19 August 2011
ITOs Merge on 1 September 2011
Social Services ITO and Careerforce, the ITO for aged care, mental health and addiction, disability and home health
care, will merge on 1 September 2011 with Social Services ITO coming under the Careerforce umbrella.
This merger follows intensive consultation and will provide opportunities for unified and integrated qualifications and
workplace learning across the sectors.
Jenny O’Connor, Social Services ITO Acting CE, says SSITO fully supports Careerforce’s application for the coverage
currently held by Social Services ITO. “Both ITOs have been working closely together for a couple of years and this
merger will ensure one organisation will be looking after all our sectors’ skills needs,” she says.
Ray Lind, Careerforce CEO, says the merger makes sense on many levels. “Portable qualifications for the wider social
services, community and health sectors follows international trends. Several countries have combined their industry
training organisations for these sectors under one umbrella. It also falls in line with our Government’s plans to
combine ITOs to rationalise costs and services, “ he says.
In order to facilitate this change and to respond to a government funding cut of $3 million, Careerforce has designed a
new company structure. This new structure is financially sustainable and designed for future growth.
“It is about right-sizing the organisation ,” says Mr Lind. “This structure will help us to be more responsive to
existing and new business opportunities as well as supporting a culture that enables staff to meet the needs of our
shareholders, trainees and their employers.”
Careerforce will move into Social Services ITO’s Wellington base. This office will house the senior management team and
will be strongly connected to shareholder, sector and Government interests. The Christchurch office will remain as an
operations base.
ENDS