In February 2023, Cyclone Gabrielle hit our shores. Regions across the North Island were devastated, with Hawke’s Bay especially affected.
In order for MITO to provide training for apprentices and trainees, we purchase off-job training from providers. Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) in Napier is one of these providers, helping train our apprentices through block courses, day release and evening classes.
During the cyclone, The Tūtaekurī River overflowed its banks, causing extensive damage to homes and infrastructure. EIT’s Taradale campus was badly damaged and was closed for many months.
With the help of the Universal College of Learning (UCOL) based in Palmerston North, MITO was able to purchase two block courses exclusively for our Hawke's Bay apprentices affected by the closure of the local campus, supporting 20 learners.
In addition, to reduce the burden of other costs, such as travel, accommodation and meals, the Inspiring Futures Foundation came to the rescue with funding to support our Hawke's Bay apprentices to attend these block courses.
This collaboration made a significant difference to those apprentices, as it meant they could keep progressing in their apprenticeships and they did not have to worry about any additional costs, it was all taken care of by the MITO team and the Inspiring Futures Foundation.
Sturrock Saunders, Inspiring Futures Foundation Convenor says, “When Verna Niao, MITO Executive Director, and Mark Gebbie, Group Manager - Workforce Development, explained the challenges that Cyclone Gabrielle had placed on learners, employers, and the learning environment, and promoted a block course solution, it was a simple decision for the Trustees to support this positive initiative.”
The feedback from the learners who attended was very positive, with many commending the structure of the course and the teaching.
MITO learner Tia attended the block course and says, “I found the course insightful, informative, and helpful. Lance was amazing at helping us get through our practicals and papers and was very attentive with each of the apprentices that attended the course. I would love to attend another course like that in the future.”
Fellow MITO learner Samuel adds, “I found the course to be really helpful and informative. The tutor made good sense of everything he was teaching us, making sure everyone understood. Overall, the course couldn’t have been any better.”
Another learner who attended, Matt, said, “Having the ability to attend this impromptu course after believing I had lost the opportunity with the effects of the cyclone was a godsend. The practicals that were covered are ones that require very specific jobs that don't commonly occur in my workshop. I have so much gratitude for MITO and UCOL for organising and hosting this course and allowing us to progress our training further in a difficult time.”
Thank you to the Inspiring Futures Foundation for this grant and helping our learners through this difficult time.
Originally published by MITO Te Pūkenga, republished with permission
For most students in Aotearoa, the experience of designing and welding together an electric kart’s chassis is something entirely new, and so is the idea of a career in engineering.
This is where a free, nationwide programme from EVolocity connects the dots, and the Inspiring Futures Foundation (IFF) is proud to be backing them as a Premier Sponsor.
EVolocity's core programme gives Year 7–13 students the creative freedom to design, engineer, and build their own electric karts or bikes, using an electric motor kit as their starting point. Along the way, these students pick up skills including project management, teamwork, CAD design, and welding.
The programme runs across Auckland, Bay of Plenty/Rotorua, Waikato, Taranaki, Manawatū, Wellington, Nelson, and Canterbury/Otago, with teams working alongside teachers and mentors before competing at Regional Finals.
Jo Morgan, Head of Partnerships at EVolocity Charitable Trust, said the IFF’s belief and advocacy will be genuinely transformative in answering the call-to-action for more engineers and youth with engineering skills.
“We’re doing everything we can to inspire rangatahi into engineering and innovation, however, securing sustainable funding is always a challenge. IFF stepped in at exactly the right moment.
“A multi‑year commitment of this scale gives us the stability and runway we need to grow our impact as a charity.”
IFF Convenor Louise Sixton, says that, for IFF, partnerships like this go far beyond funding, especially when considering a national shortage of engineers.
“EVolocity represent mentorship, the opportunity for young people to try something new, and a doorway towards potential STEM careers. It’s exciting that, together, IFF and EVolocity are bridging the gap between the classroom and industry.”
CEO of and co-founder of Heartlab, Will Hewitt (25) competed in EVolocity at just 15 years old while at Nelson College. Three years later, he co-founded HeartLab, a cloud-native cardiac imaging platform that uses AI to support cardiologists across New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. At the time, he credited EVolocity for giving him an engineer's mindset and the critical thinking skills he uses every day.
Jackson Crawford, formerly of Mahurangi College, took a similar path. He went from building his first electric vehicle as an EVolocity student to becoming an Avionics Team Lead at Dawn Aerospace. Jackson is now working on a next-generation spaceplane designed to operate in micro-gravity environments. He has said that EVolocity gave him hands-on exposure to real-world skills and a head start over many of his peers at university.
With no government funding, Morgan says EVolocity relies entirely on the financial support of corporate sponsors and funding partners to deliver the programme.
“This grant has lifted a significant weight off our shoulders, and we are deeply grateful for IFF’s support.”
Visit the Inspiring Futures Foundation website for more information on the grants available: www.inspiringfutures.nz
