Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou
I hope you all had the opportunity to join in the recent Diwali celebrations. Diwali signifies the triumph of light over darkness, and of knowledge over ignorance. It highlights the rich Indian culture and contribution our Indian ākonga and kaimahi bring to our sites.
Over the past few months, the Transition Programme has been busy to ensure that all functions and activities undertaken by our current divisions are mapped to our new group structures. The mapping of more than 1,400 functions / activities (many are common across divisions) to each new business group has been confirmed.
The team is now in the process of developing in-depth reports for each group, outlining the functions they take accountability for and the transition risks that need to be managed.
Our aim is to ensure that nothing is left behind. We want all divisions to transition smoothly to the new structure and have a strong foundation for the future. Expect to hear more about this work soon.
During the past few weeks, many senior leaders have been busy with interviews and making appointments for their new teams. I want to thank everyone for the huge effort they put into their applications and preparing for interviews. I know that ELT have been delighted with the applications received and are excited about giving life to the new One Te Pūkenga structure.
As leadership appointments are confirmed, these leaders will then begin to recruit for the roles within their teams. Each group, tier and rohe is moving at a different pace as we work through recruitment, and timelines will differ for each role. Kaimahi may hear about roles progressing that are similar to roles they have applied for. Each role will have a different timing, so please don’t be concerned if you hear of some roles being shortlisted or progressing ahead of others. Our recruitment team is working as fast as they can to make contact with everyone. There is a new appointments page on Te Whare where you can see the latest updates.
I also want to acknowledge the kaimahi who have applied to roles but have not yet been successful. I want to stress that we value everyone and that we are committed to genuinely exploring all avenues for redeployment. We will be working with those who have not been successful in applications to find other opportunities.
Another key piece of work we recently completed is a refreshed onboarding process, which is now available on Te Whare for all kaimahi with a Te Pūkenga email address – welcome. The project provides a clear, simple pathway for new and transitioning kaimahi as they are set up with the core essentials to get started at Te Pūkenga. It includes getting set up on the payroll and annual leave system, getting your hardware ready and your laptop and phone connected, and providing access to online training with the Digital team.
While new starters are already using this process, it is also a critical step in our transition over the coming months. It will be used by appointees to new roles as well as those who are continuing in their current role in the new structure. As you get close to your transition date, you will be provided with the information and links to start your onboarding experience. A big mihi to the many people in Digital and People, Culture, Wellbeing (PCW) involved in setting this up.
On a different but also valuable topic, Te Pūkenga will participate in the 2026 Performance-Based Research Fund (PBRF) process. This commitment recognises the importance of research and rangahau in the future of Te Pūkenga. The PBRF rewards and incentivises quality research for Aotearoa New Zealand. It involves a rigorous process run by the Tertiary Education Commission, which assesses the research performance of tertiary education organisations (TEOs) and funds them on the basis of their performance. The process runs every six years.
We will encourage kaimahi to submit individual portfolios of their research and rangahau for the PBRF, as this is the main way TEOs receive research-specific funding support, and researchers can grow their national and international profiles.
Finally, congratulations to Dila Beisembayeva, Senior Implementation Lead (Microcredentials), in ACLS, who won New Zealand’s Most Outstanding in IT Security Award on 9 November at the New Zealand Women in Security Awards. Dila has been instrumental in establishing the industry-approved Te Pūkenga Level 6 Diploma in Cybersecurity which is a well-regarded entry-level qualification into the cybersecurity industry, and a recent Amazon Web Services (AWS) re/Start micredential pilot involving the Ministry of Social Development clients, which went so well that a number of graduates secured work immediately on graduation.
In breaking news, Te Pūkenga Chief Digital Officer Teresa Pollard was announced a winner in the CIO50 NZ Awards last night. The Awards celebrate the achievements of the top senior technology and digital executives in Aotearoa New Zealand who are driving innovation, rapid change, building great cultures, and influencing leadership teams across their organisations. Teresa placed 16th – an incredible achievement and a wonderful reflection of her work here at Te Pūkenga. Congratulations, Teresa!
