Google has sent you back in time! This was the 2025 event, (which was brilliant by the way).

Don't miss this year's edition on October 12 and 13 2026 - you need to go here:

https://events.humanitix.com/nzvetrf2026

Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa!

Skills Group and BCITO are delighted to join forces to return NZVETRF as a unique national event to showcase and disseminate new and emerging research and innovation in Vocational Education and Training.

Since 2004, the NZVETRF has been the must-attend event for policy makers, researchers and practitioners engaged in vocational education, across all parts of the tertiary sector and industry.

Places are limited - register now to secure your place at Aotearoa's pre-eminent cross-sector vocational education event.

Confirmed Speakers

Hon Penny Simmonds

Minister of Vocational Education

We are pleased and honoured to announce that Hon Penny Simmonds will provide an opening address at the 2025 NZVETRF.

Hon Penny Simmonds is the Minister for Vocational Education, Minister for the Environment, and Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment.

As Minister of Vocational Education, Hon Simmonds is leading a redesign of the Vocational Education system, to increase industry leadership, financial sustainability, and regional responsiveness.
With new legislation in place to give effect to the redesign, it is a crucial time for sector collaboration, so we warmly welcome Minister Simmonds' participation and support.

Hon Erica Stanford

Minister of Education

We are delighted to welcome Hon Erica Stanford to NZVETRF.

Hon Erica Stanford is Minister of Education, Minister of Immigration, and the Lead Coordination Minister for the Government’s Response to the Royal Commission’s Report into Historical Abuse in State Care and in the Care of Faith-based Institutions. She has been the MP for East Coast Bays since the 2017 election.

In the Education portfolio, Minister Stanford is overseeing a significant programme curriculum and assessment change. Notably for vocational education, and school-to-work pathways, this includes proposals to develop new and valued industry-led subjects as part of new secondary qualifications.

Kathryn Rowan

Executive Director
Global Apprenticeship Network
Switzerland

Kathryn is a seasoned leader with a background in human resources and corporate social responsibility, who brings a wealth of experience from her previous role as Vice President of Human Resources, Zone Latin America, and Global Youth Lead at Nestlé. Throughout her career, Ms. Rowan has consistently demonstrated a passion for harnessing the power of business to drive positive change in society. During her tenure at Nestlé, in national, regional, and global roles, she promoted initiatives to strengthen leadership and capability building, diversity, and corporate reputation, while spearheading youth-focused efforts, including the Global Alliance for Youth.

Craig Robertson

Chief Executive Officer
Victorian Skills Authority
Australia

Craig Robertson is the CEO of the Victorian Skills Authority. The authority is tasked by the Victorian Government to plan for post school education and training directed to future skills which support a growing economy and good jobs for Victorians.

Craig is a strong advocate for contemporary and future focused skilling and vocational education, with strong connections to other education sectors. In 2024 he led a tri-partite working group which recommended new approaches to VET qualifications, which was accepted by all Australian skills ministers for implementation from 2025.

Emily Fabling

Deputy Chief Executive

New Zealand Qualifications Authority

Emily Fabling leads the Quality Assurance Division at NZQA. Emily is an experienced senior public service leader, who has held leadership roles within or connected to the education sector for over 20 years, including as Deputy Secretary (Strategy, Planning & Governance) and Group Manager (International Education) at the Ministry of Education.

Emily’s most recent leadership role was as Deputy Secretary | Policy, Performance & Insights at Manatū Taonga | Ministry for Culture and Heritage, where she led arts, heritage and media policy and Crown entity monitoring of organisations as diverse as Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand, the Broadcasting Standards Authority and Creative New Zealand. She has held senior roles at Immigration New Zealand, the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment and Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade. Emily was also National Manager of the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) programme for three years.

Emily is a proud alumna of Central Hawke’s Bay College (Waipukurau) and holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honours (1st Class) from Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, majoring in International Relations (Political Science and Modern Languages).

Dr. Selena Chan

Education/Capability Developer

Ara Institute of Canterbury/Te Pūkenga

Selena is an educational/capability developer at Ara Institute of Canterbury/Te Pūkenga. Her work includes facilitating curriculum development, technology-enhanced learning/integration of AI projects, and academic educator development.

She has published widely in vocational research journals and recent publications include two monographs, Identity, pedagogy and technology-enhanced (2020) and Digitally enabling ‘learning by doing’ (2021); and two edited books ‘Reshaping VET in Aotearoa (2022) and AI in Vocational Education (2025).

She is the co-editor of the AVETRA International Journal of Training Research and on the editorial board for the Journal of Vocational Education and Training. She is currently co-editing another book, “Post-Reform of Vocational Education” to record the achievements between 2019 and the reversal of reform in 2024/2025.

Madeline Newman

Executive Director

AI Forum

Madeline joined the AI Forum as Executive Director in 2022. She has extensive experience in strategy, transformational change and helping people to see the potential that innovative technologies bring and is excited to be leading the AI Forum of New Zealand as Executive Director at such a pivotal time.

Dr Michael Johnston

Senior Fellow

The New Zealand Initiative

Michael Johnston leads the New Zealand Initiative’s work on education. He is a cognitive psychologist with a background in literacy research, educational assessment and psychometrics.

As a researcher, he specialises in education systems reform, teacher education, and recently, a study into pathways for young people into industry training and apprenticeships.

He previously served as Associate Dean (Academic) at Victoria University of Wellington's Faculty of Education and spent six years at NZQA developing assessment systems.

In 2024, Michael chaired a Ministerial Advisory Group on curriculum development and currently serves on NZQA's technical assessment reference group.

Katherine Hall

Executive Director

ConCOVE Tuhura

Katherine Hall is the Executive Director of the Construction and Infrastructure Centre of Vocational Excellence, known as ConCOVE Tūhura. At ConCOVE Katherine leads a passionate team tasked with reimagining vocational education for construction and infrastructure through industry-led, action research, at least till the end of 2025 when ConCOVE will close.

Katherine is passionate about work-based learning and has spent more than half her career in vocational education and training. She’s known for her ability to disrupt through connecting people and initiatives and is laser focussed on driving for real, equitable, outcomes. Katherine holds a Master’s in Technological Futures.

Programme Snapshot

Further programme details and speaker announcements will be announced shortly.

Your Co-Hosts:

Skills Group is New Zealand's largest Private Training Establishment, supporting 17,000 learners and training across 33 industries, through both work-based and provider-based learning, across 15 campuses nationwide.

BCITO is New Zealand's largest provider of Apprenticeships, having qualified 55,000 tradies and counting, across 15 construction and allied trades.

Thank you to our Event Sponsors

Thank you to our Event Supporters

Want to add your support or have any enquiries? e-mail nzvetrf@skills-group.org

Skills and BCITO gratefully acknowledge Ako Aotearoa, the Centre for Tertiary Teaching Excellence, for support and permission to carry this event forward. We acknowledge Ako's enormous contribution to VET research and this event over many years.

NZVETRF is a taonga, and as co-hosts BCITO and Skills are committed to upholding the mana of the event.

Contact the host of New Zealand Vocational Education and Training Research Forum