BCITO joining Te Pukenga whanau in October

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BCITO chief executive Toby Beaglehole outlines the transfer of BCITO functions and training to Te Pukenga, which is the merger of the 16 Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics, and the 11 transitional industry training organisations.


From October 4, 2021, the work we do to arrange, support and assess work-based training (apprenticeships, traineeships and micro-credentials) will be transferred to Te Pukenga Work Based Learning Limited (WBL), a subsidiary of Te Pukenga.

This will bring together on-job, on-campus and online learning.

I have been appointed to the role of WBL chief executive, and the BCITO will be a separately branded business division within that subsidiary, led by current BCITO director and chief financial officer Jason Hungerford.

Jason has been instrumental in our transition, contractual negotiations and, of course, the BCITO’s excellent financial performance.

A forward-focused leader, Jason will be responsible for championing the needs of construction learners and employers in Te Pukenga WBL.

What this means for employers and learners

It’s important to remember that our services and qualifications are not changing. Support for employers and learners will continue with the same BCITO people who you work with now, simply working in the WBL subsidiary of Te Pukenga.

The other part of our transition, also from October 4, 2021, is that our qualification standards-setting functions will be transferred to a new entity, called Waihanga Ara Rau Construction and Infrastructure Workforce Development Council.

If I am doing an apprenticeship or other on-the-job learning is my BCITO qualification still valid after October 4, 2021?

Yes. There will be no changes to your qualification or your current learning programme.

Will employers and learners still have the same training advisor after October 4, 2021?

Yes, you will connect with the BCITO in Te Pukenga WBL in the same way, your training advisor will not change, and we will continue to support our learners and employers to the same high standard we always have.

We are committed to making the transition as seamless as possible for everyone.

Why are qualifications and standard setting moving to Workforce Development Councils (WDCs)?

The change to WDCs means industry will have more influence on what and how training is delivered to their future workforce.

This will be achieved by giving industry, through WDCs, greater ability to:

• influence government investment via TEC,

• set standards across providers delivering training, and

• play a skills leadership role in their relevant industries.

How will the changes consider Maori aspirations?

A key priority of vocational reform is to better recognise the needs of Maori communities, and acknowledge that Maori are significant employers with their own social and economic goals.

The changes will prioritise learners who weren’t well served by the previous system, including Maori.

A group has been set up to ensure the changes reflect the Government’s commitment to the partnership between Maori and the Crown — Te Taumata Aronui.

This group will give Maori community and employer views on tertiary education, including vocational education and training.

What is Te Pukenga?

Te Pukenga (New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology) is a new, national, tertiary education provider which delivers classroom, online, and on-the-job learning.

The creation of Te Pukenga is the response to the Government’s 2019 announcement that there would be critical changes to the vocational education system, including on-the-job training.

These changes are known as the Reform of Vocational Education (RoVE).

Te Pukenga is a merger of the 16 Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs) and the 11 transitional industry training organisations (TITOs).

Initially, the ITOs are moving into the WBL Subsidiary (or to another provider), whereas the ITPs, for now, are separate subsidiaries.

There’ll be a further integration after December 31, 2022, for ITOs and ITPs.

Where do I find out more about Te Pukenga?

Go to tepukenga.ac.nz or email us at [email protected].

What is a Workforce Development Council?

Six new entities are being created and called Workforce Development Councils to keep doing the work required to develop qualifications, set standards and advise the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) on investment in vocational education.

All our qualifications and standards will be transferred to Waihanga Ara Rau.

These are evolving times for the BCITO, and we are proud to be one of the first TITOs to join the Te Pukenga whanau.

We are on a journey to reshape and grow vocational education in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

We know this coming together of work-based, online and classroom learning will deliver the best possible outcomes for our employers and learners, who are always at the heart of everything we do.

Where do I go to find out more about RoVE and WDCs?

You will find more detailed information about RoVE and WDCs on the Tertiary Education Commission’s (TEC’s) web site.

If I have a question, how do I get in touch?

You can email [email protected].

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