Te Aka Tauira – the Victoria University of Wellington
Students’ Association will be rallying outside Parliament
alongside the Public Service Association on Thursday 30 July
at 1:00 pm to call for action on key issues affecting
students’ futures.
The Secure Our Future
rally will bring students and supporters together to call
for three key changes: a universal paid placement system for
nursing, teaching, medicine, midwifery and social work
students; the reinstatement of Fees-Free; and the
reinstatement of paused graduate programmes alongside
expanded graduate and internship opportunities across the
public sector.
Students are increasingly being asked
to shoulder greater costs while facing fewer opportunities
to build a secure future after graduation. According to
VUWSA’s State of the Students survey, 70% of students have
considered moving overseas to find work and opportunities
after graduating. In comparison, just 33% feel hopeful about
finding opportunities in their field here in
Aotearoa.
Students should not have to choose between
completing compulsory placements and being able to afford to
live, or be held back from pursuing higher education because
of the cost. There needs to be genuine opportunities to
build careers in Aotearoa, with strong graduate programmes
and pathways into the public sector. We need a Government
that is willing to invest in students. This means having a
universal paid placements system, restoring Fees-Free, and
creating more graduate and internship
opportunities.
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VUWSA has invited representatives from
all Government and Opposition parties to attend the rally
and speak to students about their plans for the future of
tertiary education, student support and public sector
employment.
The rally will take place at Parliament
Grounds from 1:00 pm to 1:30 pm on Thursday 30 July.
Students will then walk together to Pipitea Campus RH105 for
a provided lunch. VUWSA encourages students, staff and
members of the public to attend the rally and stand
alongside students in calling for a more secure
future.