Ngā mihi nui
Peter Winder
Tumuaki | Chief Executive
Digital Consultation ends
Many kaimahi have taken the opportunity to offer their whakaaro during the consultation period for Digital Phase 2. For those who haven’t yet, they have until 5pm Friday 17 November to do so.
“We’ve had really valuable kōrero during our roadshow and our online deep dives, and we’re really looking forward to evaluating all the feedback as we make decisions on the final group structure,” Chief Digital Officer Teresa Pollard says.
It is expected that decisions will be released in early December.
New Pounuku appointments update
As recruitment continues at pace across all Groups, we have some exciting new appointment announcements to make both in Kāhui Hua Tiriti | Tiriti Outcomes and Kāhui Mātauranga me ngā Pūnaha Ako | Academic Centre and Learning Systems.
The new Tiriti Outcomes Directors are:
- Tania Tarawa: Pounuku Punaha Tiriti | Tiriti Systems Director
- Aniwairua Komarkowski-Chapman : Pounuku Rautaki Tiriti | Tiriti Strategy Director
- Anaru Timutimu: Pounuku Piringa Tiriti | Tiriti Partnerships Director
- Amomai Pihama: Pounuku Tikanga Tūhonohono | Tikanga and Engagement Director
The first kaimahi to be appointed to the core Kāhui Hua Tiriti | Tiriti Outcomes Group are the four Pounuku (Directors) that make up the core leadership team reporting to Paora Ammunson, Pourangi Hua Tiriti | DCE Tiriti Outcomes. “I am excited about the future. Aniwairua, Tania, Anaru and Amomai bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to these critical roles and the core leadership team as a collective. They are driven by a relentless focus on equity for ākonga Māori and ensuring the needs of those ākonga and their whānau are met by the system.”
The Pounuku are currently transitioning into their roles and will be fully in situ by 1 Dec 2023.
Also joining the leadership team in Kāhui Mātauranga me ngā Pūnaha Ako | Academic Centre and Learning Systems are:
- Janine Kapa: Pounuku Tiriti | Tiriti Director (ACLS)
- Jamie Smiler: Pounuku Rangahau | Rangahau and Research Director
- Deborah Young: Pounuku Kairangi Ako | Ako Excellence Director
- Rod Bentham: Pounuku Mauru Ako | Ako Solutions Director
- Patrick Jones: Pounuku Hinonga me te Whakatinanatanga | Portfolio and Performance Director.
They join the eight National Ako Network Directors who are already in place. Megan Gibbons (DCE ACLS) said “Each of them impressed with their energy, drive and positive attitude, their exceptional expertise and the breadth of experience they will bring to the ACLS mahi, and I look forward to working with them in future.” They will take up their new roles at the end of November. “I was delighted with the applications we received for these key roles, and I want to note the very high calibre of candidates we were able to select from – there were some very hard decisions to make.”
Thank you everyone for the huge effort they put into their applications and preparing for their interviews. It’s important that we continue to hold space for our people and to support as many of you as possible with finding great opportunities at Te Pūkenga, noting there are many roles still to fill. Having made these appointments, all new Tier 3 Directors know that they must turn their attention swiftly to recruiting for their own direct reports so that we can continue the recruitment process at pace and give as many kaimahi certainty as quickly as possible.
You can find out more about all of the new Pounuku (Directors) on Te Whare.
TEC appoints two Te Pūkenga learner representatives to new advisory committee
The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) has appointed two Te Pūkenga learner representatives to its new Learner Advisory Committee: building and construction apprentice Nina Lee Griffiths and social work student Max Devon.
The TEC Learner Advisory Committee will advise TEC’s Board of Commission, helping it make learner-centric decisions based on their lived experiences as learners to achieve more equitable outcomes.
Nina and Max join up to eight learner members from across the tertiary education sector, including universities, wānanga and PTEs, on the Committee.
The TEC Learner Advisory Committee’s first meeting is planned for later this year.
