What is a PTE?
Just like everyone else when we are out and about, I get asked the classic, “So what do you do?”, to which I reply, “I manage PTEs”. This always starts a conversation about what a PTE is.
I am still surprised at how little people know about PTEs in NZ. I have been working in PTEs most of my working life so I am a raving fan of PTEs!
PTEs are Private Training Establishments and they are all around NZ.
In my opinion, PTEs provide a valuable contribution to the tertiary education system by providing opportunities for learning in niche areas of foundation skills training, vocational or industry training and higher education. PTEs can provide short industry or staff training courses and NZQA approved Certificates, Diplomas and even Degrees to New Zealanders and international students.
In short, PTEs are charged with working alongside each other, employers and industry bodies, relevant organisations and associations and their communities to provide a pathways of study that lead to qualified graduates for the New Zealand workforce. PTEs are focused on responding quickly to a need or request to train people in specialised areas or provide training for a specific group of people or within a specific context or environment.
Some PTE specialise in providing training and assessment for specific industries and are often owned and managed by people who have had significant experience in those particular industries who are passionate about passing their experience on to others and giving back to the industry that they worked in.
I will try and give you a bit of a background on how PTEs came about.
PTEs, or Private Training Establishments, is a term used for privately owned education and training businesses that have registered with the New Zealand Qualification Authority (NZQA).
These businesses have always existed and have been around in various forms until during 1989/1990 when the Education Act came into force. The act established the NZQA and made provision for private education and training business to register with NZQA as Private Training Establishments or PTEs.
PTEs apply to NZQA to have their own qualifications approved and can apply for accreditation to deliver and assess against NZQA unit standards and offer NZQA National Certificates. (This is now referred to as consent to assess against standards). The qualifications can then be approved by the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC).
PTEs are can be small, 1 or 2 person businesses or can be multi site PTEs with hundreds of teaching staff with thousands of students each year.
I was trying to find out how many PTEs there are registered but didnt come across any public information. I did find a statement made by an old Minister of Education a few years ago which will give you an idea of the number of different tertiary education organisations there were at that time “… with 8 Universities, 26 Polytechnics, 3 Wananga, 40 ITO’s and 800 odd PTE’s …” Obviously the number of PTEs grows and shrinks depending on how many register or maintain their PTE Registration each year.
In 2009 there were 75,500 students who attended PTEs in NZ. (Education Counts #5)
PTEs are represented by PTE Peak Bodies such as NZAPEP and ITI and many have their programmes approved to offer Student Loans and Allowances through Studylink.
I bet, that if you asked around your families and networks you will know someone who can connect their current employment position or a job they have had to having completed a course or qualification offered by a PTE somewhere in NZ.
Like I said, I have been managing PTEs for over 15 years and believe that PTEs make significant contributions to NZ Tertiary Education and offer great value and experiences to their students.
Edbiz was founded to support educators like PTEs with our Consultancy and Advisory Services so that they can make an even greater difference in their communities and spend more time with their students.
