He kōrero mai i a Peter Winder | A note from Peter Winder

Kia ora mai anō rā e tatou mā

Aku mihi nui, thank you to those of you who have reached out in the last few days following my appointment as Chief Executive. Leading Te Pūkenga is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I feel absolutely humbled to be entrusted with this task.

What we are trying to do, in establishing Te Pūkenga and coming together, is drive major systems change in order to ensure equity for those who haven’t been well served by vocational education. The scale of this task is not lost on me – and is one I am deeply passionate about.

I feel acutely the obligations to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi – to work in partnership with iwi and hapū across the motū and to ensure we do our absolute best for the 250,000 learners who have chosen to train and learn with us.

There’s a lot of passion and tremendous expertise across Te Pūkenga – and I’m very grateful to be appointing a new leadership team that shares the passion to help all of us change the lives of our learners and their whānau.

I also know that the passion and expertise doesn’t stop with our leaders. It exists in people right across Te Pūkenga – in our training advisors and academic kaimahi, in our enabling and support functions, in learner services, in relationship managers and the many other functions right across our organisation. We all play an integral part in education and training.

I also want to acknowledge that over the last week, some of your leaders have shared that they will finish when their contracts end later this month. I acknowledge the significant service leaders across our Network have contributed over a number of years. Those contributions are hugely appreciated and have enabled us to get to where are now.

Those contributions to vocational and applied education will not be lost. As we carry the strengths of our separate parts into Te Pūkenga, the legacies of those who have guided us to this point will continue to be a part of our future.

Finally, this is the final edition of Ngā Taipitopito for 2022. Thank you for keeping up to date – I know there are many draws on your time. I hope you have a good break, are able to spend time with your whānau and loved ones. Stay safe and enjoy the time away from mahi.

I look forward to working with you all on the next stage of our journey in 2023.

Kia haumaru te noho, kia harikoa hoki te haere i ēnei rangi whakatā

Peter Winder
Chief Executive

Ngā kōrero hou | Our updates

Ka whakakotahingia te kōtuinga a Te Pūkenga i raro i te kawanga rangitāmiro

Nā te ritenga o te rangitāmiro i tīkina ai ngā karakia, ngā kōrero me ngā waiata Māori e hono ai ia Wāhanga Pakihi hou ki te kōtuinga ā-motu o Te Pūkenga.

Ko te pūtake o ngā mahi ōkawa ko ngā toki poutangata, ā, he mea tapā ia toki tēnā ki tōna ake ingoa, tēnā ki tōna ake ingoa, i kohaina ki ia rōpū whakawhiti hei tohu i te mauri o tēnei hononga taketake.

Ko Wintec me Te Ohomai ngā rōpū whakawhiti tōmua, ā, ko rāua anō ngā rōpū tuatahi i whakawhiwhia ai he toki i te marama o Pipiri, ā, ko te Kura Matatini o Otago me te Kuratini Tuwhera ngā rōpū whakamutunga i tū ai te kawanga rangitāmiro i ngā wiki mātāmua o Hakihea.

E ai ki a Mataia Keepa, mema o te Ohu Reo me Ngā Tikanga o Te Pūkenga, i tīkina ai ngā ingoa o ngā toki i ngā karakia tawhito e whakatō ai i te mauri ki te taonga – ko taua karakia anō tērā i pū mai ai te ingoa ake o Te Pūkenga.

“Kei roto i tēnei karakia ko ngā ingoa o ngā toki 17 e whakahuatia ana hei kōtuitui i tēnā, i tēnā o ngā Wāhanga Pakihi ki te kaupapa kotahi.” te whakamārama mai a Mataia.

“Ko te toki te tohu o te mauri, te mana, te ihopūmanawa me ngā pūkenga hoki i waenga i tēnā, i tēnā mema kōtuinga me Te Pūkenga. Ko ia anō te waka e whakatōhia ngātahitia ai te mauri kōtuinga – kia kotahi tonu ai.”

Anei e rārangi ana te ingoa o ia toki poutangata me tōna Wāhanga Pakihi:

Ka tū ngā kawanga rāngitāmiro whakamutunga e rua – mō NMIT me Te Pūkenga Work Based Learning (WBL) – hei ngā marama mātāmua o 2023.