Nina Lee Griffiths is a third-year building and construction apprentice with BCITO | Te Pūkenga based in Christchurch. She is also a member of our own Te Pūkenga Interim Learner Advisory Committee that advises Te Pūkenga Council.
“It’s exciting to have my voice as an apprentice heard and to see the growing number of work-based learners advising governance at the system level. I’m also excited about the opportunity to develop leadership and trade skills in women,” Nina says.
Max Devon is studying a Bachelor of Social Work and te reo Māori at NMIT and is president of SANITI, the NMIT | Te Pūkenga student association, and is based in Nelson. Max is also a member of Te Pūkenga Learner Leadership Group, which brings together learner representatives from across Te Pūkenga network to provide a learner perspective on Te Pūkenga operations.
“It’s great to see the growing commitment to Whiria Ngā Rau, which looks to work more in partnership with learners and ensure the right supports are in place to nurture success. The more we can learn from each other, the better the outcomes can be for everyone in the sector. It's all about whanaungatanga and collaboration,” Max says.
Call for abstracts for first Te Pūkenga Pacific Research Symposium
Calling all new, emerging and established Pacific researchers in vocational education!
Please submit your research abstract for the inaugural Te Pūkenga Pacific Research Symposium by the 21 November deadline – next Tuesday.
The one-day symposium, titled “Pacific Success in Vocational Education – Past and Future”, will be held at Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) on Monday 11 December.
It’s being held in partnership with Small Island Cultures Research Initiative (SICRI).
Co-convenors are Aiono Manu Fa’aea, Senior Pasifika Manager at Te Pūkenga MIT and Daisy Bentley-Gray, Interim Manager, Pacific Centre at Te Pūkenga Unitec.
“This inaugural symposium is important because it’s the first of its kind,” said Aiono, adding that it builds on the joint MIT-Unitec Research Symposium of past years that had a Pacific strand. This year’s event is solely focused on Pacific research.
The event is open to Pacific Te Pūkenga staff, staff undertaking Pacific research and community/ industry partners.
“Our key aim is to grow our people’s awareness of their own potential in terms of Pacific research,” said Daisy.
“Pacific peoples contribute to research in many ways, which are not necessarily highlighted as such.”
Aiono and Daisy are particularly keen to involve Pacific kaimahi working “on the tools” in areas of work-based learning.
“A lot of Pacific kaimahi in the trades don’t really have time to do research, they’re too busy ‘doing the doing’ on the tools. They don’t have time to document their approach or tell people what works well or not,” said Aiono.
They want to challenge that. “This is an opportunity to demystify the research process. Every single Pacific worker and learner and earner is a researcher – we are curious by nature. We are so good at doing stuff but what we need to do better is explain to people how we do it, what are our processes and ways of thinking?”
For established Pacific researchers, they want to ensure they know about the new PBRF “research with impact” measure, so they have a better shot at gaining PBRF research funding.
Aiono and Daisy will assess and organise the abstracts into themes. Attendees will have a choice of concurrent presentations per theme throughout the day. A keynote address by Dr Megan Gibbons, Pourangi Mātauranga me ngā Pūnaha Ako | DCE Academic Centre and Learning Systems, will kick off proceedings. Tumu Whenua-ā-Rohe 1 | Executive Director, Region 1, Peseta-Sam Lotu-Iiga will also speak.
They expect 80-100 attendees. Registration to attend closes 4 December.
Te Pūkenga research excellence a focus for 2026 PBRF
Te Pūkenga will participate in the 2026 Performance-Based Research Fund (PBRF) process, ELT confirmed last week.
This commitment recognises the importance of research and rangahau in our future, said Pourangi Mātauranga me ngā Pūnaha Ako | DCE ACLS Dr Megan Gibbons.
Of several options ELT considered, the decision was made to support as many kaimahi as possible in submitting individual portfolios of their research and rangahau to PBRF to achieve the maximum potential benefit for the kaimahi and Te Pūkenga.
