick, Editor in Chief, The Skills Agenda - Skills Policy In A Changing World Old Orthodoxies and New Solutions
Mike Grumball, Master Plumbers, From Industry Voice to Industry Ownership: Building bridges in vocational education
Waruni Hewage, Otago Polytech, From Learner Voice to Practice Mapping Diverse Learner Journeys to strengthen vocational education and employment pathways
Hannah Knighton, Scarlatti, What happens afer learners complete pre trades training
Adam Barker, Scarlatti, Beyond EPIs linking vocational training investment to productivity
Jonathan Flutey, Tania McGowan, Jeremy Baker, Wellington Uni Professional, Bridges not Islands Micro-credentials system in Aotearoa
Brenden Mischewski, Mischewski Consulting, The changing geography of vocational education patterns of provision across NZ communities 2011-2025
Selena Chan, Ara Institute of Canterbury, Personalised Learning WITH AI: human-led cognitive apprenticeship
PLENARY ADDRESS, Verontica Tawhai, Equity and Te Tiriti in Vocational Education and Training
Kathy Quayle, Waikato Institute of Tech, Cognify A teaching for learning framework commecting learner voice, learning theory and vocational teaching practice
Robin Fabish, EIT, Whakatinanatia te Tiriti o Waitangi
Katja Fossett and Maureen Hamahona, BCITO & Education Unlimited, Strengthening work-based learning outcomes through accessible educational interventions and partnerships
PLENARY ADDRESS, Shamubeel Eaqub, Chief Economist, Simplicity

DAY TWO 2026

KEYNOTE ADDRESS, Dr Caroline Smith, Executive Director, Centre for Education & Training, Australian Industry Group
PLENARY ADDRESS, Katherine Rich, CE, Business NZ
Adrienne Bull & Stephen Ede, Food & Fibre Industry Skills Board, Beyond Consultation who decides what matters in qualification design
Shilpa Jain, Open Poly Tech, Building Bridges for AI-enabled Vocational Education: Educator capability, well-being and sustainable transformation
Gary Sharpe with Michael Grawe, explainIT NZ. Hidden in Plain Sight: Recognising and Supporting Dyscalculi in Vocational Education
PLENARY ADDRESS Emily Fabling & Stacey Rees, NZQA, Risk-informed Regulation
Asharie Perera BCITO & Bart Langton Ipsos. Building Bridges to the Trades: What eight years of tracking research revealed about perceptions, participation & influencece
Mark Bradford, Skills Institute, From Future Skills to Future Capabilities: anticipating the adaptable professional
Leigh Gray, Careers adn Transition Education NZ, Building the Whole Bridge: What needs to sit alongside Industry-led subjects?

DAY ONE 2025

Kathryn Rowan (Executive Director, Global Apprenticeship Network) - Tomorrow's Future Ready Workforce - Keynote Address
Dr Gemma Piercy-Cameron (University of Waikato) - Where to next for Lifelong learning in Aotearoa New Zealand
Stuart Martin (George Angus Consulting) - The Place of Microcredentials
Eve Price (ConCoVE) & Brendan Mischewski (Mischewski Consulting) - Enabling Degree Apprenticeships in NZ
Camilla Karehana (Ringa Hora, Services Workforce Development Council) - Tirohia ki Tua: The Impact of Māori in the Services Sector
Adam Barker (Scarlatti) - Why Apprentices withdraw, and what that means for Providers
Andrew Green (BCITO) Engaging in Conversations: Talking with ADHD construction apprentices to improve training design and delivery.
Madeline Newman (AI Forum of NZ) - Designing Tomorrow, Human Futures in an AI world. Plenary Session
Eve Price (ConCoVE) & Karl Hartley (Epic Learning) - AI-Generated Assessments
Adam Baker and Phoebe Gill (Scarlatti) - Assessments where and when needed: AI Agents for Oral Assessment
Emily Fabling (NZQA) - Right Touch Right Size Regulation, Quality Assurance with Purpose. Plenary Session
Dr Selena Chan (Ara Institute of Canterbury) - Generative AI and Trades/Craft Work: Implications and Effects. Plenary Session
Katherine Hall (ConCoVE) - Reflections on a Five-Year Experience: ConCOVE Legacy. Plenary Session

DAY TWO 2025

Craig Robertson (CEO, Victorian Skills Authority) - The Vocational Renaissance with international reflections - Keynote Address
Craig Dyason (Careers and Transition Education Association NZ) - Vocational Education programmes as part of the curriculum
Jarrad Mckay (Skills Group) - Applying a lens of mana to Māori and Pasifika Educational Achievement
Greg Durkin (BCITO) and Phoebe Gill (Scarlatti) - The $750 Million question: Who really pays for apprenticeships?
Dr Mark Bradford, Claire Le Grice and Fiona Melrose (Skills Group) - Ideas that Rippl: A practical system level approach for disseminating research and innovation
Amanda Williams (BCITO) - Empowering women through education to excel in construction trades in NZ
Michael Johnson (The New Zealand Initiative) - Secondary Qualifications and Vocational Pathways. Plenary Session
Moses Alatini (Ringa Hora, Services Workforce Development Council) - Kele'a: Evaluating Pasific Futures in the Service Sector
Linda Daniell (Skills Group) - We have the Power, Building Employability through Integrated Measurable Power Skills
Dee Earle (Ministry of Education) - From School to Skilled Work, Monitoring Gateway and Trades Academy impact
Panel Discussion: The Future of VET, Centre of Excellence - The Vision
Panel Discussion: The Future of VET, FFCoVE valediction