Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology

Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, also referred to as "Toi Ohomai" is a New Zealand tertiary education institute. Toi Ohomai is a provider of vocational education for over 14,000 students, including more than 1,400 international students studying at over 86 different delivery sites across the Bay of Plenty and South Waikato region. Offering around 200 different programmes and study options ranging from certificate level to post-graduate level in courses such as Business, Forestry, Engineering, Hospitality, Tourism, Trades and many more. Toi Ohomai provides vocational education in order to make graduates employable and "work ready" with relative skills that employers need. New Zealand's vocational education system is an important part of the New Zealand tertiary education institute as it supplies employers and industry with the skilled employees they require while also ensuring vocational learners get consistent, effective and quality training.

Toi Ohomai has 5 main campuses in Tauranga, Rotorua, Taupō, Tokoroa and Whakatāne. It Is the largest tertiary education provider in the Bay of Plenty and South Waikato regions. Toi Ohomai was formed on 1 May 2016, when the Rotorua's Waiariki Institute of Technology and Tauranga's Bay of Plenty Polytechnic officially merged to become the Waiariki Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, later being renamed Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology on 7 October 2016. This merge ensured the employment and education needs of the region were met more effectively

Toi Ohomai is the third largest of New Zealand's 16 Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs) which also includes The Wellington Institute of Technology or WelTec and Whitireia. On 1 August 2019 Chris Hipkins, the Minister of Education at the time, announced a proposal to reform vocational education in New Zealand. Which aimed to create a unified vocational education system that responded to the needs of employees and students. This led to the creation of Te Pukenga New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology (Te Pukenga) on 1 April 2020 which joined all 16 of the ITPs into a single, national, unified network of regionally accessible vocational education and training. This included Toi Ohomai, who became a subsidiary of Te Pukenga on 1 April 2020. On 31 May 2022 Toi Ohomai, along with Waikato Institute of Technology, announced they would directly become a part of the national vocational education provider in Te Pukenga, instead of simply being a subsidiary institute. On 7 December 2023, the newly-elected National Party Government, as a part of their 100-day plan, announced the disestablishment of Te Pukenga effective on 31 December 2026, moving away from a centralised model to establish a system of stand-alone polytechnics. The disestablishment of Te Pukenga has direct implications to Toi Ohomai, with the institute already facing a reduction of 21 full-time equivalent roles and 16 programmes ranging from youth work, health, forestry and hairdressing being discontinued as of 2025.

Toi Ohomai has a set of values which are defined by the institute's vision to empower people and communities, in conjunction with their purpose of partnering with iwi, industry and communities to deliver innovative learning. The Toi Ohomai values were developed and launched in May 2018 following an extensive engagement and consultation with staff. The set of 4 values were named 'Toi Ohomaitanga' and include:

• Toitūtanga - defined by Toi Ohomai's staff and students courageous and humble pursuit of excellence
• Manaakitanga - Dedication to uphold and strengthen the mana of others and communities
• Whanaungatanga - Building and nurturing relationships and connections that enhance Toi Ohomai's purpose and vision
• Kotahitanga - Being united in the shared purposes and responsibilities of Toi Ohomai