“This decision signals the value we place on research and rangahau across our national network. Over time, it will provide a nationally representative marker of our research performance,” said Megan.
Dr Gibbons said ELT is committed to acknowledging the rangahau and research that is already undertaken and wants to sustain and grow it.
The aim of the PBRF, which involves a rigorous process run by Tertiary Education Commission, is to reward and incentivise quality research for Aotearoa New Zealand. It involves assessing the research performance of tertiary education organisations (TEOs) and funding them on the basis of their performance. The process runs every six years.
PBRF is the main way TEOs receive research-specific funding support and for researchers to grow their national and international profiles. Research-active kaimahi and kairangahau (researchers) typically regard PBRF as an important means of external validation of the quality of their overall body of work.
The research offices of some business divisions have supported involvement in previous PBRF rounds. It was the recommendation of Te Ohu Whakahaere Rangahau Research and Postgraduate (a subcommittee of Te Poari Akoranga | Te Pūkenga Academic Board) that Te Pūkenga participate in the 2026 round.
“Research and rangahau are essential across our network to maintain the reputation and compliance of our degrees and postgraduate programmes and to ensure academic recognition for our kaimahi,” said Megan Gibbons.
“It’s also hugely important in the way it contributes to knowledge and practice improvements and advances for our industries and professions,” she said.
Te Pūkenga ākonga off to China thanks to Prime Minister Scholarships
Twelve Te Pūkenga ākonga from across Aotearoa New Zealand are heading to China in December as proud recipients of the Prime Minister Scholarships for Asia (PMSA). They are Hannah Gaboda, Orlando Kean, James Mitchell and Kahana Ngaia (Otago Polytechnic); Albin Bengtsson, Yen (Kinsey) Nguyen and Lele Talagi (Unitec); Tamara Davies, Lilli Jorgensen and Brandon Whiting (Wintec); Hannah Bryan and Megan Dodunski (WITT).
The Prime Minister Scholarships are funded by the New Zealand government and administered by Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao. The scholarships aim to enable Kiwis to broaden their horizons through life-changing learning experiences. The scholarships are fully funded, covering programme fees, travel and medical insurance, and contribution towards flights, visa and living costs.
Our PMSA China programme recipients will be participating in a six-week entrepreneurship and innovation programme at Jinhua Polytechnic, with embedded Chinese language classes, entrepreneurship and innovation site visits, and cultural experience trips.
A separate group of five Te Pūkenga ākonga will travel to Colombia in January for a six-week internship programme as Prime Minister Scholarship for Latin America awardees.
We caught up with some of the PMSA China programme awardees to find out what they hope to learn from this life-changing experience in China.
Te Pūkenga to co-host major international learning conference in 2025
Te Pūkenga and Massey University Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa have won their joint bid to host the International Council for Open and Distance Education’s (ICDE) 30th World Conference in Wellington in 2025. The win was announced late last week at this year’s ICDE World Conference in Costa Rica.
Event Co-Chair representing Te Pūkenga and ICDE Board member Dr Mark Nichols says hosting this international event will put Te Pūkenga and Massey University’s innovative work in broadening access to tertiary education on the world stage.
“Internationally, the trend is toward increasingly available, time independent solutions to learning where providers ensure they remove or reduce barriers to place, pace and access. The small, distributed population of Aotearoa makes open and distance learning a key feature of our ako (learning and teaching) provision.”
Massey University Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Provost Professor Giselle Byrnes says the co-hosting will bring great benefit for both organisations.
“We’re hugely excited to be bringing this important conference to Wellington and Aotearoa, and also strengthening our partnership with Te Pūkenga. For Massey University, the opportunity to work with Te Pūkenga offers enhanced opportunities for learning and sharing best practice across the wider tertiary education system. For Te Pūkenga, partnering with Massey brings vocational and academic higher education into focus.”
The biennial event will take place at Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre in November 2025. It will attract more than 800 international leaders in the field of open and distance learning to New Zealand’s capital.
