PGDRITO to merge with The Skills Organisation
On 1 October, the industry training organisation for plumbing, gasfitting, drainlaying and roofing (PGDRITO) is to merge
with The Skills Organisation, a multi-industry ITO with a nationwide presence.
In the letter granting gazetted coverage for the industries Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment, Hon.
Steven Joyce indicated he was pleased to see such collaborative approach being taken and encouraged The Skills
Organisation to continue to explore collaboration and merger opportunities with other ITOs.
The Skills Organisation industry coverage currently includes the electrotechnology, telecommunications, security,
offender management, financial services, contact centre, real estate and ambulance industries. More recently as a result
of a merger with the public sector ITO Learning State, they assumed coverage of local and central government and civil
defence sectors.
A key factor behind the merger was the similarities between the training delivery system across the electrotechnology
sector and that of plumbing, gasfitting, drainlaying and roofing. The organisations also considered the positive impact
to employers and apprentices of combined resources, services, and trainee support.
“The merger provides our specialist and regulated trades a stronger industry voice and access to a greater range of
training delivery options”, says Garry Fissenden, chief executive of The Skills Organisation. “To add to that there will
be more field staff in more locations supporting our specialist trades trainees and assisting with other initiatives,
such as numeracy and literacy. It’s an exciting time.”
Ian Elliott, chief executive of PGDRITO adds, “We considered opportunities with several ITOs. With support from our key
stakeholders including Master Plumbers and the Roofing Association NZ, we decided that merging with The Skills
Organisation was best for the long term interests of our industries.”
The merger also sees the PGDRITO Auckland and Wellington based staff moving to The Skills Organisation offices with a
transition plan for the provision of operational and administrative support.
ENDS