New Zealand Industry Training Organisation ServiceIQ’s Chief Executive Dean Minchington has signed a MOU with the Vocational Training Council (VTC) of Hong Kong.
VTC, with 250,000 students a year, is the largest vocational and professional education and training provider in Hong Kong. It offers a full range of pre-employment and in-service programmes with internationally recognised qualifications.
“This agreement formally recognises the significant benefits that ServiceIQ can provide VTC in strengthening the provision of vocational and professional education and training in Hong Kong,” says Minchington.
ServiceIQ was first introduced to VTC following a presentation Mr Minchington delivered at the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) 25th Anniversary Seminar in early 2016.
“We’ve now been working together now for around two years,” says Dean. “We’re honoured to be working with VTC, which has been a vital part of Hong Kong’s success for 35 years. There is a strong alignment of their Vision and Mission to our own. VTC exists to provide a valued choice to school leavers and working adults to acquire values, knowledge and skills for lifelong learning and enhanced employability; and to provide valued support to industries for their manpower development. That matches the ServiceIQ purpose of growing smarter business through smarter people.”
Over the last two years, the two national training organisations have engaged in a range of sharing sessions that have included New Zealand staff visiting with VTC, and as part of an aviation delegation to Hong Kong, that included a reception hosted by our former Prime Minster Rt Hon Bill English.
“The area of common interest has emerged as the introduction of on-the-job training and workplace assessment in Hong Kong and the wider region. Late last year, a delegation from VTC came to visit us and our technology partner, Mediasphere, in New Zealand to get a better understanding of the New Zealand approach.
“From there, the relationship has continued to grow to the point where we are signing this international agreement which will see sharing of expertise and experience, staff exchanges and collaborative projects, and joint development of innovative on-job training methods.
“In recognition that there will be differences in how on-the-job training and workplace assessment is conducted in Hong Kong, we see the opportunity in working with VTC as one to co-create a ‘best practice’ approach appropriate to Asian markets.
“There are also benefits for industry in New Zealand. The Service Sector in New Zealand has 13% of its employees who were originally born in Asia, so the benefits will more than likely run both ways. We also look forward to exploring any other opportunities to work together in the wider Asian market if the opportunity arises.”
Minchington says that the support provided by NZTE both in Hong Kong and New Zealand played a large part in the development of the beneficial relationship between the two training organisations.
