Powering kiwi households with qualified staff

20 October 2026

Todd Energy produces over a third of New Zealand’s natural gas supply from its onshore gas fields in Taranaki, with skilled staff completing in-house training and formal qualifications through Primary ITO.

Dion West, Training & Development Coordinator (left), with Jarad Mason, Operations Technician.

Kiwi-owned with 280 staff working in Taranaki, Todd Energy owns and operates several oil and gas fields, extracting oil, salt water and gas which is then processed into energy products including LPG, condensate and natural gas.

Natural gas provides more than 20% of the country’s primary energy supply, and is used in New Zealand households for heating, cooking and continuous hot water. Commercially, it is used to heat and power businesses, as a feedstock for methanol and urea production, and to generate electricity in gas-fired power stations.

The energy sector operates under strict regulatory and health and safety requirements, with high hazard worksites making it essential to have skilled and competent staff.

Todd Energy has partnered with Primary ITO since 2019, giving operators the opportunity to complete on-job training and achieve formal qualifications. Sixty-three staff have completed Primary ITO training, with another 26 currently enrolled.

Dion West is the Training and Development Coordinator at Todd Energy, charged with mentoring new operators and ensuring staff have the skills and knowledge needed to maintain safe and efficient production while meeting stringent health and safety requirements.

Dion says the Primary ITO training aligns well with their operator development pathway.

“Due to the specialised and plant specific operation that we work within, the Primary ITO training and our own in-house competency modules work together to provide a competent operator.

“Initially it enables our staff to gain specific competency for health and safety related topics. It then builds towards a complete qualification, as the operator builds plant knowledge and equipment operation competencies while also completing our in-house development modules.

“Operators are seeing the development pathway as a way of retaining intrinsic value during their entire working career.”

He says Primary ITO provides a supportive and connected training experience, with excellent systems to identify and support new learners who may have learning challenges. 

“They are interested in what we require, suggest the best options to meet our needs and provide regular feedback on learning progress. 

“Where we have had a specific training development need, Primary ITO have investigated and where possible delivered this through full New Zealand Certificate qualifications, Limited Credit Programmes or unit standards. 

“The Primary ITO qualifications provide a transportable skillset that has value within any processing operation in New Zealand or potentially further abroad.”

Operations Technician Jarad Mason applying his skills in the workplace.

Operations Technician Jarad Mason has completed the full Primary ITO learning pathway, from boiler operations level 3, to process operations advanced steam generation level 4, and most recently, process operations level 5.

Jarad splits his time between the control room monitoring the plant while ensuring product is being produced to meet client specifications, and the hands-on running, checking and testing of equipment and assisting the maintenance department.

He says the Primary ITO training has given him a better understanding of the industry and Todd Energy’s operations. He particularly enjoyed learning about steam generation systems, water treatment, and electricity generation.

“Learning about all the processes really gives you a good base of knowledge to then choose what areas you would like to focus on in the future,” he says. 

“The industry is constantly evolving and changing and there are so many processes to learn. The training has been great in building theoretical knowledge as my practical experience on site developed. It pushed me to dig a bit deeper into our site policies and procedures.  

“I’d definitely recommend Primary ITO training. I had good communication with Primary ITO and excellent mentoring from Dion. Earning while you learn is a bonus, especially if your company gives you the opportunity.”

Primary ITO sector manager Tanya Ingram says the energy sector is complex, with different operations having unique training needs.

“Our training programmes are designed to be flexible to meet the needs of individual sites. In this sector, it is critical that everyone understands what they are doing, how, and why, so on-job formal training plays a crucial role and complements what operators are already doing on the job.

“We really value the input of industry experts like Dion, for sharing their time and knowledge to help develop relevant training that delivers what the sector needs, while also directly supporting learners on their learning journey.”

Jarad Mason has completed the full Primary ITO learning pathway

Primary ITO training provides individuals with operational skills and knowledge required to work as control room operators and is suitable for those working as process operators in an energy and chemical plant, or those wishing to enter this role.

Find information about energy and chemical training (referred to as Enchem) on our website here. Or call our friendly team on 0800 80 20 80 to discuss your training needs.

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