Megan Gibbons climbed another major rung in the corporate ladder yesterday when she was appointed as one of the new deputy chief executives at Te Pukenga New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology.
The former Otago Polytechnic executive director will now be in charge of Te Pukenga’s academic centre and learning systems, and will lead the central programme design and development function, while working with industry and subject matter experts on learning delivery operations.
She said she hoped her presence on the leadership executive team would put southern staff more at ease.
"I think the fear is the unknown, so if you can bring some of the known into the unknown, it makes the transition a little bit more acceptable and palatable for the people."
Te Pukenga was established in 2020 as one of seven key changes in the reform of vocational education, and brings together the country’s polytechnics and institutes of technology.
Dr Gibbons said she was excited about the new role and was looking forward to the challenges faced by the new organisation.
"How do employers know that the people with qualifications they get from Otago Polytechnic are the same as NorthTec, for example.
"We’re just trying to create that consistency, but also allow the magic to happen in the regions because often there’s a regional response as well.
"I’ll be looking at all the programmes and courses that we deliver, research, academic self-capability, recognition of prior learning and how we plan for what we deliver and where we deliver."
Dr Gibbons said she would have to commute weekly to Auckland for executive meetings initially, but once the systems were in place and the Te Pukenga executive leadership team had bonded, she would be able to work from an office at the Otago campus.
Te Pukenga acting chief executive Peter Winder said Dr Gibbons brought a wide range of experience from a number of roles at Otago Polytechnic and was well connected across the health sector and institutes of technology and polytechnics.
"Megan is passionate about the life-changing power of education and has played a role in pioneering higher-level apprenticeships."
Other appointments to the Te Pukenga executive announced yesterday were Gus Gilmore (learning delivery deputy chief executive); and Richard Forgan (strategy and transformation deputy chief executive).
Dr Gibbons, Mr Gilmore and Mr Forgan officially began their roles yesterday.
Earlier this year, Mr Winder confirmed Keri-Anne Tane as chief people officer, Teresa Pollard as chief digital officer and Michelle Teirney as chief financial officer.
The search for deputy chief executives of the learner and employer experience, attraction and Tiriti outcomes, and a chief of staff are continuing.
Following Dr Gibbons’ appointment at Te Pukenga, Otago Polytechnic announced that she would be replaced by Jason Tibble as executive director.
