Academic staff within vocational education responding to learners needs

The establishment of Te Pūkenga—New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology, in 2019 was a result of the Review of Vocational Education (ROVE) undertaken in Aotearoa New Zealand. ROVE was committed to hearing the voices of all stakeholders to ensure excellence for all New Zealanders in vocational education. Against the backdrop of this review, research was undertaken by an Institute of Technology Polytechnic to learn more about how academic staff perceive they respond to their learners needs. In particular, the research focussed on the relationships academic staff have with their students; current feedback practices; and how authentic and engaging opportunities for learning occurs. Findings, as reported on in this article, showed academic staff are acutely aware of the central role they play in meeting their students’ needs and have a strong commitment towards student success. Nonetheless, data also highlighted some clear tensions and constraints for academic staff, including lack of time, high workloads, insufficient support, and inadequate resources. The authors suggest in addition to accessing professional learning opportunities, that overcoming some of these challenges may require fundamental, high level changes within vocational education institutions.