NZ Couriers’ Driving Ahead programme shows what happens when a business backs its people and partners with a training provider that truly understands the workplace. Education Unlimited and NZCouriers are working side by side to grow confident leaders from the ground up,and the impact is being felt across teams, whānau and communities.

Giving people a pathway to growth

Amanda Gordon, People and Culture Manager at New Zealand Couriers, wanted to lift leadership capability across the business. She turned to a familiar partner: Education Unlimited. Having already seen the impact of tailor-made leadership development in a previous organisation, she knew that with the right support, NZ Couriers’ people could thrive.

Together, Education Unlimited and NZ Couriers successfully applied for Tertiary Education Commission funding under the employer-led literacy and numeracy programme and co-designed the Driving Ahead programme. Grounded in the New Zealand Certificate in Business (Introduction to Team Leadership) Level 3, Driving Ahead is firmly rooted in real work, real teams, and real challenges.

Driving Ahead: confidence, voice and progression

Since launch, nearly 100 people from a workforce of around 1,100 have already completed Driving Ahead. The numbers ensure a tipping point that makes a significant positive impact on the wider culture. It nurtures future leaders at every level of the business. Participants are not just gaining a qualification; they are building confidence, learning to speak up, and stepping into new opportunities across NZ Couriers.

Amanda sees firsthand how graduates grow into ambassadors for the programme, sharing their experiences with their teams and encouraging others to enrol. For her, one of the highlights is attending graduations and watching learners proudly talk about what they have achieved, often the first formal study they have completed as adults. That visible pride, she says, shows just how transformative workplace learning can be.

Project Ikuna: Empowering a Pacific workforce

The partnership does not stop at one programme. EducationUnlimited also supports NZ Couriers through Project Ikuna in Tāmaki Makaurau,designed specifically with their predominantly Pasifika workforce in mind. The programme blends literacy, numeracy and foundational skills. The delivery is culturally responsive and respects learners’ identities and lived experiences.

Learners have particularly embraced the conflict resolution micro-credential, valuing its relevance both at work and at home. Amanda notes that staff are taking these skills back to their whānau, navigating tricky conversations as parents and partners as well as team members. In her view,that ripple effect into families and communities is where the true power of education lies.

A learner’s voice: “More learning, because you’re never too old”

For Adrienne, Fleet Manager at NZ Couriers, the micro-credential course has been a turning point in her leadership journey. She speaks about gaining the skills and confidence to work more effectively with contractors, make sound decisions and voice her ideas and concerns professionally. Read more about Adrienne's story here.

It’s a partnership that adapts and delivers

Underpinning all of this is a strong, solutions-focused partnership between NZ Couriers and Education Unlimited. Amanda highlights how quickly the two teams work together when operational pressures make it hard to release staff for training or when a cohort needs a different approach to fully gel.

From flexible scheduling to fine-tuning tutor fit and course delivery, the relationship is built on open communication and a shared commitment to better outcomes for learners. For NZ Couriers, that means developing capable, confident leaders who can drive the business forward; for Education Unlimited, it reinforces a core belief: when education is accessible, culturally aware and grounded in the workplace, it unlocks potential far beyond the classroom.

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