Olivia Hall: Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology Executive Director on the dissolution of Te Pukenga

Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology is welcoming the dissolution of Te Pukenga. 

From next year, ten of the formally 16 polytechnics across the country will be re-established into standalone institutes after being clumped into one governing body. 

NMIT Executive Director Olivia Hall told Heather du Plessis-Allan the organisation runs quite a tight stopping and starting of programmes, and has been very lean on all support functions available. 

She says the community and local industries are very clear on their expectations for the industry, which is to be standalone. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
We're doing a massive u turn on the polytechs. They
were all merged into the single outfit tepouking A under
the last government and then are being unwhelmed again and
ten of them are going to go back to so
called regional governance now. Olivia Hall is the executive director
of Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology and with us.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
Morning, Olivia, good morning. You must welcome this our Yes, Look,
our regents had faced some hard times with the rain,
so it was great to have some good news this week.

Speaker 1 (00:28):
Aren't we going to run into, potentially though, the same
troubles that we had beforehand, which is, you know, the
financial troubles that the polytechs were having.

Speaker 2 (00:37):
Look, that's the challenge facing us at MIT. We've been
able to get We've had a long history of being
quite successful financially, so we have some of the knowledge
and how to get back to running quite efficiently maybe
the needs of our community, and been able to be

(01:00):
successful financially through that.

Speaker 1 (01:03):
I was under the impression, Olivia, correct me if I'm wrong,
but I was under the impression you guys were running
about seven deficits out of the last eight years.

Speaker 2 (01:10):
We were We were part of the responding to the
changes post COVID has been part of the issues. Look,
we were really invested in the move to te Pukinger
and and wholeheartedly put ourselves forward for the changes there.

(01:31):
But as soon as the announcement was made around the
potential to be standalone or federated, our community and our
industries were really clear on where they expected an MIT
to be, which was to be standalone. So we've focused
very strongly on that and worked really hard to be
in the position so that we.

Speaker 1 (01:49):
Are Olivia, how are you guys going to avoid not
running more deficits? Then what have you changed?

Speaker 2 (01:56):
So we are lucky enough our programs that we we
run quite a tight stopping and starting of programs and
been very lean on all of our support functions with
quite a small polytech, so any excess we'll hit our

(02:17):
bottom line. So we're pleased to say that we will
have a surplus this year for the first time in
quite a long time. As you've touched on, but it
is around being efficient, being a very lean structure, and
focusing very strongly on our learners and the teachers that
teach to them.

Speaker 1 (02:37):
Good luck with that, Olivia. Thanks for your time Olivia Hall,
executive director of Nelson Marlboro Institute of Technology. For more
from the mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to news talks
that'd be from six am weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio