With Primary ITO to be wound up in less than two years following a change in Government policy, B+LNZ is working with sector partners on how the future of work-based training will look so our sector will continue to have the skilled workforce it needs.
What’s changing
In 2025, the Government announced significant changes to New Zealand’s vocational education system, with industries being given direct control over training standards and work-based learning.
As a result, all Industry Training Organisation (ITO) learners must be transitioned to a new provider before December 2027. Primary ITO will be disestablished.
The wider primary sector has worked together to explore various options.
While the ownership model hasn’t been finalised, work is focused on transitioning Primary ITO out of Government and into a new all-of-primary-sector private training organisation that will deliver the same scope of work-based training as before.
Industry groups such as B+LNZ will be engaged in the new organisation – providing strategic input into what skills are needed for the future sheep and beef workforce.
What’s currently happening
B+LNZ is working closely with DairyNZ, Horticulture New Zealand, Seafood New Zealand, and Primary ITO throughout this process.
This group is working together on developing the legal structure, including ownership, and constitution of the new organisation. It will operate largely independently, however industry organisations such as B+LNZ will provide input on its strategic direction and ensure it meets expectations.
An interim Board will be established that will be tasked with setting up the new PTE and completing all the relevant compliance approvals.
The transition of Primary ITO to an independent training organisation will not cost levy funds. Primary ITO had sufficient existing funding to cover the legal costs of its transition and its operation is currently financially viable.
We’ll provide updates as things progress.
What’s staying the same
We’re working hard to ensure continuity while the delivery model changes.
For current learners, things will stay the same for now and they don’t need to do anything.
Longer term, the focus will remain on ensuring learners have access to relevant practical, hands-on learning that provides our sector with the skilled workers we need.
Primary ITO delivers a significant proportion of work-based learning for sheep and beef farming and it was important to ensure this remained an option going forward.
Our view is that the new provider should be all-of-primary-sector to save costs and work together where possible – it didn’t make sense in terms of cost-effectiveness to have a solely sheep and beef-focused provider.
Practical training that isn’t currently run out of Primary ITO – including Growing Future Farmers and cadetships – will not be affected.
Related issue – wider funding cuts to work-based learning
In late 2025, B+LNZ strongly objected to the proposed seven percent reduction in the funding rate for work-based learning provided by the Tertiary Education Commission.
We argued that this change is counterproductive and undermines the very training model that delivers the best outcomes for our industry.
For more information see our submission. We will continue to advocate on this issue.