Tokoroa taskforce adds polytech Toi Ohomai to the list

Tuesday, 12 August 2025

Project Phoenix will take on the impending closure of the Toi Ohomai polytech campus in Tokoroa as well as it original task of finding jobs for redundant mill workers.

A project set up to help Kinleith Mill workers find jobs has been expanded to help save Tokoroa’s polytech from the funding axe.

Local politicians, employers, and other South Waikato stakeholders met as part of Project Phoenix to begin “working towards a positive solution for the community” in the wake of the proposed closure of Tokoroa’s Toi Ohomai campus.

In mid-July, the Government announced a major overhaul of Toi Ohomai polytechnics in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty where up to 166 jobs could be lost, and polytech campuses in Tokoroa and Taupō closed, if its plans to “right size” Toi Ohomai sites went ahead unchanged.

South Waikato mayor Gary Petley, left, and MP Louise Upston were on hand to open Toi Ohomai’s Pukenga Rau campus in Tokoroa two years ago.

At the time, South Waikato mayor Gary Petley slammed the impending closure of Tokoroa’s Pūkenga Rau campus, opened just two years ago at a cost of $14 million, calling it “a short-sighted and lazy decision”.

Last week’s hui was attended by key partners including Taupō MP Louise Upston, and mayor Petley, along with Toi Ohomai leaders, where discussions centred on efforts to ensure the South Waikato retains its crucial education provider.

The newly formed taskforce will be incorporated into the existing Project Phoenix group, which was formed by the council in response to large-scale redundancies at Kinleith Mill earlier this year.

Pūkenga Rau, Toi Ohomai’s Tokoroa campus, was opened two years ago at a cost of $14 million.

Upston called on Project Phoenix to investigate education requirements within the district and how local schools are feeding into courses currently offered at Tokoroa’s Toi Ohomai campus.

Petley said the group will now work with urgency to inform Toi Ohomai on programmes that will work in the context of the South Waikato, and ensure the district is positioned to meet future local labour needs, “and which we know there is demand for from employers”.

“We want to match these programmes to the needs of the employers in our district.

“There is a big gap there right now.

“The jobs are there, we have companies that want to grow here, and as a council we are actively pushing to encourage more economic growth, so we need to make sure our people are equipped to service that in the future.'

Petley said having training and qualification opportunities which match the needs of the local economy was critical.

“Time is of essence here and we understand the need to move swiftly,” Upston said.

“There is a $20 million Tertiary Education Commission transition fund available for polytechs.

“Toi Ohomai Tokoroa has applied for a portion of that funding, and I will be advocating on its behalf to help it regain independence and financial viability to deliver courses which prepare students for careers in the region.

“Over the next three months the taskforce will research the skills needed for the region’s workforce, and how those can best be provided by local trainers,” she said.