MITO Industry Awards
Celebrating excellence, leadership and impact in industry training across New Zealand.
Award categories
Know someone who deserves recognition? Submit an entry and help celebrate excellence in industry training.
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Find out about the process for nominating and key dates for entries.
MITO Industry Summit and Awards
The inaugural MITO Industry Summit and Awards is a national event bringing together industry leaders, employers, educators and future‑focused thinkers from across MITO’s sectors.
These awards recognise outstanding individuals and organisations who are making a meaningful difference through industry training—from building skills and capability, to supporting learners, strengthening pathways, and shaping the future workforce.
The MITO Industry Summit and Awards will take place in Wellington on Tuesday 1 September.
Awards process
- Choose the right category Select the award category that best reflects the achievements and impact of the nominee.
- Prepare a nomination Provide details, examples, and supporting information that align with the award criteria.
- Judging and assessment Entries are assessed against award‑specific criteria by an independent judging panel.
- Judging outcomes confirmed Nominees will be contacted with further information about next steps.
- Celebrate excellence Award recipients are recognised at the MITO Industry Summit and Awards event on 1 September 2026.
Key dates
- Nominations open: 13 April
- Nominations close: 3 July
- Judging concludes: 31 July
- MITO Industry Summit and Awards: 1 September 2026
Reasons to enter
- Celebrate excellence and achievement in industry training
- Recognise outstanding people, businesses and learners
- Raise the profile of vocational pathways and trades careers
- Showcase best practice and innovation across industries
- Gain national recognition as a leader in industry training
Award categories
Entries will be assessed against award‑specific criteria by a judging panel with industry, education, and training expertise.
Judges will consider evidence of excellence, impact, leadership, and outcomes relevant to each category.
Training Business of the Year
Recognises a workplace that demonstrates outstanding commitment to high‑quality, learner‑centred on‑job training. This award celebrates businesses that prioritise skills development, support apprentices and supervisors, and deliver strong training outcomes across MITO industries.
Supervisor of the Year
Recognises an exceptional training supervisor who demonstrates excellence in on‑job training, coaching and mentoring. This award celebrates leaders who create safe, inclusive learning environments and play a vital role in supporting apprentices and trainees to succeed.
Secondary School of the Year
Recognises a secondary school that shows outstanding commitment to promoting MITO career pathways and supporting learners into industry training. This award celebrates schools that build strong partnerships with industry and create meaningful vocational pathways for students.
Lifetime Achievement Award for Industry Training
Honours an individual who has made an extraordinary, long‑term contribution to industry training. This award recognises a career of leadership, advocacy and impact that has strengthened vocational training and left a lasting legacy across MITO industries.
Best Promotion of Trades Careers
Recognises an organisation or initiative that has made an outstanding contribution to promoting trades careers. This award celebrates innovative, inclusive and high‑impact efforts that inspire learners and raise the profile of vocational pathways.
Inclusive Training Business of the Year
Celebrates a workplace that demonstrates exceptional commitment to inclusive, equitable and culturally responsive training. This award recognises businesses that create supportive environments where all learners can succeed and progress.
Learner of the Year
Recognises outstanding apprentices and other leaners who demonstrate excellence in training, strong technical competence and professionalism.
There are seven separate awards for each sector to acknowledge the unique demands, skills, and knowledge required across the different industries: Automotive, Collision Repair, Commercial Road Transport, Extractives, Gas, Drilling, and Logistics.
LTSC Training Company of the Year
Recognises a Log Transport Safety Council member organisation that demonstrates excellence in safety leadership, workforce capability development, and industry training within the log transport sector.
This award celebrates companies that actively support MITO qualifications and LTSC accreditation, embed learning into everyday operations, and play a vital role in improving safety and training outcomes across the industry.
Entry conditions
- Entries must be made in good faith and, where possible, with the nominee’s knowledge
- Entries must meet the eligibility criteria for the selected award category
- Self‑nominations and third‑party nominations are welcome
- Nominees may be contacted to confirm details
- MITO reserves the right to verify information provided
- MITO may seek endorsement from the relevant industry association where appropriate
- All entries must be submitted by the stated closing date
- All decisions made by the judging panel are final and no correspondence will be entered into
- Information provided in nominations will be used for the purpose of administering the awards and related promotional activities, and will be managed in accordance with MITO’s privacy policy
- By submitting a nomination, entrants agree that MITO may use nominee and entrant names, images, and award information for awards-related publicity and promotional purposes
- MITO reserves the right not to present an award in any category if, in the judges’ opinion, no entry meets the required standard
- Judges and MITO staff involved in the awards process will declare and manage any conflicts of interest
Quick look questions
Does it cost to enter?
No—entry to the MITO Industry Awards is complimentary.
We want the awards to be accessible to everyone across our industries, which is why there is no entry fee. The focus is on recognising excellence and impact in industry training, without cost being a barrier.
Can I enter more than one award category?
Yes. Individuals or organisations can be entered into more than one award category, provided each entry meets the eligibility criteria and is submitted separately.
This allows achievements across different areas, roles or types of impact to be recognised appropriately.
Can I nominate someone for an award?
Yes, you can nominate an individual, business, organisation or school for an award.
Self‑nominations and third‑party nominations are welcome, provided the nominee meets the eligibility criteria for the award category.
Do nominees need to know they have been nominated?
Yes—nominees should be aware they are being nominated, as they may be contacted during the judging process to confirm details or provide additional information if required.
Who usually completes a nomination?
Nominations are welcome to be submitted by employers, supervisors, educators or others who can speak to the nominee’s achievements and impact. Self‑nominations are also welcome.
Contact us
If you have questions about these awards or the entry process, contact us at events@mito.org.nz or phone 0800 88 21 21.
