New General Manager passionate about people

6 May 2026

From milking cows on his grandad’s farm in England to empowering people to grow their skills and careers in New Zealand’s primary sector, Primary ITO's Simon Croom is passionate about people. 

Simon Croom General Manager – Delivery

Simon is General Manager – Delivery, at Primary ITO. He stepped into this role in late 2025, overseeing delivery teams for agriculture, horticulture, food processing and primary services, as well as marketing and vocational pathways/schools. 

Simon grew up in Dorset, southern England, spending many hours milking cows and driving tractors on his grandad’s mixed dairy and arable farm. After leaving school he completed an honours degree in agriculture, before working on local farms and for contractors. A desire to work on dairy farms in New Zealand (and play rugby) led Simon to this side of the world in 2003, just in time to attend the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand later that year. 

He spent time farming in New Zealand before embarking on a twelve-year career in the fertiliser industry, working his way up to Key Account Manager. 

“I enjoyed seeing how corporate and large farms work and supporting farmers to reach their goals. In the later years it was more about how to drive a business, understanding and meeting customer needs, and helping people to grow in their roles.” 

In 2018 the opportunity arose to join Primary ITO as National Manager of Primary Services, overseeing a dedicated team looking after a diverse range of industries from meat, dairy, and seafood processing to rural services, equine, and tailored training for the likes of the SPCA and the Department of Corrections’ on-site farms. 

“A key priority is understanding industry needs by connecting with industry leaders and bodies. The world of vocational education is complex and ever changing, so it’s about understanding what is needed to help our sectors, and our part to play in that.” 

In June 2025 Simon took part in a Primary ITO succession programme enabling managers to step up into a more senior role to learn its complexities and gain experience, with coaching and support. 

“I enjoyed testing my leadership capabilities. I enjoyed the ability to empower our people to make decisions and drive the business.” 

When the opportunity arose to step into the role permanently at the end of 2025, Simon jumped at the opportunity.

“Stepping into the role of General Manager Delivery is exciting and I am looking forward to working with our delivery teams, the industries we engage with and embracing the future of workplace learning, with a strong focus on supporting learners and employers.” 

Simon with fellow senior executives, Cathy Puanaki (left) and Ginny Vincent (centre).

Simon believes that Primary ITO on-job training provides employers with consistency, especially for those with a nationwide footprint that are dealing with strict food safety and export requirements. 

“It’s about ensuring people have a wide breadth of knowledge, more than just the role they’re in … so they understand why things are done a certain way and why that’s important.” 

He is proud of Primary ITO’s work in local communities, including working with a local iwi-owned mussel factory in Ōpōtiki.

“Seeing this project come to life and the difference Primary ITO on-job training has made to the lives of local people is immense. Looking at where they’ve got to, the capability they’ve grown, and the retention and employment of local people in their community.” 

Simon with the Primary ITO team at last year's Ahuwhenua Awards

Another highlight was seeing dairy farmer and former Primary ITO learner Ben Purua win the 2024 Ahuwhenua Young Māori Farmer of the Year title, after overcoming a challenging upbringing to turn his life around. 

“Seeing Ben grow to become a leader within the industry shows where you can come from and where you can go (with vocational training).” 

He says the power of education and gaining a qualification – at any stage of life – is significant. 

“Gaining an entry level qualification like level 2 is a life changing moment for someone who struggled at school. It’s recognition of their capabilities and what they can do. 

“I love being able to make a difference for employers and their teams. Getting to watch people grow and see the changes in productivity, performance, and empowerment that training provides.” 

Outside of work Simon enjoys family time, and being active through running, swimming, and playing football.  

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