Over recent decades most of the developed world has invested significantly in lifting the proportion of the population that has a tertiary education, with a view to increasing what is commonly referred to as human capital. The OECD defines human capital as ‘the knowledge, skills, competencies and attributes embodied in individuals that facilitate the creation of personal, social and economic well-being’ (OECD, 2001)

New Zealand spends around 1% of its the proportion of the population with a GDP on tertiary education (OECD, tertiary qualification over the past couple 2014) and has seen a significant rise in the proportion of the population with a tertiary qualification over the past couple of decades. In 1991, 8.2% of the working-age population had a degree at bachelor’s level or higher (Statistics New Zealand, 1991). By 2013 this had risen to 26.1%. In 1991, having a degree was a way of differentiating oneself to an employer; now it is an expectation for many jobs, including an increasing number in the state sector. This article considers the educational profile of the state sector’s employees at the time of the 2013 census, and examines the ways universities are contributing to this profile and to lifting the human capital available to the state sector.

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Chris Whelan is the Executive Director of Universities New Zealand – Te Päkai Tara.