Te Pūkenga confirms new structure for enhanced national vocational education and training

Te Pūkenga - New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology, the country’s largest tertiary education and training provider, today unveiled its new operating structure for delivering better outcomes for ākonga (learners) and employers through a single unified organisation.

The new operating structure provides another significant step in securing the efficiencies that reflect the scale of a national organisation, which is also regionally responsive and focused on meeting the needs of local communities, Tumuaki | Chief Executive Peter Winder says.  

“As one network, our scale, regional ability and delivery focus will help more New Zealanders get the skills and qualifications they need more effectively and with less debt.

“The new structure takes advantage of a once-in-a generation opportunity to redesign vocational education to help more ākonga learn and train in a way that suits them and with the support they need for success. It also aims to provide the skills that our employers and economy need now and in the future.”

Today’s announcement follows consultation with 10,000 kaimahi (staff), resulting in over 8000 pieces of feedback which has resulted in many of the organisation’s proposals being significantly refined.

Mr Winder acknowledged the uncertainty and concern many kaimahi had felt through the process.

The new structure will result in 200 fewer full-time equivalent (FTE) roles across the network, with the expectation that the majority of affected kaimahi would be redeployed.

The final structure has 602 new roles, with 401 being disestablished. Another 51 positions that are currently vacant are also being disestablished, and 350 fixed term employment agreements will not be extended beyond their current term.

“We are strongly encouraging kaimahi whose roles have been disestablished to apply for the new positions as we want to retain as much of our talent and expertise as we can, and avoid redundancies wherever possible,” Mr Winder says. 

Transition to the new structure will be phased over the next few months, to minimise disruption of delivery to ākonga, employers, industry and other partners.  

“The new structure is designed to enable us to serve all learners wherever they live in Aotearoa New Zealand – providing access to standardised national qualifications that better match industry needs and the ability to move more easily between different regions.

“We aim to create equitable access for all, particularly those traditionally under-served by the education system, including Māori, Pacific and disabled learners. Our network enables people to better take advantage of the combinations of on campus, on-the-job and online training that learners and employers increasingly demand.

“Together, we are stronger than we were as individual and competing organisations and can draw on our combined expertise and strength for the communities we are all part of,” Mr Winder says.