娇色导航

Cathy O'Sullivan?

Hello welcome to 娇色导航leadership Live New Zealand. I'm Cathy O'Sullivan, editorial director in A/NZ for Foundry. On today's episode, I'm delighted to be joined by Tim Partington, who is Director for Digital and Technology at Skills Consulting Group. Kia ora Tim, thanks for being on the podcast.

? Tim Partington? Kia ora.

Thank you very much, Cathy. It's pleasure to be here. ? Cathy O'Sullivan?

Always a pleasure to chat to you, Tim. And I look, I'd love to hear a bit more about your career today. So tell us about, you know, how you got your start in it, and what some of your career milestones have been. ? Tim Partington?

I suppose, like some of theother people that have been on the podcast, I had an interesting background to land in, in digital and technology. I was heavily down the hotel management path several decades ago. And an opportunity popped up for me to join a technology company.

So I had a very much a decision to make, you know, one of those wide path decisions, which was, Do I further my career in Macau at the time? And working for the Hyatt group?

Or do I join the technology company, and I chose the technology company because it just was on the cusp of the PC age. It was exciting, it was new. And the opportunity just seemed quite incredible for career growth. ? Cathy O'Sullivan?

And where did you go on to then? ? Tim Partington?

From there, I was based in Australia, and I was working based in Australia and and I was fortunate enough to travel around the globe as a systems analyst, eventually becoming a senior systems analyst and met an array of of businesses and organisations whilst I was travelling around the world, implementing an ERP platform.

I think one of the highlights of that was implementing a system which effectively ran Hayman Island from marine craft, all the way through to their hotel bookings, then materials management, it was a one stop one stop shop on subsystem.

And it was quite eye opening to see the transformation of a an analogue island being converted to a digital environment. So an incredible time. ? Cathy O'Sullivan? Yeah, absolutely fascinating.

And I'm sure that experience that you've had in hospitality as well as giving you such a view of the customer and the importance of them customer service. So look, you're now director of digital and technology at Skills Consulting Group.

So tell us a bit more about the organisation, its purpose and what you and your team look after there. ? Tim Partington?

?I'll try I'll try keep it keep it as short as I possibly can. Skills has been around since 1992. It started its life founders and industry training organisation known as EI to it was the electrical industry training organisation.

And over the years, it worked with numerous businesses and member organisations to help grow the capability of all of their learners. So I was heavily focused on traits.

In a dozen or half a dozen years ago, the government decided to implement the roav initiative, which was the reorganisation of the vocational establishments, which is the genesis of what Te Pukenga was created to, to become.

And skills was one of the organisations as an ITO, that was due to either fold its services into Te Pukenga, or choose a different path, the board detainment determined that they wanted to create a training organisation and and as a result of that, they started acquiring training organisations.

Those then found us having acquired companies such as E tech, Ignite Colleges, Premiere Hairdressing, Soft Education, Harrington Vaughan about half a dozen different training organisations covering a different array of trades and corporate training services.

And so, as of the first of October in 2022 Skills Consulting Group no longer existed as an ITO and overnight turned into a group of training organisations. And so with a with a vision of being a global leader in maximising human potential. ? Cathy O'Sullivan?

So tell us then about your team and how you support the wider organisation. ? Tim Partington?

Well we had to go through quite a significant transformation programme. That team today is very different to what it was when I first took over.

We support all digital and technology capabilities of the organisation, including learning capabilities, back end infrastructure, all of the applications that support the operational components of the varying complex business units, short trade courses, detailed apprenticeship courses, we cover a vast array of remote training requirements as well as campus based learning capability.

? Cathy O'Sullivan?

So quite a wide range there. Can you tell us a bit more about your digitalization journey you said, you've been going through you know that that massive transformation. So what have been some of the key achievements in recent years? ? Tim Partington?

Well, we, I was very fortunate to be in a position to move our tech debt out of the way a lot of organisations as you, as you're well aware, have have struggled because of the tech debt they've had to deal with.

And so as a result of being able to move our tech debt away, I was in a position to build a brand new Greenfield infrastructure and application environment.

That meant that I could build applications that were current that were fit for purpose that aligned to the business requirements, that allowed us to essentially convert on one day into an entirely new organisation, albeit with a pretty tight timeframe. ? Cathy O'Sullivan?

So then, how do you align those IT initiatives with that overall business strategy mission of the organisation? ? Tim Partington? Definitely business lead.

Whilst we have whilst, whilst the technology group have to support the business, enable the business, it's important that we align our Business Support Services, to ensure that they're aimed at supporting the strategic goals of the organisation.

