Preparing all young people for satisfying and rewarding working lives Long-Term Insights Briefing

This is an important issue to explore. Although many young people navigate transitions from school to work, education or training, a significant proportion face barriers which prevent them from reaching their work goals and aspirations.

Prolonged or repeated exposure to limited employment has negative impacts on youth wellbeing and can have significant long-term consequences. This is a complex policy challenge with multi-generational consequences.

The 4 government agencies that developed the briefing, including by holding 2 rounds of consultation, are the:

• Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
• Ministry of Education
• Ministry of Social Development
• Ministry for Women.

Consultation, engagement and hui

The first consultation hui were in July/August 2021 and mainly targeted young people and those working closely with them, for example:

• schools
• community and social service providers
• employment service providers and employers.

Further consultation in September/October 2022 involved online survey, email submissions and more hui. We heard from:

• young people
• youth advisory groups
• education and employment service providers
• iwi and Māori organisations
• the disability sector
• employers
• unions
• industry groups.

Overall the feedback was strongly supportive of the possible future directions set out in the briefing, which focus on 3 key areas of opportunity:

• early learning, engagement and attainment in schooling
• preparing to find and secure employment
• building resilient connections to the workplace.

Most substantive feedback related to education and employment inclusion, to improve pathways to sustained employment for disabled young people.

About Long-term insights briefings

Long-term insights briefings are a new statutory process under the Public Service Act 2020. They are future-focused, providing information about medium and long-term trends, risks and opportunities, including analysis and policy options for responding.

Long-term Insights Briefings(external link) — Public Service Commission

The briefing is not government policy. However it will inform the future policy development of the 4 agencies who collaborated to develop the briefing, depending on discussion with and the priorities of the Government. It will also inform research and public discussion of the issues and opportunities.

The briefings process means the public can contribute to decision making, helping us collectively as a country to think about, and plan, for the future.

Contact

Please email any questions or comments about the briefing to the Employment, Education and Training Secretariat below.

employment_education_and_training@msd.govt.nz