"It was done in light of the recent sector announcements and changes proposed. Status of the CE recruitment is that it remains on hold," he said.
The appointment of the chief executive is a Wintec Council responsibility and it had not received any directive from the government.
In the meantime Wintec senior adviser and director of international David Christiansen will continue in the role of acting chief executive.
The top position became vacant after incumbent Mark Flowers announced his retirement in mid-November 2018 following a turbulent few years where he was the subject of two separate investigations.
The outcome of the investigations released this earlier this month cleared him of any major wrongdoing, despite acknowledging he should have better handled a conflict of interest with a staff member. An audit report also heavily criticised the organisation for breaking policies and procedures in regards to overseas expenditure and could not be confident no wrongdoing had taken place.
Flowers has been on sick leave since August 2018 and his last official day after 16 years in the role is on Friday.
Earlier this month education minister Chris Hipkins announced plans to set up a new national body to take over all of New Zealand's 110,000 polytechnic students and 140,000 apprentices and industry trainees.
The proposed NZ Institute of Skills and Technology would take over programme design and administration for all campuses of the 16 separate polytechnics including Wintec.
A national governing council appointed by the minister would be in charge of the long-term capital and operational strategies, oversee capital asset management and set and oversee operational budgets.
Meanwhile the Wintec chief executive search is not the only recruitment process that was placed on hold in Waikato in the last week. Waikato District Health Board chairwoman Sally Christie also announced that its four-month search for its new chief executive was also on hold due to "challenges facing the board".
The Waikato DHB had already spent $73,199 on an "executive search fee" to Kerridge and Partners including $8700 in disbursements – mainly advertising to find the right candidate.
