This follows a period of consultation with staff on a proposal for change and the final decisions incorporate staff feedback.

Mr Fowler says the key drivers for the reorganisation are the need to integrate the careers and investment components of the TEC’s functions, following the merger with Careers New Zealand in 2017, and the need to create a more flexible and customer focused organisation delivering better outcomes for New Zealand.

“We know the world of work is rapidly evolving and this means the learning needs of our workers are changing too. So to prepare the TEC for the future we need to create an integrated business model that also fully combines the functions of both the previous Careers New Zealand and the TEC.

“We know we must work harder to achieve better outcomes for Māori and Pasifika learners, build better relationships with business and industry, and exercise more influence over the tertiary education system to improve its overall performance.

“It’s a challenging time for tertiary education. It’s critical the TEC can be agile and responsive to issues in the sector, like parity for Māori and Pasifika learners, declining student numbers and the need for lifelong learning caused by increasing automation in the workplace,” Mr Fowler says.

Key changes to the TEC are:

• Creation of three new directorates: Strategy and Design Directorate, Delivery Directorate, and the Learner Success Team – Ōritetanga which is tasked with a renewed focus on lifting Māori and Pasifika achievement.
• Consolidation of the TEC’s regional offices from Hamilton, Tauranga, Napier, Palmerston North, Nelson and Dunedin to the main centres of Whangarei, Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
• Introduction of Relationship Managers mandated with developing individual relationship plans for TEOs.

“We are serious about lifting Māori and Pasifika achievement so I am very excited by the new Learner Success Team – Ōritetanga. This follows on from our latest Investment Plan Briefs for Student Achievement Component (SAC) and Youth Guarantee funds where we have made parity for Māori and Pasifika learners the overarching goal. 

“We are really putting our money where our mouth is here. There has been concern from some commentators that our reorganisation would reduce the support provided particularly to Māori learners. I am very pleased to say our changes will lead to the exact opposite. More resources, better targeted and more relevant.” 

Changes will be implemented throughout 2018. The first phase will see the appointment of a new leadership team, who will then implement further changes. These will involve further reorganisation within the new directorates and staff consultation on these changes will begin later in the year. 

“We are working hard to minimise any impacts on our staff. I want to reassure all our customers that we are doing everything we can to ensure the ongoing seamless delivery of our business as usual functions as we implement our changes,” Mr Fowler says.