New Zealand delegation to share expertise at international careers symposium,

The invitation-only event will explore how career guidance can help people navigate increasingly complex learning and work pathways. Discussions will focus on productivity and the inclusive economy, skills development, technical and vocational education and ensuring disadvantaged groups can thrive.

New Zealand will be represented by national, Māori and Pacific delegations, bringing diverse perspectives and expertise to international discussions on career development policy and practice.

Nina Ive, the Tertiary Education Commission’s Deputy Chief Executive Careers and Investment Design, will lead the national delegation.

"People are navigating increasingly complex career pathways throughout their lives, making access to quality career guidance more important than ever,” says Nina.

"The symposium's theme, Navigating New Horizons, reflects that reality and provides an opportunity for New Zealand to share our experience and learn from international approaches that help people make informed decisions about work, learning and career development."

The Māori delegation will be led by Dr Lynette Reid and the Pacific delegation by Mary Tiumalu.

Together, the 3 delegations will contribute to discussions on inclusive economic growth, skills development, technical and vocational education and improving outcomes for disadvantaged groups.

Participants will also explore the opportunities and challenges presented by emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.

Delegates from 16 countries had registered by late June, with further registrations expected before the event.

The symposium provides a valuable opportunity for New Zealand to both contribute to and benefit from international expertise. By sharing local experience and learning from emerging policy and practice, delegates will bring back insights that can help strengthen career guidance, skills development and workforce planning in New Zealand. Through their national, Māori and Pacific contributions, they will also help shape global discussions on lifelong learning and the future of work.

Nina Ive is Deputy Chief Executive, Careers and Investment Design at the Tertiary Education Commission. She has more than 25 years’ experience in a broad range of business settings across New Zealand and internationally. Nina leads New Zealand’s Careers System Strategy and champions quality career guidance for all.

Jennie Miller is Executive Director of the Career Development Association of New Zealand (CDANZ) and was recently acknowledged as a life member of the association. With more than 15 years’ experience in career development, she has supported people of all ages through career transition, employment change and workforce restructuring. Jennie is a passionate advocate for professional career practice and quality career development services across New Zealand.

Leigh Gray is Kaiārahi for the Careers and Transition Education Association NZ (CATE NZ). With more than 20 years’ experience in career education, she supports professional learning and career development practice across New Zealand. Leigh has held leadership roles in schools, government and industry, strengthening pathways for young people.

Josh Williams is Principal Consultant at Skills Development Group and a recognised leader in vocational education and training. He has held senior leadership roles in education policy and industry training, helping shape initiatives including Vocational Pathways, Trades Academies and Youth Guarantee. Josh is committed to improving vocational outcomes through high-quality education and training.

Professor Christine Woods is the inaugural Theresa Gattung Chair for Women in Entrepreneurship at the University of Auckland. Her teaching, research and advisory work focuses on entrepreneurship, small and medium-sized enterprises, social enterprise, Māori entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship education. She also supports business growth through The Icehouse programmes.

Hilary Pearce is Acting Manager of the Labour Market Policy team at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, leading work on labour market strategy and skills and employment policy, including the role of careers information in workforce planning. In her career as a public servant, she has worked in the employment, immigration, tertiary education, and regional economic development portfolios. Prior to joining the public service, she worked in the education sector as a university lecturer and then as a school teacher.

ICCDPP, the Careers and Transition Education Association NZ (CATE), and the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) will co-host and organise the symposium.

Organisations that support the event include:

• Career Development Association of New Zealand (CDANZ)
• World Association of Public Employment Services (WAPES)
• All members of the Interagency Working Group (IAG) on Career Guidance:
  • European Commission (EC)
  • European Training Foundation (ETF)
  • European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop)
  • International Labour Organisation (ILO)
  • Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
  • United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
  • World Bank (WB).