ICDE is the leading global membership association working towards bringing accessible, quality education to all through Open, Flexible and Distance Learning (OFDL). It is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation, with more than 320 members and partners worldwide.
ICDE Secretary General Torunn Gjelsvik says the organisation is thrilled to be organising the next World Conference in Wellington, and to highlight the diverse OFDL experience and knowledge in the region.
“We need local solutions to help tackle challenges to education on a global level and welcome OFDL experts and enthusiasts to join us in 2025.”
Dive into Wellbeing this month: Join the [Mo]-re than a Quiz and MH101® Programmes
Our latest Wellbeing and Safety initiative, [Mo]-ve for Movember, has taken our workplace by storm, bringing together an incredible 50 teams and 200 kaimahi to virtually traverse the Te Araroa trail. The enthusiasm and energy are contagious, showcasing the spirit of unity and determination within our organisation. It has started conversations about men's health.
As part of this, there is an upcoming event on November 23rd called "[Mo]-re than a Quiz." Join us for this inspiring session with Craig Bulloch, Kaikōkiri Hauora | Wellbeing and Occupational Health Lead and a passionate community ambassador for Movember. Craig will walk us through the humble beginnings of Movember, its remarkable journey, and the impact it has made. The session will culminate in an engaging quiz with exciting prizes awaiting the winners! Don't miss this opportunity to learn, connect, and have fun. Register now to get involved.
Additionally, we are pleased to share that we have some fantastic MH101® programmes lined up later this month. These programmes are designed to equip you with the tools to recognise, relate and respond to people experiencing distress or those in need of mental health support. Check out the details and register on Te Whare.
Wellington Property Strategy
As part of our journey transitioning into a national organisation, our workplaces and learning spaces play a crucial role in fostering collaboration and shaping a unified team culture. The Wellington Property Strategy, will become a roadmap for the next three years, prioritising our commitment to creating purposeful environments for both ākonga and kaimahi. This strategy not only adapts to the evolving needs of the Wellington region but aligns with our broader national objectives.
Our design approach focuses on creating fit-for-purpose environments that support the needs of both ākonga and kaimahi today and anticipate their requirements for tomorrow. In an effort to optimise space utilisation and reduce overheads, we will be co-locating kaimahi in shared office spaces, streamlining our Wellington sites to enhance efficiency.
Immediate Focus:
- Over the next six months, our immediate focus revolves around two key projects: Competenz Lower Hutt Office Relocation: From 65 Waterloo Road to A block Petone.
- School of Hospitality Move: Transitioning from The Regent at 52 Cuba Street to R block, Petone.
Three Year Plan: Hub and Spoke Model:
Looking ahead, our vision is to adopt a hub and spoke model for our property network. Core hubs in each region will serve both ākonga and kaimahi, with strategic spokes supporting our presence in key locations. In the Wellington region, we aim to consolidate our sites into three primary hubs and one spoke over the next three years, including the existing Whitireia and WelTec campuses; Te Aūaha campus, Porirua campus, Petone campus, and the School of Construction campus.
Our focus is not just on consolidation but on enhancing our sites to align with the hub and spoke model, creating dynamic spaces that foster collaboration and innovation.
The property programme team have started engagement with rohe 3 kaimahi to gain insights and better understand user needs. Beyond the identified office moves, we anticipate minimal disruptions over the next six months.
We will keep you posted on further improvement initiatives from this programme.
Backing education, backing farmers
The below column from National Ako Director for Food and Fibre at Te Pūkenga, Andrea Leslie, who is also Executive Director of Primary ITO | Te Pūkenga, appeared in NZ Herald’s online farming pages, The Country.
It is music to my ears to hear Dr Jacqueline Rowarth (New Zealand Herald, 7 November) calling for action to inspire New Zealanders into the primary sector, as Te Pūkenga is moving well to do this, with the capacity and ability to back farmers “like the All Blacks”.
Te Pūkenga has brought together the primary sector training abilities of the former polytechnics and institutes of technology along with Primary ITO – the formerly standalone industry training organisation responsible for vocational training across agriculture, horticulture, food processing and a range of other related industries.
