25 signatures reached
To: Hon Penny Simmonds - Minister for Vocational Education, Minister for Social Development and Employment
Keep Tokoroa Toi Ohomai OPEN
Ensure Tokoroa Toi Ohomai campus stays open.
Demonstrate strong, proactive leadership by working closely with South Waikato District Council, central government and other local community groups to establish a sustainable future for Toi Ohomai in Tokoroa and the immense opportunities the facility offers young people of the South Waikato.
Why is this important?
No matter where we live in Aotearoa our communities need access to essential services, education and opportunities to grow and thrive. That includes Tokoroa and other small regional communities throughout the South Waikato.
But as a result of this Government’s decisions Tokoroa’s Toi Ohomai campus is facing closure. The Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology has published a proposal to cut over 160 jobs which would lead to the purpose built campus in Tokoroa being closed. Toi Ohomai has said the proposal was in response to a Government expectation to become “financially viable”.
Tokoroa has already faced the devastating blow of Kinleith Mill shutting down one of its plants with 150 people losing their jobs. Families have had to reevaluate their lives in the South Waikato, with many deciding to move out of the district for more job opportunities. Some have decided to stay, looking into retraining at Toi Ohomai or seeking employment in other areas in the district.
The Toi Ohomai campus in Tokoroa is a beacon of light for those who otherwise wouldn't have the means to travel to continue tertiary education in Rotorua, Tauranga or Hamilton. The campus and its courses are an asset to all ages, from young high school graduates to adult learners looking to upskill or retrain. With new housing developments and the Maraetai Road Business Park build, there is a light at the end of the economic recovery tunnel for Tokoroa and the wider South Waikato. If Toi Ohomai remains open in Tokoroa, it has the potential to become a significant economic catalyst for local businesses and the recruitment and retention of young people in the district. If we lose Toi Ohomai in Tokoroa, opportunities for locals will once again become extremely limited and the wider community will be left with the burden to fill the gaps. To creatively and collaboratively invest in our local community and allow time for possibilities to flourish is to contribute to the growth and vibrancy of the South Waikato and provide hope to future generations. "Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet".
Sign this petition to signal to Toi Ohomai and the government that the Tokoroa community deserves better and will not stand by as our opportunities for youth and future generations are shortsightedly taken away. Let’s show Toi Ohomai leadership that the Tokoroa campus is a valued asset in the community and it must stay open.