About Omaka

Introduction

From its custom built facilities just a few kilometres west of Blenheim in the South Island, the centre is able to provide both classroom training and hands on training in all aspect of modern high voltage transmission and distribution line training. The centre’s location, with over 2000 hours of fine weather per annum, ensures that trainees are able to put the lessons learnt in the classroom into actual practice within hours of them being taught.

Extremely experienced and highly competent instructors oversee every aspect of each training programme and ensure that good maintenance habits are second nature to line trainees. The skills engendered in each trainee lead to on site performance, high productivity and safe working practices, when they return to their respective companies. As a result trainees contribute directly to their companies bottom line and reputation in the industry.

In addition a broad range of expertise in maintenance management allow Omaka to provide ancillary services including:

  • situation analyses
  • training needs identification and programme design
  • procedure and methodology analyses and design
  • specialist line maintenance expertise
  • project management expertise in training programme implementation.

These services which have been developed with significant input from the New Zealand electricity industry will satisfy and maintain the highest levels of skills and meet the most demanding maintenance requirements of the modern Power Company.

The Omaka Training Centre is a wholly owned division of Transpower New Zealand Ltd.

History of Omaka

Although an association with training dates back to the late 1950’s, Transpower developed the Omaka training centre in 1990 in response to the demand for more cost effective methods of line maintenance such as Live Line work. Initially established as a training facility for maintenance contractors working on Transpower’s high voltage transmission lines, the centre soon grew to begin to address the related training needs of Power Companies.

In 1992/93, with the assistance of several customers, distribution training lines were constructed on the Blenheim site and the first live line Distribution training courses were run. Since that time Omaka has provided training for Power Companies ranging from Invercargill at the bottom of the south island to Northland in the north island.

The training facilities have been progressively developed over the past eight years and now comprise modern well presented purpose designed buildings, an extensive range of specialist tooling, a flat site of over 43,000m2 enclosing over 40 training structures, representing a significant capital investment.

More about Omaka

Omaka Training Centre is:

  • a wholly owned division of Transpower NZ Ltd

  • an Electrical Workers Registration Board Approved Training Provider (1996)

  • an Approved Person authorised by Secretary of Economic Development to issue approvals for persons to carry out live work (1999)

  • an NZQA Registered and Accredited Training Provider (1996)

  • accredited to deliver and assess all Electricity Supply Industry unit standards to Level 5 (1996)

  • represented on the National Committee on Live Working (1999 to present)

  • approved as a training provider for the South Australia Office of the Technical Regulator in accordance with Regulation 28(2)(a).