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Source: Ara Institute of Canterbury
Headline: Students gain industry insight in Ara Introductory Food Processing Programme
Students in the first intake of theIntroduction to Food Processing Industry programme have just finished their first term at Ara Institute of Canterbury’s Timaru campus. This is a dual pathways programme, which enables students to spend four days a week at high school undertaking study for NCEA, and one day a week participating in the level 2 programme at Ara.
Source: Ara Institute of Canterbury
Headline: Ora King Salmon, NZ Rock Lobster and native seaweeds: tutors take on Singapore
17 Apr 2018
Ara cookery tutors will take the best of New Zealand’s produce and culinary skill to Asia’s largest International Food & Hospitality Event this month.
The menu has been refined to an impressive level of detail and finesse and trialled to a restaurant of diners who were treated to an imaginative and technically challenging three-course meal.
Mark Sycamore from Timaru Campus and Steve LeCorre from the Christchurch campus join Darren Wright of Chillingworth Road restaurant, also an Ara graduate, Marc Soper – executive chef at Wharekauhau, Wairarapa and Maclean Fraser – Executive chef at Bolton Hotel, Wellington on the all-star NZ Chefs National team.
The team is making their final preparations for the FHA Culinary Challenge at the Singapore Expo and Suntec Singapore from 24 – 27 April where they will compete against the best in the world.
Menu Hot Kitchen FHA 2018
Ora King Salmon, NZ Rock Lobster and native seaweeds
Pan seared loin of King Salmon with salmon and lobster mousse, NZ rock Lobster custard on flaxseed sable, honeyed bull kelp and quinoa muesli, Cloudy bay clam sauce vierge, pickled and pureed cauliflower
Pan Seared Breast of New Zealand Duck
With a confit duck leg, puha and potato roulade, butternut squash, cherry glazed duck liver parfait and warm broccolini, macadamia and sour cherry salad, pinot noir and liquorice jus
Central Otago Apricot Chiboust with Manuka Honey
Yoghurt and ginger Sorbet, lime curd, milk and lavender foam, vanilla roasted apricot compote and compressed apricots
Source: Ara Institute of Canterbury
Headline: Ara student wins prestigious engineering award
Van Dinh Nguyen, a 25-year-old international student studying a three-year mechanical engineering degree at Ara Institute of Canterbury has been named 2018 Student Innovator of the Year by Engineering New Zealand.
The prestigious national award, which is open to all tertiary engineering departments in New Zealand, celebrates a student engineer or group of students who demonstrate outstanding design in their final-year tertiary project.
Van had already received considerable praise for his project, a micro tidal generator which can work in rivers and in the sea, on both rising and falling tides. Engineering industry representatives awarded it the Industry Choice Award at Ara Institute of Canterbury’s annual Engineering Showcase event last year and it won best project poster at Engineering New Zealand’s national Metro group competition.
Rob Dantzer, manager for engineering programmes at Ara and Van’s project co-supervisor, says Van put in a great effort with his project and is reaping the rewards. “We help our students get to a place where they’re fully responsible for their learning and Van embraced this in spades. He took the reins and by doing so, gained exactly the kind of professional skills needed in the workplace.” Rob adds that Van is a prime example of the high calibre of individuals choosing to study engineering at Ara.
Van, who is from Vietnam, was thrilled to win the award and says it will always be something to remember. “It proves the value of hard work – you really do get out what you put in. It’s given me a lot of motivation to continue with my engineering career.”
Van says he chose to study at Ara because of its emphasis on hands-on learning. “Ara provides more practical knowledge than you get at university and the classes are small – only 10 to 20 students – so there are more interactions between students and tutors.”
He says his project equipped him with skills in time management, technical writing, organisation, communication and researching. “It also helped me to understand more about myself, such as my ability to solve complex problems,” he says.
Invert Robotics offered Van a job after seeing his project at the Engineering Showcase last year. He now works for the company as a mechanical design engineer while completing the last few months of his degree.
