Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology
Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, also referred to as "Toi Ohomai" is a New Zealand tertiary education institute. Toi Ohomai is a provider of vocational education for over 14,000 students, including more than 1,400 international students studying at over 86 different delivery sites across the Bay of Plenty and South Waikato region. Offering around 200 different programmes and study options ranging from certificate level to post-graduate level in courses such as Business, Forestry, Engineering, Hospitality, Toursim, Trades and many more. Toi Ohomai provides vocational education in order to make graduates employable and "work ready" with relative skills that employers need. New Zealand's vocational education system is a important part of the New Zealand tertiary education institute as it supplies employers and industry with the skilled employees they require while also ensuring vocational learners get consistent, effective and quality training.
Toi Ohomai has 5 main campuses in Tauranga, Rotorua, Taupō, Tokoroa and Whakatāne. It Is the largest tertiary education provider in the Bay of Plenty and South Waikato region. Toi Ohomai was formed on the 1st of May 2016, when the Rotorua's Waiariki Institute of Technology and Tauranga's Bay of Plenty Polytechnic officially merged to become the Waiariki Bay of Plenty Polytechnic. This merge ensured the employment and education needs of the region were meet more effectively. Later being renamed Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology on the 7th of October 2016.
Toi Ohomai is the third largest of New Zealand's 16 Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs) which also includes The Wellington Institute of Technology or WelTec and Whitireia. On the 1st of August 2019 Chris Hipkins, the Minister of Education at the time, announced a proposal to reform vocational education in New Zealand. Which aimed to create a unified vocational education system that responded to the needs of employees and students. This led to the creation of Te Pukenga New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology (Te Pukenga) on the 1st of April 2020 which joined all 16 of the ITPs into a single, national, unified network of regionally accessible vocational education and training. This included Toi Ohomai, who became a subsidiary of Te Pukenga on the 1st of April 2020. On the 31st of May 2022 Toi Ohomai, along with Waikato Institute of Technology, announced they would directly become a part of the national vocational education provider in Te Pukenga, instead of simply being a subsidiary institute. On the 7th of December 2023, the newly elected National Party Government, apart of their 100-day plan, announced the disestablishment of Te Pukenga effective on the 31st of December 2026, moving away from a centralised model to establish a system of stand-alone polytechnics. The disestablishment of Te Pukenga has direct implications to Toi Ohomai, with the institute already facing a reduction of 21 full-time equivalent roles and 16 programmes ranging from youth work, health, forestry and hairdressing being discontinued as of 2025.
Toi Ohomai has a set of values which are defined by the institute's vision to empower people and communities, in conjunction with their purpose of partnering with iwi, industry and communities to deliver innovative learning. The Toi Ohomai values were developed and launched in May 2018 following an extensive engagement and consultation with staff. The set of 4 values were named 'Toi Ohomaitanga' and include;
- Toitūtanga - defined by Toi Ohomai's staff and students courageous and humble pursuit of excellence
- Manaakitanga - Dedication to uphold and strengthen the mana of others and communities
- Whanaungatanga - Building and nurturing relationships and connections that enhance Toi Ohomai's purpose and vison
- Kotahitanga - Being united in the shared purposes and responsibilities of Toi Ohomai
History
Toi Ohomai Instituite of Technology is an amalgamation of the Bay of Plenty's and South Waikato's highest performing Polytechnics, The Waiariki Instituite of Technology in Rotorua and The Bay of Plenty Polytechnic in Tauranga.
The Waiariki Institute of Technology has roots tied all the way back to 1881, when the Rotorua College and Grammar School Endowments were established by the New Zealand Government. Early conceptions of tertiary education in Rotorua came in 1910, when locals suggested a technical school should established. Technical education in Rotorua came to fruition when the Rotorua Boys' High School which opened in 1914, established their Technical Department in 1939 which focused on carpentry electrical wiring, engineering, and arts and crafts, home cookery and secretarial work. 1972 saw Rotorua Boys' High School's technical division merge with Rotorua Girl's High School's Business college to create the Senior Technical Division under the Rotorua High Schools' Board of Governors in 1976. To accomodate this division, building on Mokoia Drive in Rotorua commenced, with the newly named Waiariki Community College being opened on the 1st of April 1978. An 'outpost' in Tokoroa, previously established by the Senior Technical Division in 1973, became the first regional campus for Waiariki, with additonal campuses being opened in Whakatane, Taupo, Turangi and Kawerau in the 1980's. During this time, further courses such as tourism, hospitality, nursing, journalism, Māori studies and forestry, were added to Waiariki's curriculum. In 1987 the name was changed to Waiariki Polytechnic, being changed again to The Waiariki Institute of Technology in 1998.
The Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, initially named Bay of Plenty Community College, was established on the 1st of September 1982 as a local community college in Tauranga. Offering a mix of secretarial and office administration courses, as well as carpentry, automotive engineering, agriculture and horticulture courses. Notably, over one third of student admissions focused on horticulture, which was reflective of Tauranga's needs at the time. The college was built on Poike Road in Tauranga, now known as Windermere Campus. Poike Road is land significant to the Ngāti Ranginui hapū who inhabit it. "Poike" roughly translates to "arrive late at night" in Māori, which signifies the late night meetings characteristic of the hapū. In 1988 the organisations name was officially changed to The Bay of Plenty Polytechnic. The same year saw the completion of the Rex Williams Student Amenities Centre and an Atrium apart of a major horticulture complex within the Polytechnic, they also developed new training programmes in areas such as fashion, tourism, and hospitality. 3 years later in 1991, the Polytechnics second major campus, The Bongard Centre (named after Bill Bongard, the first community college council chairperson) was established in Tauranga's downtown district. Providing a space for office systems and various programmes. During the 1990's Māori centred programmes were added to acknowledge the Ngāti Ranginui hapū and local Māori communites, furthering the Polytechnics relationship with local Māori. In 1997, Windermere's horticulture complex was repurposed into a hospitality studies centre and Bongard Centre established a video conference space to facilitate long distance learning. From 2000 to 2003 two new learning centres were built, Te Aongahoro - The Student Learning Centre featuring a Library, cafe and lecture theatres. As well as Te Pare a Ruahine - The Aquatic Centre for Pacific Coast Applied Research. In 2008 a partnership with the University of Waikato was formed to share facilities and resources to provide better pathways and enhance the skills of the region.
On the 1st of May 2016 these two institutions merged to become the Waiariki Bay of Plenty Polytechnic. Later becoming Toi Ohomai Instituite of Technology on the 7th of October 2016. The name was gifted to the organisation by local iwi within the region, meaning "to achieve great heights; to be awakened by learning" The name inspires students to pursue excellence in their studies and shift their mindset on learning, also acknowledging the Mana Whenua and significance of the land where Toi Ohomai conducts their provision of education. Toi Ohomai was created in order to serve the regions education and employment needs more efficiently. Ensuring better education and employment outcomes for young Maori by providing greater access for dispersed communities throughout the region.