Te Pūkenga unifies network through rangitāmiro ceremonies

Unification ceremonies known as rangitāmiro are drawing on symbolic Māori rituals of karakia, kōrero and waiata to connect each new Business Division to the national Te Pūkenga collective.

Central to the formalities are individually named toki poutangata (greenstone adzes) which are gifted to the transitioning network member as a representation of the mauri or life force of the historic alliance.

Early movers Wintec and Toi Ohomai were the first to receive their toki in June while Otago and Open Polytechnics have been among the last to host rangitāmiro events in early December.

Te Pūkenga Ohu Reo me Ngā Tikanga member Mataia Keepa says the names of the toki come from an ancient karakia whakatō mauri or incantation used to infuse ethos into an object – the same karakia from which Te Pūkenga sources its name.

“Listed in this karakia are the names of the 17 toki used to connect the various Business Divisions to the one kaupapa,” explains Mataia.

“The toki is a symbol of the collective mauri (life force), mana (authority), ihopūmanawa (talent or strength) and pūkenga (skills) between each network member and Te Pūkenga. It is the vessel that the collective mauri is instilled in – together, as one.”

The name of each Business Division’s toki poutangata is:

 The final two rangitāmiro ceremonies – for NMIT and Te Pūkenga Work Based Learning (WBL) – are scheduled to take place in early 2023.

Acknowledging local leadership

As we move closer to our regional delivery structure, local leadership is being confirmed for the first half of the year. Leaders across provider-based divisions will be sharing with their people their plans for the first half of 2023.

For some, the end of 2022 marks the end of their time with Te Pūkenga.

Deputy Chief Executive Ako Delivery Gus Gilmore says the next step is about ensuring we have a connected group of leaders who can guide and support us through 2023, which will be a period of real change.

“I want to acknowledge the service and contributions of my peers from across the Network. They have played vital roles in guiding their people through some really challenging years – with COVID-19 and the Reform of Vocational Education.

I also want to thank those who are stepping up into Acting arrangements. You are stepping into some big shoes, providing stability and continuity, while we design and establish the new leadership structures needed across our four regions.”

A list of business division leaders will be shared early in the new year.

Organisational Design and change update

This update includes updates on

• Digital
• People, Culture and Wellbeing
• Finance
• Ako Delivery

Digital

The consultation for our Digital function closes 5pm Sunday 18 December. 

You can view and submit your feedback here - Digital (yourvoice.tepukenga.ac.nz)

Following consultation, we will review and consider the feedback shared, with decisions proposed to be made from the week of 23 January.

People, Culture and Wellbeing

Keri-Anne Tane, Pourangi Tangata | Chief People Officer has recently shared final decisions on the business group structure for People, Culture and Wellbeing (PCW) with her people. This followed three weeks of feedback received online and via kanohi ki te kanohi meetings.

You can now read the final decision document on Your Voice. PCW will move into the recruitment phase from 9 January 2023.

Read the decision document

Finance

Our Chief Financial Officer, Michelle Teirney has hit the ground running since her appointment in early November. The design for the Finance workstream is progressing well and we are still tracking towards a proposal for consultation for early next year.

Ako Delivery

Newly appointed Deputy Chief Executive Ako Delivery, Gus Gilmore is working alongside the Design and Change programme team and working group to develop a future high-level organising model. This will be the basis for the detailed design process which will also kick off in the New Year.

New code transforms pastoral care of tertiary learners

Strengthened standards for the wellbeing and safety of learners is enabling Te Pūkenga to develop and enhance innovative ākonga-centric initiatives across the organisation.

Administered by NZQA, the new Pastoral Care Code (PCC) for all domestic and international tertiary learners – including those living in student accommodation – came into effect at the beginning of 2022.

PCC Project Lead at Te Pūkenga, Diana Law, says implementation of the whole-of-organisation approach is already building on network-wide service excellence and best practice:

• For the first time, learners with our Work Based Learning Business Division are benefiting from expanded primary mental health services as part of a focus on holistic wellbeing.
• Most regions are piloting new mentoring and early out-reach/connection services for Māori, Pacific and disabled learners which is improving access, participation and retention.
• A learner wellbeing survey in November will now inform the collaborative design of best pastoral care services and support.
• A strategic Te Pūkenga PCC framework will include a unified reporting system and mechanisms for monitoring compliance including kaimahi capability development.

