About This Episode
Katherine Hall, Executive Director of ConCove (Construction and Infrastructure Centre of Vocational Excellence), reveals the devastating impact of government defunding on construction research and vocational education. ConCove, whose research arm is named Tuhura ("to discover and disclose"), is being defunded at the end of 2025 by the Tertiary Education Commission under Minister Penny Simmons, continuing a pattern of short-termism that has already dismantled the Construction Sector Accord, Ako Aotearoa, and Tupukinga. The conversation highlights ConCove's pioneering work in degree apprenticeships (piloted with ARA Institute Canterbury), digital skills in apprenticeships (where NZ lags far behind Germany and Switzerland), and allyship programs for construction sites. All ConCove research is freely available and open source.
Key Topics Discussed
- ConCove defunding. Government-funded research org for vocational education in construction and infrastructure being defunded at end of 2025 by Tertiary Education Commission, Minister Penny Simmons
- Tuhura. "To discover and disclose"; ConCove's research arm with a name perfectly suited to its mission
- Contestable fund model. ConCove pivoted from the food and fiber cove model to a contestable fund approach
- Degree apprenticeships. Pilots with ARA Institute Canterbury in construction management and architectural design; allows people to earn while they learn and gain a degree
- Equitable access. Degree apprenticeships enable single parents and financially constrained people to study while working, removing barriers to upskilling
- Allyship programs. Tawhiri and Kopapamari programs focused on building better bystanders on construction work sites
- Better employers toolkit. Resource for construction companies to improve workplace culture and practices
- Digital skills deficit. NZ construction digital skills "nowhere near where they should be"; European countries (Germany, Switzerland) teach digital tools during apprenticeships while NZ does not at all
- Pattern of defunding research. Construction Sector Accord gone, ConCove going, Ako Aotearoa going, Tupukinga being disestablished; systematic dismantling of construction research infrastructure
- Open source research. All ConCove research is freely available, open source, and white-labelled for industry use
- Short-termism in NZ education. Reform after reform; new government defunds previous government's work; no continuity
- AI prediction. Andy predicts that in 18 months all code will be written by AI
Notable Quotes
Digital skills are "nowhere near where they should be" in NZ construction.
All ConCove research is freely available, open source, and white-labelled for industry use.
In 18 months all code will be written by AI., Andy's prediction on the pace of technological change.
Guest Background
Katherine Hall is the Executive Director of ConCove (Construction and Infrastructure Centre of Vocational Excellence), a government-funded research organisation focused on vocational education in the construction and infrastructure sectors. She has spent 5+ years leading construction research and has been a pioneer of degree apprenticeships in New Zealand, piloting programs with ARA Institute Canterbury.
