PRESS RELEASE

MEDIA EMBARGO: 4PM MONDAY 23 JULY 2012

Mayor Len Brown Launches Comet Auckland

New CCO to advance education for Auckland

COMET Auckland was officially launched as Auckland City’s newest CCO by His Worship the Mayor Len Brown today, at The Cloud on Queen’s Wharf.

COMET Auckland contributes to Auckland’s economic and social wellbeing by connecting service providers, sharing data on education and skills and by contributing to debates surrounding education in the city.

Through its new city-wide mandate, COMET Auckland will provide analysis, advocacy, coordination and collaboration to support more effective and coherent education and skills support across the entire Auckland region, especially those areas that are educationally under-served.

In front of a 150-strong audience from across the education sector, the Mayor outlined his commitment to raising learning and skills across the city and into the future. He acknowledged the role of education in the Auckland Plan and the importance of an education CCO.

“Improving the skills and opportunity of Auckland’s young people is at the heart of the Auckland Plan and at the heart of my aspirations for this city. COMET Auckland will play a crucial role in implementing that vision,” says Len Brown.

Susan Warren, CEO of COMET Auckland, also spoke strongly about the future of education in the city.

“With only 74 percent of students leaving school with level 2 NCEA, 6,078 15 to 17 year olds out of education or employment and a further 410,000 adults living with low literacy, it’s clear that an educated and engaged population is the only way Auckland can reach its economic and social potential. We can only do this if we work together.”

Stuart Middleton (ONZM), the Chairperson of COMET Auckland’s Board of Trustees, noted how the city-wide remit will mean the education needs of the whole city can be addressed in a more cohesive way.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment, Steven Joyce, Member of Parliament Dr Jackie Blue outlined the Minister’s support for increased learning and skills in Auckland.

COMET Auckland is welcoming stakeholders and interested parties to get in touch if they would like to discuss the way forward for learning and skills in Auckland.

ENDS

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