Chris Collins, EIT Executive Transitional Lead of the EIT Business Division of Te Pūkenga (left), with Acting Chief Executive of Te Pūkenga Peter Winder.
EIT has officially became part of Te Pūkenga, with a pōwhiri held at EIT’s Te Ara o Tāwhaki Marae at its Hawke’s Bay campus in Taradale.
The transition means that EIT ceased to exist as a legal entity on 1 November 2022 and all staff moved into the national vocational education provider in what has been described as a “lift and shift” process . The polytechnic is now a business division of Te Pūkenga and will be known as EIT Te Pūkenga, until some point next year when a decision will be made on the name.
Te Pūkenga, the New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology, is bringing together New Zealand’s Institutes of Technology, Polytechnics, and Industry Training Organisations to build a network of on job, on campus and online learning.
EIT Chief Executive Chris Collins, who as part of the 1 November change now becomes the EIT Executive Transitional Lead of the EIT Business Division, described the day as a key marker in the polytechnic’s journey.
“I acknowledge those who have gone before us, who have helped make EIT what it is today, and I welcome also and acknowledge those who are here today.”
He warmly welcomed Acting Chief Executive of Te Pūkenga Peter Winder, and senior staff, who were welcomed on to the marae at the pōwhiri on Tuesday.
The past month has seen EIT celebrate with a number of graduation ceremonies and events across EIT campuses. Chris says it was important to take the time to celebrate and acknowledge the journey that EIT has been on.
“We’re fiercely proud of Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti and we can now also be fiercely proud of being part of a wider national network , our new national institution Te Pūkenga.
“We now move forward together in a way that builds something stronger for our country and for our local people that needs to be genuinely responding and meeting the needs of our learners and communities.”
Chris says the objective of Te Pūkenga is to be a strong regionally responsive and nationally integrated institution.
“We want to be part of an institution that is integrated across the country, is able to leverage off each other’s strengths, and is also genuinely nimble and responsive into our communities. The goal of Te Pūkenga is to be integrated and grounded across the motu.”
Peter recognised the taonga EIT is and welcomed it into Te Pūkenga.
“EIT brings a rich history, connections, and relationships and I know that we need to treasure that as the taonga that it is. Together we can do wonderful things and that’s the piece that really excites me.”
“It is a new beginning today. A wonderful opportunity to do things differently and build on the traditions of the past.”
As an acknowledgement of the transition and as a symbol of how the institutions will carve out a future together, a toki from Te Pūkenga named Te Awhirangi was gifted to EIT.