Acknowledging the past while looking to the future

mauri is handed over to Te Pūkenga
Caption: Ngaire Muru-Lasika performs the handover at MIT to Te Pūkenga Acting Chief Executive Peter Winder on behalf of Waikato-Tainui.

Manukau Institute of Technology marked the move to formally join Te Pūkenga – New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology with a tikanga-based ceremony on Friday 30 September.

Waikato-Tainui led the gifting of the mauri or ‘life force’ of the institute from MIT to the national network at Ngā Kete Wānanga Marae, ?tara.

“MIT has made a major contribution to changing lives across Tāmaki,” said Te Pūkenga Acting Chief Executive Peter Winder. “I want to acknowledge all of you who have been part of that and return a commitment to the taonga that is MIT coming into Te Pūkenga today. We proudly accept and are committed to working with you to continue that service to the community in this place.”

Te Pūkenga brings together the country’s sixteen polytechnics and institutes of technology along with nine industry training organisations as a single entity for providing vocational education nationwide.

The creation of the national network is part of the Government’s reforms of the sector aiming to deliver student-centred flexible learning that responds to the needs of communities and industry now and into the future.

MIT is looking forward to exploring the benefits of having the strength of the largest tertiary provider in Aotearoa – New Zealand behind our graduates and what opportunities this will bring to the learners of south Auckland.

“If we do this well and get this right, all the benefits will go to our tauira (students) and kaimahi (staff),” Gus Gilmore said on his final day as Chief Executive of MIT before moving into a role as executive director with Te Pūkenga. Gus has been in the top job since 2016 and also Chief Executive of Unitec since August 2020.

“The greatest benefit of the changes is being able to share perspectives. To gain the great ideas happening in Southland and Nelson, Manawatu. To be able to implement them here. That’s the magic sauce that will make this work,” he said.

While the institute is embracing the future of training, the ceremony also acknowledged all employees, leaders and students past and present who have built MIT during its 52 years of serving the region.

This includes the outgoing Board who provided governance to MIT while it was operating as a subsidiary of Te Pūkenga between 1 April 2020 and 30 September 2022. This has been disestablished with the recent move.

“Our sincere thanks for the hard job you took on,” said Te Pūkenga Governing Council member Maryann Geddes, who was present at the final meeting on Thursday. “Thank you for your dedication, resilience, input and guidance. We will not take this responsibility of what is being handed over lightly. We will work to prioritise your priorities.”

During that session the Board recognised Mr Gilmore’s significant contribution to MIT as Chief Executive and the leadership he has provided the organisation to prepare the institute to take this next step.

More information on what joining Te Pūkenga means for MIT and its community is available here

last MIT subsidiary board members

Caption: MIT subsidiary board after its last meeting. (L-R) Monique Cairns, Peter Parussini, Chair Robert Reid, Ziena Jalil, Fale Andrew Lesa and Marama Royal. Steven Renata (absent).