The AMA team recently exhibited at the 3-day Careers and Transition Educators Association New Zealand (CATE) conference in Wellington. It was a well organised event, at a fantastic venue and engaged delegates.

 

This year’s CATE Conference theme (STEAM Towards the Future, highlighted the critical role of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics in shaping tomorrow’s workforce) resonates strongly with the manufacturing sector.  Manufacturing today sits at the intersection of:

 

• Science and data driving smarter decisions
• Technology and automation lifting productivity
• Engineering solving real-world problems
• Arts shaping design, usability, and customer value
• Mathematics underpinning efficiency and quality

 

The sub-theme, The Future is Multi-Disciplinary, matters because the factory of tomorrow won’t be run by narrow specialists. It will be powered by people who can think across disciplines, collaborate, and adapt as technology evolves.

 

For manufacturing leaders, the “so what” is clear:   Our future workforce needs blended skills, not silos. That starts with education systems embracing STEAM in ways that connect learning to real industry outcomes.  If we get this right, we don’t just fill roles—we future-proof the sector.

 

As an exhibitor, AMA was proud to share our story and showcase the exciting opportunities within the manufacturing sector.    We had some fantastic conversations with 720 delegates about our nationwide school engagement programmes and free downloadable careers guide that outlines pathways into the sector.    We also discussed challenges faced by educators, especially in regional areas—such as limited access to programmes and pathways to further training in disciplines critical to the manufacturing sector.

We want to thank Des Pitfield from DATUM machines, David Grove from SEEN Safety and Ryan Davidson from OpenStar Technologies for joining us on the stand. Your support reinforces why we do what we do for the sector. We look forward to partnering with you more in the future.

Next year in Auckland will be an International event. 

📥 Download our Careers Guide at The Future Makers | Celebrating Kiwi Innovation in Manufacturing