“My project impressed my employer and showed them my potential to be a good engineer. It demonstrated my ability to problem solve and think outside the box. It also showed that I have a deep passion for what I’m doing and these are all good things for their business.”
Source: Ara Institute of Canterbury
Headline: Art & Design graduates’ RAD collective
Ara Art & Design graduates are keeping their creative fires burning through the RAD collective. Their biggest exhibition yet, coming up on 13 April, demonstrates how Christchurch is embracing their innovative approach to making, showing and selling art.
The Under the Influence exhibition at Boxed Quarter brings together 18 of the collective’s creatives, RAD collective co-founder Becca Barclay says.
“Under the Influence is basically the launch exhibition we never really had,” she says. “We’ve had so much more time to plan it and get the whole team involved.”
Consequently, the public will get to see the full RAD experience as graffiti artists and street artists work on blank panels alongside projections and motion graphics with support from local DJs and RDU radio station. There will also be an exhibition in Beatbox, a component of the Boxed Quarter.
This is the fourth RAD exhibition, but Barclay’s original idea was to create “a collaborative, alternative, punk magazine”.
“My research project during my degree (the Bachelor of Design specialising in Visual Communications) was looking at alternative sub cultures in print media and that idea grew. Fast forward two years out of design school and I thought about it more and more. I rallied some of my buddies up and talked about the idea and I took it to Tim Brown (Operations Manager Art and Design at Ara) this time last year.”
Brown loved the magazine idea but encouraged Barclay and co-founder Jimirah Baliza, also an Art & Design graduate, to start with something smaller. With the collective already growing through friends and word of mouth, the creatives were ready for a first challenge. The challenge arrived, in the form of the King of the Square event in Cathedral Square. The collective exhibited, hosted the event after-party, sold T shirts featuring RAD designs and networked like there was no tomorrow.
Support from First Thursdays, supporting new artistic talent, and an artist in residence spot at Embassy store followed.
RAD collective members are passionate about carrying on creating. 11 of them are Ara alumni, predominately from Art & Design visual communications, along with two New Zealand Broadcasting School alumni, and one is a current student, studying fashion.
“You leave tertiary education and we are all lucky, we got jobs early on – I’m in marketing and I love it, nine to five is all good – but you stop drawing and being as creative.”
Brown introduced Barclay to the government agency Otakaro, which develops projects in Christchurch, and RAD was offered the design work for the launch of Evolution Square.
Barclay has been pleasantly surprised by the city’s continued support for young artists.
“We’re really lucky that our youngest is 19 (years old), and our oldest is 26 – I’m 23 – and people have been so receptive. That’s the whole attitude in Christchurch. We are known now as the young, alternative collective. We are all pretty naïve; you are not making money but that is not the point. There are some incredible illustrators so why not put their designs on T-shirts? Why not show work around town? We want to create an amazing environment.”
Barclay is clear that young artists need nurturing. She was fortunate to have good guidance even before starting her degree at Ara.
“Oh man, I had really fantastic art teachers in high school and I applied everywhere, but there was something so nice about still being home. I wasn’t ready to leave Christchurch and my family and friends here. I wanted to be graphic designer and I am so grateful I got into Ara. They showed me the way.”
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Source: Ara Institute of Canterbury
Headline: Volunteers ‘as important as our CEO’ says business student
Volunteering looks good on your CV, develops skills and makes a difference to people’s lives. If you have the time, then do it, says Devon Hamilton. Student Volunteering Week is coming up next week.
Running between lectures, meetings, and fundraising events is all in a day’s work for business student Devon Hamilton- and she absolutely loves it.
Devon Hamilton with four year old Mischa, a Ronald McDonald House guest.
“Working 25 hours a week and studying fulltime is definitely a truckload. But I’ve learnt time management skills and to how to prioritize,” she says.
