NorthTec job losses part of plan to keep Northland polytechnic open

NorthTec staff have been in a state of limbo after the Government's directive to achieve viability by mid-next year, resulting in cuts to several areas. Photo / Brodie Stone

Northland’s biggest vocational training provider has confirmed it will disestablish about 58 fulltime equivalent roles in student support, administration and more.

The restructure has been deemed necessary for NorthTec to become financially viable next year, meaning its doors can stay open.

While about 58 roles are to go, 31 new jobs have been created, resulting in a net loss of about 27 jobs, a mix of full- and part-time.

NorthTec could not say how many people had been made redundant, but the changes would be in full force by mid-December. Staff were told of the proposal on October 17.

NorthTec operations lead Derek Slatter said the restructure was necessary.

“This slimmed-down support services model is what NorthTec needs to be financially viable to ensure that we can continue delivering tertiary education in Te Tai Tokerau.”

Slatter said NorthTec’s structures and staffing levels had historically been high relative to enrolled student numbers. They were now being brought into line with polytechnics.

The polytech this month was granted $890,000 to support the provision of forestry, fencing and horticulture. An additional $2.75 million in strategically important grants is to be provided annually for the next two years.

“We’re not treating it like income, though,” Slatter said. “We’re treating it as a balance sheet ... we will use it to make sure we don’t make losses.”

The polytech’s efforts to achieve financial viability included an enrolment drive to attract more students to its courses.

Slatter said NorthTec needed to have 1700 students on the books to make things work.

He explained that bringing more students to existing campuses and getting courses fully enrolled was the number one objective at the moment.

A staff member whose role was axed said student support had whittled right down, leaving big workloads for remaining staff.

They said many students were early school leavers or older learners with little confidence who needed massive amounts of wraparound support, and that study was often the first to go for people with complex lives.

Student support held a vital role in keeping them enrolled, the staff member said.

“You’re going to lose the heart of NorthTec.”

They said staff felt unheard and undervalued. The goodwill once held was waning.

Student representative Kirikau De Laurier said NorthTec was “cutting away the glue”.

“The glue is the manaaki (care) of the kaiako (teachers), and the manaaki of support services.”

De Laurier likened the changes to going to an Emergency Department with no receptionist.

“How can you expect to provide that same level of support and engagement with limited resources?”

To say NorthTec would no longer be providing support for students was untrue, Slatter said.

A new group of six full-time ākonga experience facilitators would help learners from application to graduation. Working alongside them was further learner support.

Slatter said NorthTec had heard the points of view expressed.He praised the professionalism and dedication of staff worried about the impact on students.

“However, there is no escaping the fact that NorthTec needs to operate differently than the model we are moving from.”

Brodie Stone covers crime and emergency for the Northern Advocate. She has spent most of her life in Whangārei and is passionate about delving into issues that matter to Northlanders and beyond.