Te Pūkenga - New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology takes a significant step forward in its development today, embarking on a major consultation with its 10,000 kaimahi (staff) on a proposed future structure for the country's largest tertiary education and training provider.

The consultation is part of a phased strategy defining the future operating structure for the organisation which serves 250,000 ākonga (learners), and employers and communities throughout the country.

"On 1 January this year, we brought together 24 institutes of technology and polytechnics, and industry training organisations to form Te Pūkenga, with the primary goal of enabling more learners to get the high standard of skills and qualifications they need, faster and with less debt," Chief Executive Peter Winder says.

"Having managed this significant transition, we’re now actively seeking kaimahi input into our new operating structure which will help realise the benefits of a unified national organisation committed to being equitable and responsive at regional and local levels."

Kaimahi are invited to provide feedback on the change proposal during a five-week consultation period starting this week, with final decisions expected in August.

The consultation proposes a new organisational structure for five of the eight groups within Te Pūkenga. These five groups, which include delivery, academic systems, Te Tiriti outcomes, learner and employer experience and attraction and some enabling functions such as communications, cover 90% of the organisation’s kaimahi. The other three groups were consulted with in late 2022 and early 2023.

The change aims to align the organisation with the Executive Leadership Team structure adopted at the end of 2022. It also seeks to balance national functions with regional and local leadership and delivery and align with Regional Skills Leadership Groups and Workforce Development Councils.

"We are in the unique position to create a fit-for-purpose organisation, advancing well-tested approaches to improving outcomes for Māori, people from Pacific communities, and the disabled and in doing so, addressing the limitations of previous models."

"We can enable people to complete national qualifications wherever they live, and to better take advantage of the combinations of on campus, on-the-job and online training that learners and employers increasingly demand," Mr Winder says.

"But like the rest of the tertiary sector, we have also faced considerable financial headwinds. Our change proposal seeks to address the challenges inherent in the previous system. A unified structure will remove expensive duplication and inefficiencies in the system."

Mr Winder said Te Pūkenga will avoid redundancies as much as possible, by redeploying affected kaimahi into new roles, and managing vacancies. Impacted kaimahi can apply for more than 550 new positions identified in the proposal. Many of the impacted positions are at management level with the proposed structure reflecting a total net reduction of 404 FTEs (4,34% of total kaimahi).

"We have a wealth of talent across Te Pūkenga and are committed to retaining our people and giving them the first opportunity to take up new roles."

© Scoop Media