That is a work in progress, but the new national network gives the scale and expertise to ensure that farmers, and others in the primary sector, can develop the skills they and their people need, at the right time, and in the place that suits them.
However, I do disagree with Dr Rowarth that the current focus is on “trying to maintain what we have”. Te Pūkenga is about creating something completely new. It’s got in the vicinity of 270,000 ākonga (learners), around 20,000 of them being primary sector employees learning on the job. It is looking to take the best of the former training models, but also find the best ways for people to gain the skills they need. The approach we are moving towards is flexible, regionally-responsive and has many benefits for areas outside the main centres.
There are many examples of this dedication to making things better. In agriculture training, most of the training is done on the job, learning from a skilled manager or employer, and making that learning count.
That can mean the assessment for milking training is based on learners completing key tasks using online learning tools. Uploading a short cellphone video of milking or feeding tasks to be marked is a world away from sitting in a classroom being lectured about milking or even completing a paper-based assessment. The work gets done, the employee gains skills and earns while they learn, and the broader farming sector gets the talented workers it needs.
Another example is the new ability to “stack” smaller pieces of education into a larger qualification. That’s something we’re now able to do in agriculture. Employees can sign up for a “micro-credential” in one specific area, like milk quality - but - if they want to, over time they can enroll in subsequent micro-credentials until they complete a full New Zealand Certificate or even a New Zealand Apprenticeship.
That is not to say everything is perfect. Dr Rowarth is right that the education system needs this sort of adaptation to continue, and we need to attract the next generation of these industries that are so critical to New Zealand’s economy.
Right now, economic conditions are tough on the farm and as a former farmer myself, I know how hard it is to prioritise spending on training when there are so many other things to spend money on.
We need to continue to work closely with key industry bodies like Beef and Lamb, Dairy NZ, Hort NZ, Seafood NZ, the Meat Industry Association, and many others, both on encouraging people into the industry and on helping them gain the skills they need to succeed, and then lead. This is what Te Pūkenga is doing and will continue to do.
As Dr Rowarth noted, New Zealand needs to back farmers “like the All Blacks”. Our vocational education system with Te Pūkenga has the reach, expertise and focus to achieve this.
Koha, gifts and hospitality register
As we fast approach the holiday season, kaimahi may start to receive gifts from vendors, suppliers, sub-contractors etc. It’s important that we capture any gifts that are received or given out across the network. This is an important reminder for everyone to complete this form if they receive (or give) a gift to ensure it aligns to our expenditure policy.
Te Pūkenga Strategic Framework Update
Our Strategic Framework has been updated to reflect our current organisational development and priorities over the next few years.
The Strategic Framework forms the foundation for our new Statement of Intent for Te Pūkenga 2024-2027 and our Statement of Performance Expectations for 2024. These documents will be reviewed by the incoming Minister of Education for feedback and will be finalised and published by the end of the year.
Whilst our vision, purpose and values remain the same, new to the framework is our strategic mission, capturing what we are aiming to achieve through our mahi:
Ka whai huarahi whakahirahira te katoa o ngā ākonga me ngā pūkenga e tika ana, ngā tohu e tika ana, ka rapa te whai, ā, ka iti iho te noho nama | All ākonga into great mahi, with the right skills and qualifications, faster, and with less debt.
The framework includes three primary objectives, each with a set of prescribed, desired outcomes:
- Maximise ākonga success, equity and wellbeing
- Build a highly valued, trusted and sustainable organisation
- Create a nationally enabled and regionally responsive network
This will inform all future strategy development and business planning going forward. Please familiarise yourself with it if you are undertaking such work and get in touch with Clarke Raymond, Director of Strategy and Performance, if you have any questions.
Network wins
Partnership pays off for aviation industry and ākonga
Pet grooming represents significant step for Otago Polytechnic Te Pukenga Vet Nursing
Wintec School of Media Arts opens doors for another action-packed Creative Showcase
New Dairy Processing programmes offer more flexibility