| 91 South Waikato Investment Fund DEVELOPMENT T T Karen Phelps The new $14 million South Waikato Trades Training Centre in Tokoroa. The recently opened $14 million South Waikato Trades Training Centre in Tokoroa showcases the South Waikato community’s dedication to education and training and will help support a resilient economy and enhance community wellbeing, says South Waikato Investment Fund Trust (SWIFT) chief executive Amanda Hema. After opening on July 17 following the blessing on June 24, the centre has received positive reception in the region, she says. Aside from placing skilled workers into new jobs, approximately 35-40 long-term operational jobs at the Centre are expected to be created. In the blessing ceremony Raukawa kaumatua gave the building a new name Pūkenga Rau. Pūkenga derives 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. It’s been a project that has taken considerable perseverance to realise. The beginning of the Centre was in 2007 when local engineers started to consider a collective response to staff shortages. The Waiariki Institute of Technology (today part of Toi Ohomai Te Pukenga) 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. The initiatives garnered a national award given South Waikato District Council for commitment to youth training and education in 2008 by the Ministry of Youth Development. “Clearly those industry leaders recognised the power of collaboration and the potential of our local rangatahi, and the pitch for Government investment for the building began in 2018 when the Southern Waikato Economic Action Plan was developed,” explains Amanda. Today, Amanda says the large workshops in the new Centre reflect those sectors that partnered so early on with trade training in the district. But the South Waikato Trades Training Centre will also cater beyond the trades. With assistance from Toi Ohomai Te Pukenga opportunities for more training and broader educational offerings will be made available to the community. Amanda says that Toi Ohomai Te Pukenga has a long history and commitment to providing trades training in the South Waikato to align with local industry including logistics, engineering, mechanical and construction. Scholarships will be offered for the first three years to enable students to pursue their dreams. The Centre offers a combined 3500m2 of learning, workshop and staff space with a commercial kitchen, café and barbershop. SWIFT oversaw the development of the project and Amanda says that Raukawa Charitable Trust and the South Waikato District Council have been powerful advocates for the facility. The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment’s Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit – Kanoa invested about $11 million in the development. Trust Waikato also partnered to fund the Centre. SWIFT Chair Stephen Veitch had for the last 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 Pukenga is the major tenant, Ms Hema said SWIFT will also be housed in the new building and was calling for expressions of interest from other businesses in joining SWIFT there. “We need to explore if there are organisations that want to base a team at Pukenga Rau or whether others are looking at a co-working model. The space has been designed so one tenant can have a separate 90sqm area for a team of 10-12 with shared facilities such as meetings rooms and a hospitality area.” bcdgroup.nz | Photo: Jack’s Landing Every piece of land has a story to tell... Let BCD tell yours. 0508 223 476 Surveying | Planning | Geotechnical | Civil | Environmental | Structural | Fire | Mechanical & Electrical Looking to get your project off the ground? Let’s discuss how Marra can take your project from concept to a quality investment. COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL | DESIGN & BUILD marraconstruction.co.nz office@marra.co.nz 07 543 0774 Training centre welcome
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