Waiariki chief leaves on a high note

Waiariki Institute of Technology chief executive Pim Borren said winning the Rotorua Trust Social Responsibility Award was a particularly apt note to leave the institute on.

Borren leaves Waiariki at the end of this month for a new role in Brisbane and told The Daily Post it was fantastic to celebrate the Westpac Rotorua Business Excellence Awards category win on September 30 with his team before he left.

"This is such an appropriate award - Waiariki is a community within a community and I am extremely proud."

Waiariki has been a finalist in three categories of the awards - social responsibility, community organisation and service provider - and a winner in two, picking up the community organisation award in 2009.

Borren said this reflected the institute's broad role in the region.

"We are non-profit, which probably makes us more altruistic because we are about so much more than making money. We are focused on the social issues affecting our region, our students and our staff."

As well as sponsoring the Apprentice of the Year category at the Business Excellence Awards, Waiariki also supports the Bay of Plenty Sports Awards, The New Zealand Aria, the Lakeside concert and the Rotorua Wearable Creations'n Colour Awards.

This community involvement is part of the marketing plan and Borren said the strong focus on the region and its people paid off through student numbers and increased community profile.

"We have chosen to give something back - after all, we are the third biggest business in Rotorua - and that support has been given back to us in spades. It never ceases to amaze me."

He said the institute had a huge role to play in the development of the region and its people through skills training.

"We can shift someone from earning $14 an hour to earning $28 an hour in a year. This takes people off the poverty track and on to a middle income and can only be achieved this quickly through vocational education. We really do change people's lives."

There is also a focus on social development through Waiariki's nutrition and fitness programmes for staff and students and Borren describes the institute as "a role model for biculturalism".

He said the organisation had a "family first" policy, recognising people's families were their top priority and that focus on their needs resulted in greater motivation and better performance.

"That's why I think this award is so appropriate. My leadership team is entirely committed to making Waiariki a wonderful place to work."