Take on a Gateway student
Give school students real workplace experience and help build the future trades workforce
Gateway workplaces

Help shape future tradies with
Gateway students

Gateway offers a low-risk way to bring motivated secondary school students into your workplace. It gives you early exposure to potential future staff while creating a clear pathway into employment or apprenticeships.

EarnLearn manages the process end to end, so placements are structured, compliant, and easy to run.

Why Gateway works for employers

  • Early talent identification
    Meet and assess potential future employees in a real work environment.

  • Work-ready experience
    Students gain exposure to real tools, tasks, and workplace expectations.

  • Clear hiring pathways
    Gateway supports a smooth transition into apprenticeships or entry-level roles.

  • Structured support
    EarnLearn coordinates placements, expectations, and check-ins throughout.

gateway workplaces

WHAT YOU'LL GET
A structured Gateway placement designed to support your business while giving students meaningful exposure to your industry.

This includes placement coordination, clear expectations, health and safety guidance, and ongoing support from EarnLearn throughout the placement.

WHAT IS YOUR COST
There is no programme cost to employers for hosting a Gateway student. Your main investment is supervision time and the ability to provide appropriate work experience during the placement. Students are not paid, and Gateway placements are not employment agreements.

How it works

How Gateway works

A simple, supported process that makes it easy for employers to host students and build future talent.

1

Confirm participation

You confirm your interest in hosting a Gateway student. EarnLearn and the school formalise the placement, clarify expectations, and ensure health and safety and compliance requirements are in place.

EarnLearn guides you through what’s required and confirms the placement details before the student starts.

2

Student placement is arranged

The school identifies suitable Year 11–13 students and matches them with your business.

EarnLearn manages enrolment, paperwork, and assessment setup, so you can focus on providing workplace experience rather than administration.

3

Workplace learning and assessment

The student attends their scheduled days on site, gaining real workplace exposure under your supervision.

You observe and sign off practical tasks where required, while EarnLearn assessors review evidence, mark assessments, and report achieved credits to NZQA. Ongoing support and check-ins are provided throughout the placement.

Over 6,000 apprentices supported Thousands of partnered employers NZ-wide support Over 6,000 apprentices supported Thousands of partnered employers NZ-wide support
Gateway

Why take on a Gateway student?

Taking on a Gateway student allows you to engage with potential future employees early, while contributing to the development of job-ready young people in your industry.

Gateway placements give you a practical way to assess attitude, reliability, and fit in a real workplace environment, without the commitment of hiring or apprenticeship upfront. It’s a low-risk opportunity to introduce students to your business, your standards, and your way of working.

With support from EarnLearn and the student’s school, placements are structured, time-limited, and designed to add value to your team while helping students gain meaningful on-the-job experience.

Student eligibility criteria

Gateway students placed with your business will:

Be a domestic student under the Education and Training Act 2020

Be enrolled at a State, State integrated, or charter secondary school

Be in Year 11 or above

Not be paid for their Gateway placement

Gateway works best for employers who

Want to identify future talent early
Use real workplace exposure to assess attitude, reliability, and suitability before hiring.

Can provide supervised, hands-on experience
Offer basic tasks, shadowing, and safe exposure to tools, processes, and site expectations.

Value attitude over experience
Gateway focuses on willingness to learn, engagement, and work ethic rather than prior skills.

different gateway pathways

Gateway pathways we offer

Explore EarnLearn Gateway programmes by trade and pathway type. Our programmes are built around real workplace learning, supported by structured assessment and guidance from people who understand the trades.

Electrical

From home energy systems to industrial automation and renewable technology, Electrical Gateway offers a versatile, future-proof trade.

  • Work ranges from wiring homes to working on wind turbines or super yachts.
  • Unit standards cover electrical safety, tool use, motor/generator knowledge, and health & safety legislation.

