Reshuffle for Aoraki top jobs

Six top-level jobs have been dropped at Aoraki Polytechnic but affected staff have been invited to apply for 10 new roles created in a restructure.

Chief executive Kay Nelson said the new "school structure" would help Aoraki meet the Government's latest demands for the tertiary sector, which are to improve course completion rates, have meaningful qualifications and ensure student support money is not wasted.

The Herald approached the Tertiary Education Union yesterday for comment on the restructuring but at time of going to press, had not received a response. Ms Nelson said the new structure would allow the polytech to do more for students in a smart way and work more closely with industries, the community and iwi.

As a result of the restructure, in the pipeline for several months, the polytech will now consist of five schools instead of having a faculty structure – a school of health and education, a school of agriculture and technology, a school of creative technology, IT and journalism, a school of adventure tourism, sport and business, and a school of hospitality, hair and beauty.

The four current heads of faculty roles would be removed and five new heads of school roles created, while three specialist senior roles – in human resources and development, strategic infrastructure and development, and customer relations, were being set up.

The role of academic manager would be replaced by academic director. A new role of Aoraki education partners director would also be created.

The position of operations manager, from which Ben Lee resigned in February after six years, would not be filled.

Overall, the human resource was likely to increase, Ms Nelson said. "We want our students to complete their programmes knowing that there will be a demand from employers for them and their positive attitudes, learned skills and knowledge."

Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce said this week the sector's funding needed to be better used because there would be no more coming in the Budget.

Aoraki's total cash holding is $27.2 million. It has 755 equivalent fulltime students across Timaru, Dunedin, Oamaru, Ashburton and Christchurch campuses.

Mr Joyce said between 5 and 10 per cent of government funding for tertiary providers would be linked to student performance and dropout rates. He would also review New Zealand's 6000 qualifications to aim for fewer qualifications that were more easily recognisable to students and employers. Aoraki is offering 96 qualifications this year.

Timaru's other tertiary institution, the South Canterbury Community College, has 64 students and offers nine qualifications.

Community Colleges New Zealand general manager Doug Reid said until details of the Government's plans were revealed, he could not say the colleges were "absolutely confident" none of their qualifications would be scrapped.

"We're a bit different from the way polytechs operate. People come when they're ready and go when they're finished."

In South Canterbury last year, 72 per cent of the college's students either went into employment or did further training.

- © Fairfax NZ News