He kōrero mai i a Gus Gilmore | A note from Gus Gilmore
Tena tātou koutou,
Waitangi Day celebrations last weekend provided an opportunity to think about how we reflect Te Tiriti o Waitangi in practice and how that can benefit our learners. We discussed this in depth as an Executive Leadership Team at our recent away day. We spoke about this being a journey for all of us – and all of our kaimahi (people).
We’ll all be at different stages of our own journey – for some of us, this may be daunting, while others may be excited. What is key is that we all keep making progress and we do so with our values front of mind:
Manawa nui | We reach out and welcome in
Manawa roa | We learn and achieve together
Manawa ora | We strengthen and grow the whole person
I acknowledge that learning new things isn’t easy. We enable ākonga (learners) to learn new things every day, giving them the space and support to do so. We must give each other and ourselves the same space and support – and lean into opportunities to grow.
For me, our rangitāmiro ceremonies have been one way I can learn more about tikanga and te reo Māori as we acknowledge our business divisions coming into Te Pūkenga whare. The process of instilling the mauri (life principle), mana (prestige), ihopūmanawa (inherent talent) and pūkenga (skills attained) allows us to take that forward as Te Pūkenga.
The last of the 17 ceremonies took place last week, recognising Te Pūkenga Work Based Learning (WBL), its people, employers and learners. Almost 50 percent of all Te Pūkenga learners are supported by WBL, which shows the scale of our on-the-job delivery. Thank you to those who were able to join us for this important moment. After taking part in Unitec and MIT’s ceremonies, it was interesting to sit on the other side, representing Te Pūkenga at the WBL ceremony.
Finally, as we begin consultation this week with kaimahi on the Finance Business Group, we also need to think about how we continuously improve our processes to identify where and how Te Tiriti applies, to reflect the views and expectations of our partners and to ensure specific Tiriti obligations are reflected in the structure of each business group.
As was the case with consultation on People, Culture and Wellbeing and Digital, I am sure you will continue to be kind to each other as we move through this. As each consultation comes, more people will be affected, and we all need to be aware of this as we go about our mahi.
As we gear up for Cyclone Gabrielle, please keep yourselves and your whānau safe. Don't travel unless it is essential and follow the advice of NEMA and your local leaders.
Ngā mihi nui
Gus Gilmore
Deputy Chief Executive Ako Delivery
Te Whare network intranet is here
As a member of Te Pūkenga whare, you can access our all-kaimahi network-wide intranet, Te Whare.
To access Te Whare, you will need to log in with your division email address and password. This should only be required for the first time you access Te Whare. Te Whare also uses multi-factor authentication (MFA). For those who do not use MFA as part of existing systems, you will be directed to set up MFA. You will only need to set up MFA once.
For the first time, Te Whare connects kaimahi from across Te Pūkenga on the same platform. Te Whare provides kaimahi access to up-to-date information about Te Pūkenga, sharing progress around our transition, as well as knowledge and tools that will help to support us through the changes ahead.
Te Whare doesn’t replace existing internal communications platforms. It complements them with more information and resources.
ODC is on Te Whare
Te Whare will soon be the place to go for all information and updates about the ODC change programme. Information will include a timeframe for when the change process will get underway in your business area, and regular progress updates.
You can already watch a video of Richard Forgan our Deputy Chief Executive Strategy and Transformation introducing the programme and its priority for this year.
If you have any questions or comments about the change programme you can email them to yourvoice@tepukenga.ac.nz. These will be addressed at regular online and face-to-face updates held throughout the year and where appropriate added to Te Whare to create a resource for all kaimahi.
Latest workstream updates
The consultation period for the Finance and Property Business Group has started and will run through to 5pm, Wednesday 8 March. This proposal includes kaimahi in finance, property, procurement, fleet and some facilities management roles.
The consultation information will be published for everyone on Your Voice on Monday 13 February. As always, we remind you to be considerate of anyone who may be significantly impacted by this proposal.
Recruitment is now open for 12 new leadership roles confirmed in the Digital structure, with applications welcomed from across the wider network in all regional locations.
Chief Digital Officer Teresa Pollard says her vision for Digital is to further develop and cement a culture of innovation, fun, curiosity and exploration, with an emphasis on improving equity, in particular for underserved learners including Māori, Pacific and disabled learners.
Digital will also work to create new digital products for our ākonga, employers and kaimahi to enable and support of the vision, design, and delivery outcomes of our business partners.
If you share that vision, Teresa encourages you to apply for one of the roles. Ipukarea - Administration - Career - Browse Jobs (elmotalent.co.nz).
You can read the Digital decisions on YourVoice Project • Digital (tepukenga.ac.nz).
Rangitāmiro ceremony unifies WBL and Te Pūkenga
E ngā iwi o te motu, nau mai, piki mai, i runga i te karanga o te rā - Whakairohia he toki, tāraia te anamata!
On 1 February, leaders and kaimahi from work-based learning divisions (formerly known as Work Based Learning) and Te Pūkenga came together at Pipitea Marae, Wellington to fulfil the tikanga that acknowledges and affirms the binding together of all business divisions into Te Pūkenga.
As the karanga rang out representatives of Te Pūkenga slowly made their way towards the wharenui, and their work-based learning colleagues inside. Whaikōrero (speeches) from Tūraukawa Bartlett, Jack Keogh, Mataia Keepa and Ben Ngaia reflected the excitement and magnitude of the two sides coming together, while also acknowledging the journey we’ve been on to bring us to this point.
