We are pleased to announce we have appointed Ernst & Young (EY) and EY Tahi (Tahi) to partner with us. EY is a professional services firm with a purpose of “Building a better working world”. Tahi, is an indigenous Māori firm within EY that focuses on accelerating Māori success.
In July, we initiated an open request-for-proposal for a partner to facilitate the co-design of the Te Pūkenga operating model.
Our operating model is the blueprint we will use to transform the network’s current approach to vocational education and deliver better outcomes for learners, employers, whānau and communities.
We’ve got a once-in-a-generation opportunity to design a system that is simple to understand and navigate, responsive to the needs of learners and employers, delivers equitable access and outcomes for all learners and is flexible enough to change as the future develops – to help New Zealand thrive in the future.
Over the past few months, our programme management team has undertaken a robust selection process to shortlist, and now finalise, a partner. Given the scale and nature of the change involved, this has been an extremely challenging process with extra discussion required to make a final selection.
We are pleased to announce we have appointed Ernst & Young (EY) and EY Tahi (Tahi) .
With EY and Tahi’s proven track record of taking a collaborative approach to the design of complex, large and truly transformational programmes of work, and a strong focus on Te Tiriti and achieving equity outcomes for Māori, we are delighted to have them on board.
“We feel privileged to work alongside Te Pūkenga and their partners to co-design their contribution to the vocational education system and supporting improved learner outcomes, particularly for Māori. We commend Te Pūkenga for its collaborative mindset and believe that it is key to the success of the project and organisation – as expressed in the proverb “Nā tō rourou, nā tōku rourou, ka ora ai te iwi (With your contribution and ours, our people will prosper),” says Selwyn Hayes, EY Tahi Managing Partner.
Building on earlier consultation and the Mobilising the New World workstreams, the initial development phase will be carried out over the next eight months, including an extensive consultation and stakeholder co-design process in the first half of 2021.
The process we use to co-design the operating model will be key to its success. This will be a collaborative co-design approach, where broad and deep feedback and insight from the network’s 10,000 staff, hundreds and thousands of learners and trainees, employers, Iwi Māori, hapū, whānau and those who support learners will help inform the design of all facets of the operating model – people, process, tools and technology.
During the process there will be extensive engagement and involvement from the Te Pūkenga leadership team to ensure the model reflects the Charter and intent of the legislation. The design process will affirm the commitment Te Pūkenga has to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and will lead to a design that will support equitable outcomes for all learners.
Reimagining vocational education will be a highly collaborative effort where broad, as well as focused, engagement with a range of stakeholders will ensure we hear many voices. This is how we will design, implement and embed meaningful and lasting change.
“Building on many of the learnings we have already gathered, and the many more we are currently collating, the development of our operating model will create the framework on which we can then make definitive plans about our future,” says Te Pūkenga Chief Executive Stephen Town.
“It will be one that reflects the importance of our partnership with Māori, ensures equity and accessibility, and places ākonga at the very centre,” says Stephen.
“As we work through a thorough and comprehensive co-design process, we will weave together our collective past to set ourselves up for a thriving tomorrow.
“Our future will look very different to our current state. We have a once-in-generations opportunity to reimagine vocational education and training.
“Success will mean we’ve changed lives and contributed to a more productive Aotearoa.
“With the support of EY and Tahi, and the combined strength of the many strands that make up our network, together we can design a future from which we will grow and flourish,” says Stephen.