Between studying for a Bachelor of Applied Management (Event Management/ Marketing and Sales) at Ara Institute of Canterbury, and working part-time as Fundraising Coordinator for Ronald McDonald House South Island, twenty-one year old Hamilton balances a busy schedule.
“I thought it would be good to get some volunteering experience to run alongside my degree, so I started volunteering with Ronald McDonald House this time last year. Then when the organisation had a reshuffle they designed the Fundraising Coordinator role, I applied and was lucky enough to get the job!” Hamilton says.
For Hamilton the desire to give back was personal.
“I knew about Ronald McDonald House because I stayed there when I was younger, and my brother had cystic fibrosis. We were one of the first families to use the facilities at the Cashel Street house.”
The third-year student credits the interactive learning style Ara delivers for aiding her smooth transition into the workplace.
“I noticed straightaway in my job that I was doing things I had been taught. It’s very satisfying when you find yourself applying knowledge and skills which you have learnt in your degree. It makes all your hard work just that much more rewarding.”
Hamilton says working with a charity opened her eyes to different ways she could apply her education, which she had not yet considered.
“When I first chose marketing I definitely pictured myself in a big corporate setting, however, I didn’t know all the different paths that marketing could take you. At Ronald McDonald House I work with a really small team, which is very collaborative and involved. It definitely ticks all the boxes for me in terms of where I see myself working in the future.”
Hamilton says it’s rewarding seeing the importance of the charity in the community, as a safe haven for families who have a child in hospital.
“You can bump into someone in the supermarket and they’ll say ‘we stayed there’ – that’s really amazing, just to see how many families we’ve been able to impact and provide for. That’s a highlight for me. It definitely proves why we’re here.”
Now that she’s seen the power of volunteering first-hand and from behind-the-scenes Hamilton is a strong advocate for others to volunteer, even if only for a couple of hours.
“It’s something that will be great experience for you and look really good on your CV. In addition, the flow-on impacts that volunteering can have are huge. As part of a charity I know that volunteers are literally at the heart and soul of everything we do. To me they’re as important as our CEO and our front of house staff. So if you have the time, then do it. It’s one of those things that you’ll never regret.”
The national campaign Student Volunteer Week will run this month from 16-22 April, to encourage students to give volunteering a go and to celebrate those who are already involved in making a difference as volunteers.
Source: Ara Institute of Canterbury
Headline: NZ’s longest tramp peaks near Timaru
Te Araroa track spans the length of both islands, running 3000 km from Cape Reinga to Bluff, but one of the most impressive sections is near Timaru, according to local outdoor instructor Sash Nukada.
“It’s an absolutely stunning tramp. Big open country, very Lord of the Rings. I love it because it is local but so inspirational,” Sash said. “You are getting good views the whole time.”
Every March/April, Sash takes a group of new students from the sustainability and outdoor education programme at Ara Institute of Canterbury’s Timaru campus into the wilderness, where the Canterbury Highlands meet the Southern Alps, on the Two Thumb Trail section of Te Araroa. He and first year students from the Diploma in Sustainability and Outdoor education in Timaru are just back from this annual pilgrimmage.
The trail takes three to four days, from Lake Tekapo to Mesopotamia Station and the Rangitata River. It boasts the highest point of Te Araroa, with the sweeping views you would expect at Stag Saddle, 1925m. For many, it is the highlight of Te Araroa, judging by the many blogs written about it.
When Te Araroa opened in 2011, it popularised the Two Thumb Track. Before Te Araroa, Sash would take his students to Arthur’s Pass for tramping adventures. It was only when he was looking through a friend’s Te Araora guidebook that he saw the ridiculously scenic Two Thumb Trail, and realised it was practically on his doorstep.
Still, he has yet to meet a student who has already done this tramp.
It is accessible without being a walk in the park, Sash says. No doubt his students are grateful for his years of experience as they traverse the high passes. “It is very exposed to the weather, and because it crosses ranges and the highest point of Te Araora, it’s not for beginners.”
