New Zealand's new national tertiary provider, Te Pūkenga, visited Southern Institute of Technology in Invercargill on Friday to talk about the future of vocational learning and the work

underway to build it.

On 1 April 2020, New Zealand’s 16 Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics became subsidiaries of Te Pūkenga. From 1 Jan 2023 all students will be enrolled at Te Pūkenga.

“We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a vocational learning system that is simple to navigate, responds to the needs of a diverse range of learners and employers and is flexible enough

to change as the future develops,” Deputy Chief Executive Delivery and Academic, Dr Angela Beaton said.

“If we’re going to achieve the goals we’ve set ourselves, we need to engage often with groups right across Aotearoa. We need to bring together the perspectives of our learners and their whānau, our

people, employers, regions and communities, and Māori. That’s why I’m in Invercargill with my colleagues, and why Te Pūkenga leadership are visiting 16 locations this month."

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“We need to be purposeful and use our collective experience to lift the bar for vocational learning, particularly for ākonga Māori, Pacific, and disabled learners. Designing that system takes time and

commitment from a broad range of people – and we’ve seen passion to be a part of that,” Deputy Chief Executive Employer Journey and Experience Warwick Quinn said.

At SIT, kōrero focused on the development of the operating model and academic regulations, as well as the learner insights gathered through nation-wide research that put learners at the centre.

“This is incredibly important mahi that will help shape the future of vocational learning. We know there’s a strong desire to know what the future looks like – we’re looking forward to providing an

update on the next six to eight months, which includes co-design work on the operating model,” Mr Quinn said.

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SIT Chief Executive Onno Mulder said “SIT is pleased to host this kōrero led by Te Pūkenga. It’s an opportunity for our staff and students to understand the mahi Te Pūkenga has undertaken thus far

and will provide an insight of what is yet to happen.”

Once fully established, Te Pūkenga will be New Zealand’s largest tertiary provider and the 35th largest globally.