MITO held its inaugural Industry Summit and Awards at Wellington’s Michael Fowler Centre on 1 September, drawing more than 200 people from industry, government, education, and MITO’s employer and learner communities. Hon Shane Jones gave the keynote, and Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour opened the awards.
The biggest news for employers came from the Inspiring Futures Foundation. Trustee Lee Marshall announced that the IFF will fully fund the 2027 MITO Scholarship Programme with a $700,000 grant over two years — a substantial increase that allows the programme to expand while cost pressures are weighing on training decisions. “Each scholarship removes or reduces a barrier to the next generation entering the workforce — and that’s exactly what the IFF exists to do,” Marshall said.
Automotive winners
Reuben Halliday of Terra Cat NZ was named Learner of the Year – Automotive. While completing his Level 3 and Level 4 MITO qualifications, he maintained heavy equipment in Antarctica for the United States Antarctic Program. Jet Te Aho took Learner of the Year – Collision Repair after completing his apprenticeship and continuing into Level 5 structural repair training.
AMI Motorhub won Inclusive Training Business of the Year for pathways that have brought young people, Māori learners, women, neurodiverse students, and migrants into automotive apprenticeships. The Tranzit Group, which registered its first MITO learner in 1993 and has 20 staff in training across heavy automotive, road transport, and EV technology, was Training Business of the Year. Ashburton College took Secondary School of the Year, with its automotive students achieving near-100% pass rates in MITO’s StartUp micro-credentials.
Two long-serving industry figures were also recognised. Bob Boniface, owner of Auckland Panel and Paint Group and a former MTA president and chair, received the Chairperson’s Award for more than 60 years of contribution across business, governance, and the Collision Repair Association. Dave Pardoe received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Industry Training for over five decades in forestry, transport, and vocational training.
