Open Polytechnic wins Business Award

Friday, 1 June 2007, 3:57 pm
Press Release: Open Polytechnic

Open Polytechnic wins Business Award

Supporting Kiwi business through nationwide education and training earned The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand top marks in the Vero Excellence in Business Support Awards held last night in Auckland.

The Lower Hutt based distance education provider won this year’s Education Provider category, keeping up its strong track record in the Vero Awards. The Polytechnic took out both the Education Provider and Supreme Vero Awards in 2005, and was highly commended in its section last year.

The Open Polytechnic runs one of New Zealand’s largest business schools offering programmes from certificate to diploma and degree level. It is also one of the major educators of people in the workforce, with 20,000 students upskilling themselves by combining jobs and study. The Polytechnic enrolled a total of nearly 32,000 students last year.

Each year around 1,500 people who either run their own business or are employed by a SME enrol in courses relating to small business taught through the Polytechnic's Centre for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development. People who provide advisory services to the small business sector are also a growing student group.

Dr Peter Rutland, Executive Director of Strategic Development at The Open Polytechnic was on hand at the ceremony to receive the award. “It’s very pleasing to be recognised for delivering quality education and training that helps support New Zealand’s economic success,” he said.

“We're proud of the fact that we've educated hundreds of thousands of Kiwis in the national workforce, and that they include thousands of people in small business.”

Dr Rutland thanked the sponsors and partners who made the Vero Excellence in Business Support Awards possible. “We also offer our congratulations to all of the finalists - the range and quality of work going on to support Kiwi enterprise is truly impressive.”

The Vero Awards recognise organisations and individuals that excel in providing products and services for business owners. They also provide an opportunity for organisations to benchmark their performance alongside others, establishing a robust external measure of quality and excellence.

The Awards were created by Sarah Trotman, business support sector specialist and are supported by foundation sponsor Vero, sponsored by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and evaluated by the New Zealand Business Excellence Foundation.

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