Partnership to accelerate energy sector capability

An agreement to pilot a new training model for the energy sector has been signed between Te Pukenga and Energy Academy.

It re-defines the roles of both industry and education in the future of training and development.

Energy Academy will work alongside industry to match students studying energy relevant programmes with assignments set and assessed by industry professionals.

Born from Orion Group’s commitment to ‘power a cleaner and brighter future’, Energy Academy is working to transform the capability development system so that New Zealand can excel at adapting to the needs of the future.

This includes the way industry and tertiary education work together to deliver learning.

Te Pukenga is a Crown entity formed in April 2020 as a result of the Tertiary Education Commission’s Reform of Vocational Education.

By 1 January 2023, Te Pukenga will be responsible for the delivery of a unified, sustainable public network of regionally accessible vocational education and training across New Zealand, including functions of the previous Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (now ITP subsidiaries) and the arranging training functions of those Industry Training Organisations (ITOs) which transfer their arranging training activity to Te Pukenga.

Te Pukenga introduces a shift in role, supporting work-based learning from ITOs to providers, to ultimately achieve seamless integration between the two and to ensure industry needs are met.

“A key educational priority for Te Pukenga is to deliver customised learning approaches that meet the needs of learners and trainees wherever they are,” its council chair Murray Strong says.

“The model that we are testing with Energy Academy will enable learners to have a richer learning experience, creating the capabilities New Zealand needs for the future.”

Energy Academy lead Deanna Anderson sees a new learning model as critical to adapting to the capabilities needed for New Zealand’s energy future.

“The energy industry has an aging workforce, and if we don’t find an efficient way to share knowledge and capability we will face a significant gap in skills.

“With this model we can pass on this knowledge and accelerate capability, to adapt to the rate of change our sector is experiencing so that we can best serve New Zealanders.”

Orion Group and 10 other energy sector companies (including Meridian, Mercury, Vector, Genesis, Trust Power and Contact) sent an open letter to ministers and government agencies on May 21 supporting New Zealand’s emission reduction goals and the aim of having net zero carbon emissions by 2050.