The national organisation aims to bring together on-the-job, on-campus and online vocational education and training through a network of regional providers.
Te Pukenga chairman Murray Strong said the proposed operating model provided a high-level view of the functions and services needed to meet the needs of learners, their whanau and employers.
"It gives us a foundation for change so that we, as a network, can achieve the goals of the Reform of Vocational Education.
"The model breaks down the system into its core components and that’s what we’re talking about.
"Early next year, we’ll talk about organisation design — how we put those core components together — and then organisation structure — how individual teams are inter-related and contribute to the whole organisation."
He said the proposed operating model included strategic functions; enabling functions; and teaching, learning, support and navigation functions.
"Strategic functions interact with and support other parts of the network and system to form strategic insights and embed the network’s strategic direction.
"They identify opportunities for innovation, measure the impact of initiatives and interventions, and the network’s performance.
"Enabling functions sustain the other functions, and information flows between them to enable quality, certainty and consistency across the network.
"Bringing together these core enabling functions also drives efficiencies and reduces duplication within the network.
"Teaching, learning, support and navigation functions determine how we interact directly with our learners, their whanau, and employers to deliver high quality education and effective holistic wellbeing support and empowerment."
He said Ako (learning) networks would bring knowledge, skills and competencies to support learners, as well as learner support and engagement, accessibility support, equity and Te Pae Tawhiti — Te Tiriti Excellence.
Otago Polytechnic chief executive Dr Megan Gibbons welcomed the proposed operating model.
"It is an important foundational document that sets the template for how we work together in the future.
"Feedback will be used to help confirm the final operating model, which will then guide our future conversations about Te Pukenga’s governance structure, regional boundaries and organisational structure."
Engagement begins today and runs until November 8.
