Gateway provides senior secondary school students (years 11-13) in New Zealand with a range of structured learning opportunities in workplaces. This learning is integrated with the students' school-based studies and provides the opportunity for some students to progress towards a national qualification and others with more general skills to be used in the work context. A number of schools have been involved in Gateway pilots and are contracted by Skill New Zealand - Pukenga Aotearoa to trial three different delivery approaches - facilitative, brokerage, and mixed (a combination of the facilitated and brokerage models). This report is a summative evaluation of the Gateway pilot and builds on the findings of the interim evaluation completed at the end of 2001 (report indexed at
TD/TNC 70.238). Overall, the evaluation aimed to: examine the benefits to students of participation in Gateway; identify areas of strength and best practice in each delivery model; examine the relationships between industry and schools developed through Gateway; and provide data for comparison with other arrangements for work-based learning in schools. The summative evaluation found a continued, consistent, and positive response to the Gateway approach from pilot schools, participating students, and employers. It has been endorsed by stakeholders as an effective option for linking academic and vocational learning in the school context. The approach promotes effective transition into employment, apprenticeship, and further training opportunities as well as student retention. There are positive indicators for Maori and Pacific students. School-industry and community links are also strengthened by the Gateway approach. The second year of the pilot has been characterised by increased student participation and achievement, and a growth in the profile and status of Gateway in local communities. Students identify opportunities to experience work and the workplace, improved employment prospects, and increased skills as benefits of the approach. Schools also identified these benefits for students along with increased student retention and improved attendance rates. Employers reported that Gateway brought them into contact with potential employees and enabled them to gain experience in training. Overall, the pilot and its evaluation indicate that the workplace can provide an effective learning environment for senior secondary school students and that workplace learning can be used to reinforce and extend students' school-based study.
