Newstalk ZB: Dr Michael Johnston on vocational subjects in the new post-NCEA qualification
Dr Michael Johnston
29 April, 2026
Dr Michael Johnston talked to Heather du Plessis-Allan on Newstalk ZB about the Initiative's report calling for vocational and industry-led subjects to be part of the new post-NCEA qualification from 2029, directing more students towards apprenticeships and the trades rather than defaulting to university.
Dr Johnston said schools will need to partner with tertiary institutions and employers to deliver these subjects, and suggested that trade skills may prove more durable than many white-collar professions as AI reshapes the workforce. Listen below.