Te Pūkenga Chief Executive Peter Winder said bringing together the two groups into a new organisation structure was an “opportunity to drive change and lift performance across the sector”, also noted Te Pūkenga is now Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest tertiary provider. He thanked those present and asked them to continue doing what they do so Te Pūkenga can continue to change lives through education and the opportunities it brings.
Work Based Learning Managing Director Toby Beaglehole thanked his team for their support and leadership, and acknowledged the rich history, knowledge, and specialist expertise they bring to Te Pūkenga. He spoke of the expectations of Te Pūkenga at the highest levels of government to deliver an education system that puts learners at the centre, builds capability and support, creates innovative learning solutions, embeds our commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and equity for Māori, Pasific, and disabled learners, and upholds and enhances Māori-Crown partnerships.
Toby then performed a pātere or chant, originally gifted to Connexis by Wairangi Jones, regifted to Te Pūkenga for this history-making occasion. The pātere describes a bird that dives and soars, weaving a pattern across the sky in the same way Te Pūkenga brings people and solutions together.
At its conclusion Te Pūkenga gifted a toki poutangata (pounamu adze) to the work based learning team as a representation of the mauri or life force of the alliance. Mataia detailed how each of the 17 toki – one for each of the 16 work-based learning Rangitāmiro ceremonies – plus the final toki: “Tāiki E” were named to reflect genesis of Te Pūkenga and link to the vision statement “Whakairohia he toki, tāraia te anamata” which in essence refers to the user carving out their own future.
In closing, Peter shared his reflections on the purpose and meaning of the toki poutangata - “the vision of picking up the adze to carve your future, I think, is just profound. It’s about giving everyone in Aotearoa the opportunity to do that, to fashion the life they strive for”.
Kia mau ki ngā tikanga e whai mai nei – kia Manawanui, kia Manawaroa, Kia Manawaora!
Whano, whano, haramai te toki! Haumi ē, hui ē, tāiki ē!
Interim Pou Hautu at MIT and Unitec
Interim Pou Hautu have been appointed at MIT and Unitec to support the continuation of Te Tiriti-based co-leadership at the institutes.
Toni Vaughan (Whakatōhea, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahungunu) will assume the role at Unitec, and Dr Wiremu Manaia (Tainui / Ngāti Awa) at MIT.
The establishment of these roles will prioritise tangata whenua perspective at the executive table, while looking ahead to the recruitment of Co-Leaders for the regions of Te Pūkenga.
Toni has extensive experience in the tertiary education sector and is the Director of Māori Success at Unitec. She was a key contributor to successfully establishing the Pou Hautu role and consulting with staff at both institutes on a Tiriti based co-leadership model.
Wiremu is well known to MIT whānau. He is currently Pou Whakarewa Mātauranga – Director, Māori Education and was previously Deputy Chief Executive – Māori before MIT fully transitioned into the national network. Wiremu has worked as a senior lecturer in School of Business, as well as Acting Quality and Research Manger on Te Ara Oranga programme in School of Nursing and School of Health and Counselling.
Tau mai rā e ngā tōtara haemata ki o kōrua taunga hou, hei aha? Hei painga mō te iwi.
Your career journey webinars
In 2022, Te Pūkenga shared Kete kimi kaimahi | Recruitment kete, an online module to support kaimahi (staff) to think about the opportunities ahead and prepare to make the most of them. The online module was followed up with a series of three online workshops hosted by People, Culture and Wellbeing.
This month, these workshops will be run again and are open to all kaimahi across Te Pūkenga. This is a place where you can come together with other kaimahi to build on the learning provided in the online module and ask questions you may have. We’ll also talk through some extra tips on how to reflect on your career and next steps, as well as how to prepare for job applications and interviews.
Each session will run for an hour. You are welcome to attend any or all of the workshop sessions.
You can access
New module: Wellbeing and Safety
The latest module in our series to help you learn more about Te Pūkenga as we grow together. In this series, we look at Te Oranga me te Haumaru | Wellbeing and Safety. This module will provide you with an overview of our responsibilities to you, your responsibilities to Te Pūkenga, and the enabling functions that encourage and support healthy and safe practices.
Head over to Te Whare to complete this module. You will also be able to access the other modules we’ve released so far including, Ko Te Pūkenga Tātou | We Are Te Pūkenga and Kaupapa here ā-motu | National Policies.
Moving to a unified, Te Pūkenga brand – updated timing
We had been working towards a unified Te Pūkenga brand from 1 March 2023. While we are still working to a unified brand we need to do further work to make sure our internal systems and processes are lined up and to understand if there are other opportunities within our overall brand structure.
While this primarily impacts the marketing teams we also know that others across the network are involved. As such, we ask that you:
- Continue with co-branding until further notice
- Where you have already moved to unified branding on products and formats (ie merchandise, uniforms, sponsorship) there is no need to step back but please do not develop or source new products and formats with unified branding until further notice.
- Avoid incurring, high-cost replacement of branded assets where possible
- Continue to work collaboratively as a Network, to maximise opportunities to reinforce the establishment of Te Pūkenga and to explain how we all fit together
Continue your own mahi as business divisions, engaging and informing your communities on the change to Te Pūkenga.
We will keep you updated in the coming months on a revised timeline and next steps. If you have any questions please work with your Business Division marketing team in the first instance.
Celebrate Pride in Auckland
The team at Competenz are attending the Rainbow Parade in Auckland on Saturday, 18 February and would love for you to join them. The parade gives the opportunity for expression of celebration, diversity, unity, respect, inclusion and of course loads of colour!
If you are interested in attending please register your interest here. Bree Evans from Competenz is the on-the-ground co-ordinator for the event and will be in touch with further information.
We hope to see you there!