Vocational Pathways

A Vocational Pathway Award is a way you can recognise achievement from your NCEA Level 2 results and support your progression of learning toward a career.

 Vocational Pathways for Students and Youth


These pathways link your learning and achievement at school directly to career and job opportunities in the work place. Vocational Pathways also enable employers to see where your strengths, abilities, interests, and achievement lie and what careers your are more suited to. As a student, you will be able to see your progress and map your pathway into a career, job, or further training at a tertiary institute from your achievement at school. This will help you plan your courses over a number of years to get the best result and to schieve your goals for the future.

The Vocational Pathways cover six broad industry sectors:

  • Creative Industries
  • Primary Industries
  • Manufacturing and Technology
  • Service Industries
  • Social and Community Service
  • Construction and Infrastructure


To achieve the Vocational Pathways Award, a learner must:

  • Achieve NCEA Level 2 which includes literacy (10 credits) and numeracy (10 credits) at Level 1 or above
    AND
  • Achieve 60 Level 2 credits from the recommended assessment standards for a vocational pathway, including 20 Level 2 credits from sector related standards for the same sector.

A learner can achieve more than one Vocational Pathways Award if they complete more than one Vocational Pathway. The Vocational Pathways Award(s) will be awarded to students on their NZQA Record of Achievement. This will be a real advantage when they look for work and training opportunities in the sector.

You can learn more about Vocational Pathways at careers.govt.nz.