The Two Thumb Trail is just one of the reasons Sash loves living in Timaru. “There are three rock climbing areas nearby, just seven, 10 and 20 minutes from Timaru; there’s a surf break next to town and another nearby; and the Rangitata River for kayaking, is just 45 minutes drive away. “It’s the perfect location for a sustainability and outdoor education programme,” he says.
Source: Ara Institute of Canterbury
Headline: Ara STEM champion takes students to space camp
Miranda Satterthwaite left for the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida yesterday, taking 40 students from five different South Island schools with her.
As the New Zealand space industry heats up, passionate educators at Ara Institute of Canterbury are inspiring youth to join in.
Miranda Satterthwaite is the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Coordinator at Ara Institute of Canterbury and the former high school science teacher knows, more than most, the importance of capturing the imaginations of young people early on.
Satterthwaite says research shows students either “switch on or off” to science and technology in their first two years of high school so it’s important to provide them with interesting, hands-on learning.
A recent Mission to Antarctica holiday programme at Ara engaged secondary school students in the science behind surviving on the icy continent, with parallels to surviving on Mars.
Space draws students to science
“Space is a really good theme that draws students into mechanical and electrical engineering and programming so we’ve developed a series of tasters that are themed in aspects of space or extreme environments so that students can try this hands-on learning for themselves.”
For example, one programme has students experiencing Antarctica’s inhospitable conditions in virtual reality and gaining an understanding of the challenges of exploring and living on the ice.
They use engineering and architectural design thinking principles and 3D printing to build geodesic habitats and energy systems for survival.
Satterthwaite set up the taster programmes four years ago says they’re exactly the sort of thing needed to ensure New Zealand’s space industry has a sustainable future workforce.
The idea is students who enjoy the tasters can move into the three-year Bachelor of Engineering Technology, Bachelor of Agricultural Studies or Bachelor of ICT pathways at Ara following high school – or sign up for other STEM-related studies at university.
“I did some research and NASA’s outreach programmes have lifted African Americans out of average-to-low results in science and mathematics in particular – and have shown over a period of time to really engage them and move them into engineering pathways,” she says.
Hands on programmes endorsed by NASA
“I think it works because it is hands-on, project-based learning … and there are role models in NASA. If you see the movie Hidden Figures that’s an example of how they have already got a number of really smart people that have historically worked there.”
Subject choices that start to determine a student’s pathway begin as early as Year 11.
“So unless they are starting to get some determination in subjects like mathematics and science by Year 11, they’ll go wide in a range of subjects and then they won’t have the engineering criteria.”
Taster courses at Ara for Years 9 and 10 include IT Girls, which explores gaming, the internet and robotics, Mission to Mars, Mission to Antarctica and Antarctic Ecobots.
Older students are invited to join courses titled Aerodynamix, Evolocity and Digital Technologies.
Satterthwaite says the STEM programmes at Ara are based “quite heavily” on United States curricula “because it has had a lot of rubber on the road”.
“It has been going for some time and there is data now over a 10-year period that shows adoption into engineering and sciences.”
“We can’t start from scratch; we have to be involved in a world-level industry.”
Students want to work in the Space space
Satterthwaite is taking 40 students from five different South Island schools to the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida and “space camp” in Huntsville on 5 April for 18 days.
“By the end of the year we should have quite a capture of students that have some understanding of the space industry and the qualification pathways needed to get into it.”
Satterthwaite says Ara has done well to support the programmes so far but there may be collaboration opportunities beyond the technical institute.
“We’re the only region with a vertical pipeline of programmes that lead into the space industry like this – right from Years 9 and 10 through to our degree programmes.
“It would be good to roll out these programmes nationally or to add to the portfolio with support from other tertiaries.
“Students want to be involved in this area. They want to study something that is about the future.
