The country’s largest employer group says proposed education reforms could help solve a long-standing issue: school leavers not being ready for work.

The Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA), which represents thousands of businesses including on the Hibiscus Coast, supports the plan to replace NCEA with new, internationally benchmarked qualifications.

Joanna Hall, EMA’s Advocacy and Stakeholder Engagement Lead, says employers regularly report that young people are leaving school without the skills they need.

“Communication, digital literacy, basic reading and maths, these are the gaps we keep hearing about,” she says.

The government’s proposal includes giving Industry Skills Boards more say in shaping vocational subjects in secondary schools.

Hall says this cross-system link between secondary and tertiary learning is a step in the right direction, but warns it needs proper backing.

“The ISBs need funding and stronger employer involvement in decision-making,” she says.

She’s also calling for a fully integrated workforce strategy across all industries and education levels.

For Hibiscus Coast businesses, many of which rely on capable young staff, this reform could make a real difference.

A more practical, industry-connected curriculum means local employers spend less time on basic training, and more on growing their teams.

The EMA is encouraging local business owners to speak up in the government’s education consultation so the needs of employers on the Coast are represented.

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