Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology has reinforced its commitment to help improve the social and economic outlook of the Kawerau community.
According to a media statement from the institute, chief executives and delegates from both Toi Ohomai and Tuwharetoa Ki Kawerau Health, Education and Social Services met at Tangatarua Marae on the Toi Ohomai campus yesterday to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and re-confirm the organisations' mutual dedication to continue their efforts.
The MoU outlined a partnership where Toi Ohomai provided education and training in the Kawerau community so residents had access to tertiary education locally rather than having to commute to a Toi Ohomai campus.
In turn Kawerau iwi would provide the training sites and pastoral care needed to support the students during their tertiary journey.
"We can't sit here, in the main centres and wait for those students to come to us," said Toi Ohomai chief executive Dr Leon Fourie.
"We need to reach out to the regions, we need to reach out to the communities and create much better access to education with clear pathways to employment of further studies."
The partnership, having been in effect for several years prior to the merger of Bay of Plenty Polytechnic and Waiariki Institute of Technology, has rapidly proved its worth.
Last year for example, students, even before they graduated from the programme, were head-hunted by their local health providers who needed employees.
"From my perspective, this is what a good partnership looks like," said Dr Fourie.
"A good partnership, where Tuwharetoa Ki Kawerau has the capability and the reach within the community to market Toi Ohomai's skills and qualification outcomes, for iwi to provide teaching facilities and pastoral care to our students, and Toi Ohomai provides teaching staff, technology and learning support, it's a match made in heaven. It is a win-win-win outcome.
"As a partnership, we are improving access to education and increasing educational outcomes for Maori which leads to improved workforce participation for Maori, and as a result will increase living standards and prosperity for our communities."
Tuwharetoa Ki Kawerau's CEO Chris Marjoribanks is a lifelong resident of Kawerau and is known for his passion for his community and his determination to improve its socio-economic status.
"Please accept my emotional feelings around this day," he said.
"I have a degree of frustration around some of the government models of [education] delivery and where we can further develop and engage with delivery within our communities.