Satterthwaite believes the New Zealand Space Challenge, which aims to develop and apply space data and space technologies to current problems, is “coming at the right time” but believes it will “only throw up the very tip of the iceberg of people that want to be involved in the New Zealand’s space industry”.
Ara is running four workshops as part of the challenge on GIS, sensors, robotics and information data analysis.
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Source: Ara Institute of Canterbury
Headline: Optimism is the key, student rep tells graduation audiences
Student representative James Bradshaw presented almost 1000 students for graduation last week, and delivered his well-considered speech at the two graduation ceremonies, describing how his success had come after a steep learning curve.
He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do after high school and had a mix of subjects behind him. “I was recommended to look into engineering, so I did and the nature of the career being outdoors building stuff, along with the problem solving aspects, got me interested.”
Three years later after completing the Bachelor of Engineering Technology at Ara Institute of Canterbury, Bradshaw was snapped up by a prominent construction company.
“After I completed my final exam, the following week I was on an induction course and straight into work,” he said. “I am currently working at Fulton Hogan as a graduate engineer, which involves a one year rotation throughout various departments within the business. This is to build up my practical knowledge and get to know the guys on the ground. My schedule is to rotate through the maintenance department, the laboratory, construction in Ashburton, projects department and surfacing.”
In front of audiences of some 5000 people at the Autumn Graduation ceremonies at Horncastle Arena, Bradshaw acknowledged how the challenges of tertiary life had prepared all of the graduates for their careers.
“From this we can be proud, as we have grown from our struggles into knowledgeable professionals whom can helpfully contribute to the greater good of society. Whether that be building new roads to better connect communities, providing care to our sick and elderly, delivering music to brighten people’s moods, or developing art and choreography to entertain and inspire. All of us have chosen different paths in life, but we can all relate to a single purpose… we strived for knowledge to help people.”
He started his speech by thanking his tutors for their part in helping students succeed. “I’d first would like to send my gratitude to the tutors whom lead us down the pathway to our success. I, like I’d imagine many students here, take pride in belonging to an institution whose tutors are made up of people who take the time to get to know us, build upon our individual talents and whom aspire to mould us into conceptual thinkers.”
And he left the audience with uplifting advice: “Optimism is a key to everything. Displaying a positive and determined mind-set brings forth both positive interactions and positive events. You are the only person who can truly build and rule your destiny.”
It wasn’t easy for Bradshaw to adjust to studying and he had to develop strategies to helphim succeed. “Tertiary education was a major step up for me from high school, as I had very minimal study skills nor the discipline. Because of this, at the beginning of the course I struggled to keep up with the content and fell behind,” he said.
“It took me approximately a year and a half to build up my discipline and develop an effective study plan. Working part time and renting throughout the course of my degree took a big chunk out of my free/study time I had available, which really built up my time management skills. I spent a lot of my spare time in solitude in the library memorizing content for tests and exams, which was well worth the time.”
“Overall I managed to go from a C grade student to an A grade student, along with being awarded an industry scholarship. So I have come a long way and I’m proud of what I have achieved.”
Source: Ara Institute of Canterbury
Headline: Second time’s a charm- Scholarship supports adult learner
Luaono Siwatibau is able to follow her educational ambitions now that she has secured a Pasifika Higher Learning Scholarship for Ara Institute of Canterbury.
Returning to study as an adult-student Siwatibau has just secured one of thirty-eight spots in the highly competitive Bachelor of Medical Imaging, for which three-hundred people applied.
“Studying is a big self-esteem boost, it makes you feel good. For me, it just feels good coming back and relearning,” she says.
She glows when she talks about how Ara has supported her to reach her dreams.
“I’ve always had this course of study in the back of my mind, and then the opportunity came up. I was extremely happy when I got the scholarship. I thought, yes I don’t have to pay! It makes a big difference,” she says.
Born into a big Samoan family, Siwatibau moved to New Zealand in 1985 with her parents and six siblings. She finished high school here before going on to study a year of a Bachelor of Science at university.
