Chair Murray Strong and CE Stephen Town were able to formally welcome the six new deputy chief executives into Te Pūkenga in early November. The new DCEs, alongside Stephen, complete the new leadership team and are already getting stuck into the significant mahi for which they are now responsible.
“I am exceptionally pleased we have all six DCEs on board with Te Pūkenga now. Picking the right leaders makes or breaks an organisation. The team bring with them a diverse, multi-faceted set of skills, knowledge and experience into the new organisation we will be building together,” says Stephen.
“This mahi is a big deal, and together, we need to build something we can all be proud of.
“I’m confident that collectively, we will do all we can over the next couple of years to lead the sector in reimagining vocational education and training. As the country’s largest provider of tertiary education, our network transformation must meet the unique needs of all our learners, employers, industry and communities,” says Stephen.
Our six DCEs are:
Ana Morrison - our DCE Partnerships and Equity
Tania Winslade - our DCE Learner Journey and Experience
Warwick Quinn - our DCE Employer Journey and Experience
Dr Angela Beaton - our DCE Delivery and Academic
Merran Davis - our DCE Transformation and Transition
Vaughan Payne - our DCE Operations
During their pōwhiri, hosted on the Wintec marae, Te Kōpū Mānia o Kirikiriroa, and the city campus, the six DCEs had the chance to talk briefly about their initial thoughts of the job ahead.
Merran said she was equal parts terrified and excited. “I have a fire in my belly and lots of aroha in my heart for this mahi. I firmly believe what we are embarking on is the right thing for Aotearoa. If we do the right thing, then the results will come,” she said.
Angela is looking forward to engaging with the wider network. “With the genesis of Te Pūkenga there are great opportunities to work together and use our size and scale to strengthen the quality and range of education delivery throughout the motu and ensure equity of outcomes,” she said. “I’m committed to ensuring teaching and learning approaches meet the needs of all learners, whether they are on campus, in the workplace or online.”
Vaughan recognises the power of education in people’s lives. “I have benefited a lot from education in my life. I firmly believe every single New Zealander deserves an education system that allows them to reach their full potential,” he said. “I’m excited to be part of a network of great people who will work hard to achieve that in the vocational education space.”
Warwick is delighted and excited to be joining the transformation journey. “We need to be bold and reimagine the very heart of vocational education and training to make the most of this once-in-a-generation opportunity we have. While formal learning takes place in classrooms and training spaces every day, we need to remember that every van with a ladder on its roof, every building site, every cowshed and every restaurant is a classroom too. We need employers on this journey with us,” he said.
Tania feels privileged to have the opportunity to contribute to the kaupapa of Te Pūkenga. “I have seen the difference that vocational education can make for a learner, their whānau, and community. My role to design and manage ākonga experiences across Aotearoa sits well with my focus on ensuring the wellbeing of our people is at the heart of what we do. That’s what will drive my mahi,” she said.
Ana, who spoke of her early career experiences as a Treaty lawyer, feels like she has now come full circle landing at Te Pūkenga, where she will focus on partnerships and equity. “Like many of my colleagues, I’m equal parts excited and scared about the journey ahead. But I am committed to achieving equity for Māori as a primary objective for this system transformation. I will agitate and collaborate as is required to ensure that happens,” she said.
Keri-Anne Tane, who is joining Te Pūkenga as the Director of People and Culture from Toi Oho Mai, was also welcomed into the Institute alongside the DCEs.