Ms Law says a key requirement of the PCC is building and maintaining partnerships with learners and relevant stakeholders.

“We’re taking a collective approach to Code work – meeting with Code leads from across the sector and developing a good working relationship with NZQA.”

Te Pūkenga is scheduled to submit its attestation – a declaration to NZQA that self-review of learner wellbeing and safety practices under the PCC is taking place – by the end of May 2023.

Code News (NZQA) – Hakihea | December 2022

Tēnā koe for having your say

Te Pūkenga is reaping the rewards from our fourth employee survey, Aromātai Kaimahi.

Some 5,300 kaimahi took part in the survey which was offered to Work Based Learning (WBL) staff in October and to the rest of the network in November.

Aromātai Kaimahi seeks to understand what our employees think and feel about the transition as we come together as one organisation.

While we’re still reviewing more than 8,000 pieces of feedback, the following themes are emerging:

• Communications should be more open and have more tangible detail.
• Uncertainty around how your role fits within Te Pūkenga.
• Frustration on the level of progress through transition.
• Understanding of the need for change, and desire to embrace change locally.

More detailed results and actions that we will take in response will be shared with the network in the New Year.

Registrations open for the Aotearoa New Zealand Sustainable Development Goals Summit 9-10 February

With the end of the year rapidly approaching many will be rightly thinking of sunshine and time spent with whanau and friends. It’s also a time many of us turn our heads to goals. If one of yours is how you can contribute to building a stronger, fairer, more sustainable Aotearoa, you may want to register for the 4^th Aotearoa New Zealand Sustainable Development Goals Summit.

Te Pūkenga is a very proud sponsor of the Summit and we have 10 tickets to give away to ākonga. We’ll have more details to share on this giveaway soon.

The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) inform the event, reminding us of the many threads that create strong, fair, and sustainable communities, like how we can build more liveable cities, overcome entrenched racism, provide fairer access to healthcare and create an ecosystem that truly supports sustainable business.

While the conference will be in Waikato, there are also virtual options with and much of the two-day programme will be live-streamed. It will bring together a diverse array of passionate leaders and experts with a speaking lineup that includes:

• Hinerangi Raumati (Chair of Tainui Group Holdings)
• Rachel Karalus (CEO of K'aute Pasifika)
• Paula Southgate (Mayor of Hamilton)
• Gareth Hughes (Wellbeing Economy Alliance Aotearoa)
• Riria Te Kanawa (Missy) (National Industry Lead, Māori at KPMG)
• Sir Peter Gluckman (Chief Science Advisor 2009-2018)
• Ganesh Nana (Chair of the Productivity Commission) 

Read more information on the programme, speakers and register here: Sustainable Development Goals Summit 2023 (eventsair.com)

If you have any questions regarding the summit or if you want to be more involved with our sustainability mahi contact our sustainability team sustainability@tepukenga.ac.nz .

Revisit our inspirational Ihopūmanawa!

This year we’ve been privileged to share inspirational kōrero from some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s extraordinary people.

• View the video for Kahurangi (Dame) Rangimārie Naida Glavish (Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara) here.
• View the video for Jack Thatcher (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Pūkenga, Te Aitanga ā Hauiti, Ngāti Awa) here.
• View the video for Hana O’Regan (Ngāi Tahu) here.
• View the video for Tangaroa Walker (Ngāi Te Rangi) here.
• View the video for Kohe Pene (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui) here.

Ihopūmanawa describes a talented and extraordinary person – someone who is seen as a ‘mover and shaker.’ We look forward to continuing this series through profiling and celebrating our own network ihopūmanawa next year.

Health and safety over summer

We hope everyone has a wonderfully safe and healthy summer holiday.

But, as we all know, things don’t always go to plan. If that happens - and if it has an impact on work - you’ll need to contact someone at your workplace. It might be to support the response to the incident or simply to let the organisation know.

You have a couple of options.

1. The first option is to contact the person at your business division who looks after wellbeing and safety. Their details will be on your intranet.
2. The second option is to contact Te Pūkenga National Wellbeing and Safety team. This team is on call over the summer break. You can email at wellbeingandsafety@tepukenga.ac.nz or, in an emergency, phone/text the Wellbeing and Safety Director on 021 628 654.

The key message is that there is support available over the summer period if, and when, you need it.