 

Unit Standards (20 Credits Total)

Unit StandardDescriptionLevelCredits
30264Describe duties, rights, representation and the regulator in terms of New Zealand health and safety legislation33
3490Complete an incident report12
4249Describe obligations as an employee13
30692Perform basic calculations used in a given trade situation22
30658Demonstrate knowledge of fundamental electrical safety in the workplace22
16407Use and maintain hand and power tools for electrical work33
1178Follow safe practices in an electrical workplace23
29470Demonstrate knowledge of electric motor and generator construction and operation32

Plumbing, Gasfitting, Drainlaying

Hands-on problem solving, mechanical systems, residential and commercial environments. Highly in-demand nationwide.

  • Tasks include installing hot water systems, gas appliances, drainage pipes, and roofing.
  • Includes unit standards on health & safety, calculations, asbestos safety, and trade-specific knowledge.
  • Students may require a Trainee Limited Certificate (TLC) to carry out restricted work. EarnLearn provides guidance on this requirement while the TLC application is completed by the host employer.

 

Unit Standards (20 Credits Total)

Unit StandardDescriptionLevelCredits
30264Describe duties, rights, representation and the regulator in terms of New Zealand health and safety legislation33
3490Complete an incident report12
4249Describe obligations as an employee13
30692Perform basic calculations used in a given trade situation22
30658Demonstrate knowledge of fundamental electrical safety in the workplace22
497Demonstrate knowledge of workplace health and safety requirements13
21883Demonstrate knowledge of working in gas contaminated environments in plumbing, gasfitting, or drainlaying23
30596Demonstrate knowledge of asbestos and safety measures for asbestos-related work32
 

Building
tomorrow's
workforce
today

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions for Gateway employers

Quick answers for schools interested in EarnLearn’s Gateway programme. 

Gateway is a government-funded programme that allows secondary school students (Years 11–13) to gain real workplace experience while still at school. As an employer, you host a student in your workplace, typically one day per week for a set period, while they work toward approved unit standards.

EarnLearn and the student’s school manage enrolment, paperwork, assessment requirements, and reporting. Your role is to provide a safe, structured workplace experience and support the student’s learning on site.

Your responsibilities are similar to those you already have for staff on site. You’ll need to:

  • Provide a safe work environment and site induction

  • Supervise the student during their placement

  • Allow the student to complete practical tasks aligned to unit standards

  • Verify and sign off completed assessment evidence

You are not responsible for programme administration, assessment marking, or reporting to NZQA. EarnLearn and the school handle these parts of the process.

No. There is no programme cost to employers for hosting a Gateway student.

Your main investment is supervision time and the ability to provide appropriate work experience during the placement. Students are not paid, and Gateway placements are not employment agreements.

Gateway students must follow all of your workplace policies and procedures, including health and safety and privacy requirements. You should provide a site induction and ensure they understand workplace hazards, PPE requirements, and site expectations.

If you prefer students to complete training such as First Aid or Site Safe before attending site, this can be arranged through the school’s Gateway coordinator. Some trades have specific requirements, such as Trainee Limited Certificates for plumbing-related placements.

Gateway placements are not employment agreements and do not qualify as part of a 90-day trial. There is no requirement to provide sick leave or annual leave.

Students complete Gateway unit standards while on placement using assessment booklets provided through the programme. Once a student completes an assessment task, they give it to you for verification.

If you are satisfied with the work, you sign it off. The school’s Gateway coordinator then submits the evidence to EarnLearn, where registered assessors review the work and report achieved credits to NZQA.

You are not responsible for marking or reporting assessments.

Gateway is often a first step into future employment. Many employers use placements to assess whether a student would be a good fit for an apprenticeship or entry-level role once they leave school.

Some students may be available for weekend or school-holiday work, and EarnLearn can support you if you decide to move forward with an apprenticeship.

GET In touch

Talk to us about hosting a Gateway student

If you’re an employer considering hosting a Gateway student, we can help you understand how the programme works and whether it’s right for your business.

EarnLearn supports you through the Gateway process, with clear guidance on hosting, supervision, and assessment requirements.

We can help you:

Confirm if Gateway is a good fit for your business

Understand supervision and sign-off requirements

Get clear guidance on supporting a student on site

Send an enquiry

Share a few details and we will point you to the right next step.

Get in touch