Toi Ohomai has confirmed it will disestablish 152.5 full-time equivalent roles, with a net loss of 60.9 roles. <\/p>\n
Toi Ohomai said the proposal was in response to a government expectation to become \u201cfinancially viable\u201d.<\/p>\n
Through consultation, 431 submissions were received. <\/p>\n
It comes after the Government confirmed in July it would return 10 polytechnics,<\/a> including Toi Ohomai, <\/a>to regional governance <\/a>from the start of next year in an unwinding of Labour\u2019s decision to merge them into Te P\u016bkenga.<\/p>\n In a statement on Friday, Te Haut\u016b Kahurangi Tertiary Education Union said it was \u201crelieved\u201d at Toi Ohomai\u2019s decision to reverse proposals that would have closed the Tokoroa and Taup\u014d campuses. <\/p>\n Santana Ammunson and Ashton Ledger, union branch co-leaders for Toi Ohomai Rotorua, said it was a \u201cbig win\u201d and \u201cpositive outcome for our communities\u201d.<\/p>\n The decision meant learners in Taup\u014d and Tokoroa could continue accessing local public vocational education and training, and education could deliver equitable outcomes for all learners \u201cregardless of where they reside\u201d, they said in a joint statement.<\/p>\n However, \u201cwe are still facing several losses\u201d, they said.<\/p>\n Ledger confirmed to the Rotorua Daily Post his learning facilitator position at Mokoia campus had been disestablished.<\/p>\n He was \u201cundecided\u201d if he would reapply for another role.<\/p>\n Ledger said the job descriptions of newly established roles did not include \u201cspecific\u201d day-to-day tasks.<\/p>\n He described the morale of staff members as \u201csombre\u201d and \u201cunsure\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s still uncertainty \u2026 a lot of people don\u2019t know what they\u2019re really signing up for through this recruitment process.\u201d<\/p>\n Government funding yet to be confirmed <\/p>\n On Tuesday, Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology executive director Kieran Hewitson said it recently consulted with kaimahi [staff] on a new structure and operating model \u201cto ensure financial sustainability\u201d as it returned to being a standalone organisation. <\/p>\n During consultation, \u201cwe listened to feedback from kaimahi and stakeholders and had made the decision to retain our trades delivery in Taup\u014d\u201d.<\/p>\n Hewitson said it was made aware during consultation of a new fund to support polytechnics \u201cto maintain provision that is strategically important during the transition from Te P\u016bkenga\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have applied for a portion of that funding, and if approved, it will allow us to continue delivery in Tokoroa.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile this funding hasn\u2019t yet been confirmed, we would welcome this announcement as it would enable us to maintain current operations in Tokoroa.\u201d<\/p>\n Hewitson said it would also provide Toi Ohomai with the opportunity to work with key stakeholders in these communities \u201cto explore our options to maintain delivery in the longer term\u201d.<\/p>\n She confirmed Toi Ohomai\u2019s plans to disestablish 152.5 roles, and create 91.6 new positions across Toi Ohomai.<\/p>\n Minister for Vocational Education Penny Simmonds said the Government was committed to maintaining and improving access to vocational education across the regions.<\/p>\n From January 1, Toi Ohomai would be re-established as a regionally governed polytechnic, \u201crestoring decision-making to the Bay of Plenty and empowering local leaders to shape provision for Rotorua, Taup\u014d, Tokoroa and the wider region and be more responsive to their local communities\u201d.<\/p>\n Simmonds said campus and programme decisions were made by polytechnics and their councils, not by ministers.<\/p>\n From 2026, the council would be able to tailor provision to local needs and industries, supported by the new Industry Skills Board model, she said.<\/p>\n Decisions about viability would be based on enrolments, employment relevance, and delivery costs, with flexibility to use blended and shared services to meet demand, Simmonds said.<\/p>\n Simmonds said to support strategic provision \u201cthat may not otherwise be financially viable\u201d, the Government had established a $20 million strategically important provision fund for each of the next two years.<\/p>\n \u201cToi Ohomai will be advised within the next month what their share of this funding will be.\u201d<\/p>\n Toi Ohomai was established in 2016 through the amalgamation of the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic in Tauranga and Waiariki Institute of Technology in Rotorua. It offers more than 200 study options ranging from entry-level courses through to post-graduate.<\/p>\nToi Ohomai Rotorua branch Kaiarataki Takirua co-leaders Santana Ammunson and Ashton Ledger. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
Toi Ohomai’s Taup\u014d campus. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n