What's important for us is because we're an organisation with different services, we cover train training, we cover corporate training services, and we're also an EAP service provider.

So each of those, each of those service capabilities have different technical requirements, whether it be a large virtual training environment for the Corporate Services, or, as I talked about earlier, the in classroom requirements for the trade based training.

So we definitely ensure that our strategy, the technical, and digital strategy supports the business intent. ? Cathy O'Sullivan?

So when it comes to emerging technologies, then Tim, I know you've been experimenting with a few things. So what's your approach there? When it comes to things like, you know, AI, automation, Internet of Things? How do you approach that? ? Tim Partington? I'd say carefully.

We, we've got education requires a lot of rigour in its process to ensure that certifications are achieved.

So we need to ensure that the technology that we employ, supports the learning experience or helps accelerate the learning experience, and also helps us enable the business we've got to be we've got to have an environment that allows us to correctly tested to evaluate what technology is going to work correctly.

What technology is going to be of benefit to the learners, it's key for us to make sure that we assess each of the technology requirements, because in this day and age, the with the amount of change that we're dealing with, there is a lot a lot of demand to ensure that we're running with the latest toys but we can't always have the bright shiny objects immediately.

So in that case, we try and evaluate and make sure that they are fit for purpose that there is a valid business case that supports why would we want to implement that technology. ? Cathy O'Sullivan?

So then Tim can you tell us how do you balance looking at these emerging trends, cutting edge technology, all the stuff that's coming out? How do you balance that with the importance of also maintaining your existing IT infrastructure, legacy technology and systems. ? Tim Partington?

We're very fortunate because of the tech debt that we no longer carry, that we're able to build, a lot of all of our platforms were fit for purpose. So the new technology becomes iterative and not revolutionary.

And so how does the organisation evolve with the new technology versus executing a major transformation? We've already completed the transformation exercise. So now the technology approaches is, as I said, it's iterative.

It allows us to carefully assess the new technology, new technologies that are available, and align those two, will they will increase revenue, will they decrease cost? Will they create a better customer experience? Will they create better efficiencies for the organisation?

And so each of those are evaluated on their own merits, and how they will support the business transformation and growth strategic plans. ? Cathy O'Sullivan?

And of course, cybersecurity is always a hot topic. So tell us about your approach to cybersecurity, how do you ensure the security and privacy of the data in your IT systems? ? Tim Partington?

Security of customer data is is for me, quite sacrosanct. It's an absolutely critical element for us to provide confidence with our user community, our learners, that we are the gatekeepers and the caretakers of their information.

As an EAP service provider, we hold a lot of private and personal information.

And so it's very critical that we have very strong and secure platforms, partners and testing capability to ensure that we are absolutely at the top of our game, I have to protect the board, but I have to protect the executive managers to ensure that their liabilities are mitigated as much as possible.

So having worked in non bank finance, investor files, AML. It's it's critical for a business to make sure that that our customers data is really protected. ? Cathy O'Sullivan?

So you mentioned there that, you know, you use some partners as well, when it comes to cybersecurity, and I'm sure more widely than that, so keen to get your thoughts on, you know, from your point of view, what does a good partnership look like?

What are you looking for when you go to market and you're talking to technology providers? ? Tim Partington? Great question.

I recently had to do that as part of the transformation programme. And I said about our particular strategy number one, for me is Aotearoa.

If I can source a New Zealand organisation and company and service provider to deliver the services and platforms or applications that we need, then they certainly get to the top of the list. Size is also very important for me having come from a managed services background as well.

I understand the need to balance how important we are to a service provider and not just be one of the numbers.

So in selecting service partners, I look for indebting capability, customers engagement, alignment of values, and how important we will become in that partnership or and supplier buyer relationship over the term of the engagement. ? Cathy O'Sullivan?

Now your overall mission at skills is you know training and and helping people develop but really keen to hear about, you know, for you with your own team. How do you create that environment where you help people feel like they're growing and reaching their full potential?

? Tim Partington?

Well, as a training organisation, we have to we have to embody and live the values for our internal teams. So training and education of the internal teams is just as in coordinators, what we do for our external learners.

So I see, I always see an opportunity to grow individuals inside the digital and technology environments.

Some people will come in at particular levels, and it gives me a lot of joy to see them grow and expand, with training with challenges with exposure to different environments, cross collaboration, the development of a team and the development of of individuals through supportive and for me as a, as a servant leader, it's it's critical that they get the right opportunities to grow and succeed.

? Cathy O'Sullivan?

Great to hear, I look, the other thing that's really important when it comes to a successful team is diversity.

