Waikato Business News June/July 2023

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Raukawa blesses South Waikato Trades Training Centre Raukawa kaumātua blessed the soonto-be opened $14 million South Waikato Trades Training Centre in Tokoroa in a dawn ceremony recently and 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 Charlie Tepana (Raukawa Charitable Trust) left and Jarred Boon (TupuOra) co-ordinated the Pūkenga Rau blessing ceremony knowledge, and Raukawa, the people of the rohe. Speaking at the blessing, South Waikato Investment Fund Trust (SWIFT) chief executive Amanda Hema, who has overseen the development of the project, says the centre showcased the South Waikato community’s dedication to education and training. Hema says the genesis of the centre was in 2007 when local engineers gathered 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 pretrade courses as local qualifications in 2008. Impressed by these initiatives, the Ministry of Youth Development gave South Waikato District Council a national award for commitment to youth training and education in 2008. “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. “Moving to today, the large workshops in the new centre reflect those sectors that partnered so early on with trade At Pūkenga Rau from left: Amanda Hema (SWIFT), Tuahu Watene(Ringa Hora), Manujon Pemerika (MBIE), Mayor Gary Petley and Paniora Daniels (SWDC) training in our district, but this wonderful facility will also cater beyond the trades. SWIFT is delighted that under the watch of Toi Ohomai Te Pukenga, opportunities for more training and broader educational offerings will be made available to our community.” Hema says Raukawa Charitable Trust and the South Waikato District Council had been powerful advocates for the facility and 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. Hema says SWIFT chair Stephen Veitch had, for the last two years, overseen much of the development, ensuring the building would meet community expectations, and she also acknowledged project managers Veros, builders Marra and designers DCA Architects. While Toi Ohomai Te Pukenga is the major tenant, Hema says SWIFT will also be housed in the new building and was calling for expressions of interest from other businesses. “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. The rest will depend on who is interested. “ Pūkenga Rau blessing ceremony
Rodney Stirling Rodney Stirling Stirling Rodney EXPERT CONCRETE GRINDING, POLISHING & SEALANTS / COATINGS FOR FLOORS & WALLS EXPERT CONCRETE GRINDING, POLISHING & SEALANTS / COATINGS FOR FLOORS & WALLS Professional & Considerate Considerate is Consistent, Reliable, & Professional Our team is Consistent, Reliable, team Our Our team Our team is Consistent, Our Our team Reliable, is Consistent, Our team is is Consistent, Our teamReliable, Professional is Consistent, Our team Reliable, & is Consistent, Professional is Consistent, Professional Our teamReliable, Reliable, Considerate Reliable, & is Consistent, Professional Professional Considerate Professional Considerate Reliable, & Professional Considerate Considerate Considerate Considerate WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS, JUNE/JULY 2023 27 Council renews award-winning transport contract An award-winning partnership agreement between Hamilton City Council and Downer NZ Ltd, established a decade ago, has been renewed for up to 10 more years. The joint venture agreement was among the first of its kind for local authorities in New Zealand in 2013 and has since provided a model for other councils around the country. Two years after inception, the project claimed the national title for excellence in the maintenance and management of assets at the Civil Contractors New Zealand (CCNZ) awards. While the previous working name with Downer was ‘Infrastructure Alliance’, they have begun to transition to new name ‘Connect Hamilton’ to better represent the overall goal of the partnership. The partnership forms a joint team which is headed by a governance group with three executives from Downer and three senior council staff. The collaborative environment is designed to deliver savings for both parties, better co-ordination of works across the city and has resulted in significant cost savings in the maintenance and renewal of the city’s roading assets. Eeva-Liisa Wright, council’s executive director, infrastructure operations, says the renewed contract will have an initial value of around $200 million over the first five years. “Each time this contract is up for renewal, our council carefully considers all options,” Wright says. “Downer has been an excellent partner alongside council, helping us ensure our city’s transport infrastructure is maintained and updated to meet and anticipate Hamiltonian’s needs.” Downer’s New Zealand country lead Craig West says Downer are proud to be continuing the long-standing relationship with the Hamilton City Council and the community through this new collaborative contract. “We’re committed to delivering a safe, reliable and sustainable roading network, and we’re excited about working with council to reach our shared carbon reduction targets while making this city greener and easy to get around.” Wright says ensuring Hamilton’s transport, parking and roading assets, operations and infrastructure are fit for purpose and future-focused is an integral part of delivering council’s transport strategy: Access Hamilton - Ara Kootuitui Kirikiriroa. “Being able to get around Hamilton easily using our transport network contributes to shaping a city that’s easy to live in, one where our people thrive and where they love to be,” Wright says. Wright adds the agreement between council and Downer aims to achieve ‘best value for money’, innovation and ‘best practice’ asset management for the city’s ratepayers. “This type of arrangement helps create greater efficiencies across the transportation WE ARE THE BEST Council’s chief executive Lance Vervoort, Downer New Zealand country lead Craig West and Council’s executive director infrastructure operations Eeva-Liisa Wright network, has shared goals and objectives between council and Downer, and better cost transparency. It also enables us to respond more flexibly to what’s needed and when. “We have a thriving city and we need to ensure our Certified Contractor Certified Contractor Superfloor TM HTC Superfloor TM HTC core infrastructure and provision Hamilton City Council and of services will meet Downer is approved for five the current and future years initially, with the option needs of our city, while for two further extensions enhancing the wellbeing of of three years and then two our communities.” years respectively, to a maximum The Collaborative Corridor of 10 years, based Agreement (CCA) between on performance. HTC HTC Superfloor HTC Superfloor TM TM HTC Superfloor TM HTC Superfloor HTC TM TM Superfloor TM TM HTC Superfloor TM HTC Superfloor TM Superfloor TM Certified Contractor Certified Contractor Certified Contractor Certified Contractor Certified Contractor Certified Contractor Certified Contractor Certified Contractor Certified Contractor EXPERT CONCRETE GRINDING, POLISHING & SEALANTS / COATINGS FOR FLOORS & WALLS EXPERT CONCRETE GRINDING, POLISHING & SEALANTS / COATINGS FOR FLOORS & WALLS EXPERT EXPERT Rodney CONCRETE CONCRETE GRINDING, GRINDING, Stirling POLISHING POLISHING & SEALANTS SEALANTS / COATINGS FOR FOR FLOORS FLOORS & WALLS WALLS EXPERT CONCRETE GRINDING, POLISHING SEALANTS / COATINGS FOR FLOORS & WALLS EXPERT CONCRETE GRINDING, POLISHING & SEALANTS COATINGS FOR FLOORS WALLS Rodney Stirling Stirling Rodney Rodney Stirling Rodney Stirling www.thepolishedconcretecompany.co.nz www.thepolishedconcretecompany.co.nz EXCELLENCE IN EXECUTION 200433AA 200433AA
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Waikato Business News June/July 2023

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