On Wednesday 27 April representatives from the motor industry and education sector from around the country joined the MITO team in Wellington to farewell Peter Hancock, who has retired as Chairman of MITO's Board of Directors.
When Peter was appointed Chairman of the Board in 1999, he brought with him 30 years' experience in the automotive industry. Holding an ‘A' Grade qualification, he joined Nissan New Zealand in 1969, then progressed through technical, service and training roles to become a member of the executive management team. By the time he left the company, Peter was a Director of Nissan Datsun Holdings and Executive Director Sales and Marketing Nissan New Zealand.
"As a young apprentice I would never have dreamt that I'd become Chairman of MITO one day," he laughs, "but it does reflect my lifelong interest in education and learning. It's been fantastic to help make a difference in young people's lives - encouraging them to be ambitious and to dream big dreams."
For Peter, the highlights of his 12-year stewardship include the launch of new programmes and the recognition of high achievers. "It was always a thrill to present the annual ‘Apprentice of the Year' awards for our industry," he says. "I'm also immensely proud of our valued partnerships and the many milestones MITO achieved, from the State-sponsored apprenticeship scheme , the launch of modern apprenticeships, the ATech® and StartUp® programmes - and more recently our newly released automotive engineering programmes.
"It was particularly rewarding to see our WorldSkills automotive competitors head off to international competitions - then watch them come through the gates at Auckland International Airport with the biggest smiles I've ever seen."
Most of all, Peter says, he enjoyed working with the MITO team and the Board Directors. "They are all energetic, committed and passionate. They embrace change with the same enthusiasm they approach new challenges," he says.
MITO Chief Executive Janet Lane says that during his tenure as Chairman, Peter showed enormous integrity, enthusiasm and dedication to the industry. "He had a strong and compelling vision for MITO and he was steadfast that we would become recognised as a high performing organisation. He can be very confident that his legacy will continue."
David O'Kane succeeds Peter as the new Chairman of MITO.