Council and Marlborough Chamber of Commerce are working together to encourage key local businesses to submit their views to the Government’s consultation on Vocational Education and Training Reforms.

A one-page suggested submission has been developed which businesses are welcome to use and add any points of their own before submitting it through the consultation process.

The Government recently decided to disestablish Te Pūkenga that brought together 16 polytechnics, including Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT), into one institution. The Government is seeking input on structure(s) for the future and is proposing establishing some polytechnics as a standalone entity and some brought together into a ‘Federation’ model under the Open Polytechnic.

“We strongly believe that it is in Marlborough’s best interests that NMIT should be re-established as a standalone institution to support learners and industries,” Mayor Nadine Taylor said. “We believe that NMIT operated viably and effectively prior to Te Pūkenga and a standalone local entity will be more responsive and deliver better value to Industries, employers and learners.”

Marlborough was a region without a university and traditionally lost many young people to other regions for work and study, Mayor Taylor said.

“A locally available Institute of Technology & Polytechnic (ITP) to support our key industries of wine, aquaculture and aviation engineering is critical to Marlborough and to New Zealand,” she said. “It will also support forestry, pastoral farming, tourism and other important local industries that also require Work based Learning (WBL) which must be maintained in collaboration with NMIT.”

Council and the Chamber is also collaborating with Nelson City and Tasman District Councils, Te Tau Ihu Iwi and Top of the South employers and industries on advocating for a standalone NMIT.

For more details on the one-page submission go to: www.marlborough.govt.nz/your-council/latest-news-notices-and-media-releases/media-releases

For more information on the Government’s proposed changes and to make a submission go to: www.tec.govt.nz/vocational-education/vocational-education/consultation-on-proposed-changes-to-the-vocational-education-and-training-vet-system/

To make a submission please follow this link: https://preview.education.govt.nz/have-your-say/2024-vocational-education-and-training-reforms/details

Consultation closes on 12 September.

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