Reflecting on her first tertiary experience Siwatibau says, “I was the only one of us siblings to go to university when we first came, so my parents were very supportive of me. At the time I was in my early twenties and I was much more focused on having fun than studying.”
When Siwatibau left university without a qualification, she found work as a factory hand; a role which she held for ten years, before stopping work to have her daughter, who is now twelve.
With her daughter now nearing high school, Siwatibau is ready to tackle a new challenge.
“Since my daughter started school I’ve been helping out at her school, and I think by seeing her grow and develop I decided that I have to follow my dreams too. It’s a good example for me to be able to say to my child ‘Look at me, I’m doing this’.”
Siwatibau has already seen the positive impact of her actions on her daughter. “She’s proud of me, which is really nice. She’s quite driven herself. She’s already been a member of the Special Orchestra in the Christchurch Music Festival for two years, and now she’s in the process of applying for a scholarship for the Burnside High School special music programme. So hopefully she gets that.”
Siwatibau first came to Ara last year to study a six-month Pre-Health course, through the Pasifika Trades Training Scholarship. Now her Pasifika Higher Learning Scholarship will pay the fees for the first year of three-year degree.
On Wednesday 28 March, Ara Chief Executive Tony Gray will present Siwatibau with her scholarship in a Celebration Event at Te Puna Wānaka. Ara has invited Siwatibau to speak at the event on behalf of the sixty scholarship recipients.
“Finding this scholarship was so rewarding. I have my daughter, I have my family, and I have finished all my mucking around. Now when I come to study I’m focused, I’m here.”
In 2010 Siwatibau took on the responsibility of caring for and housing a friend with a brain injury, and supported him through the full recovery process. It was during this journey that Siwatibau happened upon the career of Medical Imaging.
“When he came out of the hospital ACC couldn’t pay for him so Nightingale came to me and asked if I could take him in. I really felt for him. His partner had died in the car crash and he didn’t have any family to go to in Christchurch. I was worried about having him live with us because people with brain damage can be unpredictable. I said we’d try it for a year. He stayed for almost three.”
“We had to visit the hospital for his X-rays and I got to learn about his injuries through the lens of the health system. I thought ‘I would like to learn about this’. For me it was quite rewarding to see him getting back on his feet.”
“I think that’s maybe why I got the scholarship. I had to write about why I wanted to do this course, and I wrote about him.”
Siwatibau is aiming for top grades so that she can try for another scholarship next year.
She considers her family as her biggest support structure, which will be great to rely upon as she spends the next two years living between Timaru, Christchurch and other New Zealand locations for work placements.
“I have the full support of my family, my husband, my siblings, and my study buddy Anaseini Masara. All I have to do is pass, and move onto the next year. You can succeed in anything you do if you put your mind to it.”
Source: Ara Institute of Canterbury
Headline: Six scholarships engage CRFU players in studying
28 Mar 2018
Six Canterbury club rugby players will receive their Ara scholarship certificates this Wednesday 28 March.
The players, all from different Canterbury clubs, are studying certificates in trades, a diploma in engineering and a degree in quantity surveying thanks to an agreement between Canterbury Rugby Football Union (CRFU) and Ara. A key part of the agreement are scholarships, up to a total value of $40,000, which are open to any player who is a registered member of an affiliated CRFU club.
The scholarships were created as part of a new three-year community partnership between the CRFU and Ara to engage young players in tertiary education, provide professional development opportunities to club rugby office staff and offer access to high performance training facility The Zone at Ara for the Canterbury U19, Women’s and Māori representative teams.
The players being awarded scholarships are Korbyn Gray from Saracens, Harrison Proctor from Ashley RFC, Richard Sooaemelelagi from Waihora RFC, Tafesilafa’I Lalaoilo from New Brighton RFC
Adam Bignell from Sydenham RFC and Ieuan McLeod from CRFU.
Find out more: CRFU scholarships at Ara