Pūkenga Rau opens doors to employment for South Waikato youth
Saturday, 1 July 2023
Tokoroa’s new $14 million trades training centre has been blessed and is ready for students.
The South Waikato Trades Training Centre will be known as Pūkenga Rau, a name gifted to the centre by Ngāti Raukawa kaumātua at its blessing last week.
The idea for the centre was spawned in 2007 when local engineers gathered to consider a collective response to staff shortages, said South Waikato Investment Fund Trust (SWIFT) chief executive Amanda Hema.
SWIFT oversaw the construction of the centre, and Hema said it showcased the South Waikato community’s dedication to education and training.
“The Waiariki Institute of Technology, today part of Toi Ohomai Te Pūkenga, tailored a qualification and programme with equipment donated by businesses and the South Waikato District Council, and local high schools providing students.
“Construction, carpentry and automotive industries followed suit, establishing pre-trade courses as local qualifications in 2008.
“Impressed by these initiatives, the Ministry of Youth Development gave South Waikato District Council a national award for commitment to youth training and education in 2008,” she said.
The pitch to Government for the building of Pūkenga Rau began in 2018 when the Southern Waikato Economic Action Plan was developed.
“Moving to today, the large workshops in the new centre reflect those sectors that partnered so early on with trade training in our district, but this wonderful facility will also cater beyond the trades,” Hema said.
“SWIFT is delighted that under the watch of Toi Ohomai Te Pūkenga, opportunities for more training and broader educational offerings will be made available to our community.”
She said the Raukawa Charitable Trust and the South Waikato District Council had been powerful advocates for the facility and the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment’s Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit – Kanoa - invested around $11 million for its development.
Trust Waikato also partnered to fund the centre.
It name, Pūkenga, is derived from personal skill and ability development, while Rau is a reference to the many people of South Waikato as well as rarau, the acquiring of knowledge, and Raukawa, the people of the rohe.
Hema said SWIFT chairperson Stephen Veitch had for the past two years overseen much of the development, ensuring the building would meet community expectations.
She also acknowledged project managers Veros, builders Marra and designers DCA Architects.
While Toi Ohomai Te Pūkenga is the main tenant, Hema said SWIFT would also be moving into the new building and she was calling for expressions of interest from other businesses.
“We need to explore if there are organisations that want to base a team at Pūkenga Rau or whether others are looking at a co-working model.
“The space has been designed so one tenant can have a separate 90m² area for a team of 10-12 with shared facilities such as meetings rooms and a hospitality area.
“The rest will depend on who is interested.”