So we're really keen to get your thoughts on, you know, how we increase the representation in IT teams, are there any practical things that can be done to make it a more attractive career to minds of all kinds to people from different communities?

What are you thinking about when you're going out and looking at that ? Tim Partington?

it's a it's a constant challenge for all of us in the in the industry. And we certainly as as as an education, vocational education and training environment, look to understand how we can increase individuals capabilities, so do that they need to have an opportunity to learn.

And quite often, their socio economic or their family circumstances or their drink geographic locations. Don't enable them to go through a learning process. And I'm aware I, we were a huge fan of what the UK has done.

And in respect to the growth of apprenticeships, you can do an apprenticeship, you can become a lawyer via an apprenticeship, you can become an engineer, you can clearly do and it apprenticeship.

So the the ability to earn while you're learning and the old traditional apprenticeship model is now expanding enormously to enable individuals to access formal training services, while still hopefully being able to live their lives or support their families.

And so you know, there needs to be some flexibility, but certainly in the apprenticeship model, I think, creates an opportunity for diverse individuals to begin their IT journey. I'm really fortunate, I've got half a dozen.

Got a very diverse team, I've got half a dozen women in my team, I have individuals who are on Spectrum, I have an array of ages. So the diversity within the group is really, it's important to me, it's important to me that you have the right technical capability.

But that should that should be shouldn't be a limitation. Very, very much of diverse approach has to be maintained across the industry. ? Cathy O'Sullivan? Absolutely.

Absolutely. And some great points there and it apprenticeships, I think that's definitely something that we we need to focus more on here in New Zealand.

So look, what advice would you give Tim to someone who is aspiring to be a senior IT leader as 娇色导航or CTO or CTO? All the variety of titles that are out there?

What have you learned along the way that you would pass on to someone looking for one of those roles? ? Tim Partington?

I think don't be limited with your previous choices or your previous career.

There are so many paths to the the leadership roles within technology, whether it's you know, as you pointed out, whether it's technical, whether it's strategy, whether it's architecture, there are a lot of paths to to that, to that objective.

I certainly think finding a great mentor to work with to help you on that journey is important. Ensuring that you work with organisations that support your values and you work well to to get the best out of you.

I think that there is opportunities available to grow and learn. Don't lose limit, we can see those opportunities don't geographically limit them.

You'll be surprised how many people should or could leave the border, get a couple of years experience overseas, and then bring that experience back into New Zealand.

Super important that we foster the future generation of our leaders and provide them with the right support and mechanisms to to get. Absolutely. ? Cathy O'Sullivan?

And look, finally, what's important to you in the months ahead? Do you have any exciting in the pipeline? ? Tim Partington?

Yeah, well, I'll briefly touch on some of the some of the technologies stuff that we've got our IR skills is one of the one of the very few organisations that use HoloLens. In our learning environment, we use it in the plumbing, gas fitting and drain line, classroom environment.

There are a number of modules that the apprentices go through in a safe environment using that type of technology. But as you can appreciate, those hollow lenses are expensive and not really fit for purpose in the field.

So we've sat on looking at assisted reality units, and those units are used across the across the ditch or in the minds. Some of them are used locally here.

But the third, certainly a field fit device that allows voice command control of, of our camera, which means that a mentor, or an assessor can be in contact with a learner whilst they're on job executing an exercise, we can then use that to upload evidence of their competency into their learning management records.

And so we're exploring how do we create that efficiency and that engagement, given the difficulties in getting around the country nowadays, and certainly the time of travel, the time it takes to travel, the efforts required. So the assistive reality is definitely going to take a step hit.

And Gen AI is, by all means definitely on our roadmap, we see the the opportunity for things like in process or in flight, learning consumption that automatically adapts to learning difficulties, perhaps your first language is not English.

And so we'll be able to monitor that the questions you're taking a little bit too long to answer those. So we may automatically prompt for, for those to be translated to perhaps your primary language. So then you can then improve your learning experience.

And we don't have to create 27 versions of the same piece of text, we can convert that on the fly, so that you can create this bespoke learning path for individuals who, who where we can accelerate their where their learning is.

challenged, I think by language, we see lots of heavy lifting capability that Gen AI will take care of the development of complex training courses. So we're looking at how those can really create a an integrated learning environment for all of our all of our learners.

? Cathy O'Sullivan? That's very cool.

And I'm sure you'll have a lot more people signing up for those courses when they get to play around with assisted reality too. Tim Partington, Director of Digital and Technology at Skills Consulting Group, thank you so much for your time today. ? Tim Partington? Thank you, Cathy.

Really appreciate it.