Win! MTA’s MITO Advocacy Pays Off For Learners, Industry

For years, members have told the Motor Trade Association (MTA) that the shortage of skilled tradespeople is handbraking automotive businesses.

The centralised system failed to produce the right number of graduates with the skills industry needs.

Now, after nearly two years of dedicated MTA advocacy, consensus building, and industry leadership, automotive sector training body MITO will emerge from Te Pūkenga and stand free as industry-owned on 1 January 2026.

Earlier this year, MTA Head of Advocacy James McDowall assembled a taskforce of industry stakeholders to present Government with a united and irrefutable case for training to be returned to industry.

This meant not only convincing the Government of the changes, but ensuring the many MITO stakeholders were united, consistent, and spoke with a single clear voice.

“Throughout the process, ‘Led by industry, for industry’ has been our guiding principle,” Dr McDowall says.

“It has taken a lot of work to get to this point but this is a huge win for industry.”

MTA members had strongly endorsed the step after the Government announced plans to break up Te Pūkenga.

“We’re equally thrilled that the transport sector will have its own dedicated standard setter, or ISB,” Dr McDowall says.

Under the new structure as a charitable company, MTA shares ownership of the organisation with over 10 other industry associations.

“As a charitable company, no dollar can ever leave the organisation. That means all funds will be reinvested in serving the industry that MITO serves.

“The altruistic approach that we decided upon from the outset has been crucial to keeping everyone aligned and supportive.”

Newly-appointed MITO Ltd Board Chair and MTA President Sturrock Saunders, says: “Our work programme for this transition was extremely ambitious and every objective has been achieved. Industry has successfully established a new charitable company; our application to become a private training establishment has been approved by TEC and NZQA in record time.”

In the short-term, it means it’s business as usual for MITO learners and employers. Long-term, it’s a big win for both.

The Motor Trade Association (MTA) was founded in 1917. MTA currently represents more than 4000 businesses within the automotive industry.Members include automotive repairers (both heavy and light vehicle),collision repair,service stations, vehicle importers and distributors and vehicle sales. The sectors represented by MTA employ over 65,000 people and produce $6.8 billion (1.9%) of GDP.

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