Following in father’s footsteps at EIT sets student up for career in mechanical engineering | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

35 seconds ago

Braydon Gregory is enrolled in the NZ Certificate in Mechanical Engineering (Level 3).

Following in his father’s footsteps by studying at EIT, is setting a student up for a career in mechanical engineering.

Braydon Gregory, 17, is currently doing his apprenticeship and is enrolled in the NZ Certificate in Mechanical Engineering (Level 3) at EIT – the same programme his father Aaron completed in the early 2000s.

Braydon left Napier Boys’ High halfway through Year 13 this year with a very clear plan of enrolling in Mechanical Engineering (Level 3) and doing his apprenticeship at his father’s company, Gregory Innovations Limited.

He says that he is a third generation product of Napier Boys’, but that mechanical engineering has also been a part of his life since he was young.

“I’ve pretty much been doing it since I was ten, and then I got top of engineering two years in a row at school.”

“It was then that I decided that I would get a head start by leaving school early and starting the EIT programme. Dad then offered me an apprenticeship opportunity.”

As part of this apprenticeship, Braydon is working with his father on contract work for Dennis Glenn Logging.

“The work we are doing is working on big diggers, big loaders and trucks. It is a wide variety of work.”

It is a busy time for Braydon, whose family has a farm in Puketapu. Not only does he work as a part-time shepherd (he has his own dog) for a neighbour, but he also works at Pan Pac Forest Products outside Napier on a Sunday.

Braydon says that his career path has been planned from the beginning, including studying at EIT.

“My father said that it’s a really good place to learn all the basic skills that you’ll carry on for the rest of your life, like sharpening a drill bit.”

“He said that if you went into industry straight away, they would just overlook it and not teach you. At EIT, you weld for as long as you want to get it right before going out into the industry.”

The aim after he has studied is to eventually take over the family business. However, before then, he plans to go on an OE.

“With my engineering qualifications I will probably travel with engineering, so either go to Australia for the big shutdowns or over to America where they do big pipelines. But the aim is definitely to take over the family business and carry that on.”

Asked what he enjoyed about EIT, Braydon said that the tutors made all the difference.

“It is more than a job for them, they really enjoy engineering and passing that knowledge on to us.”

He has no hesitation in recommending EIT as a place to study.

EIT’s Head of the School of Trades and Technology said: “The engineering industry are a big supporter of EIT’s Mechanical Engineering programme and provide excellent graduate pathways, it is fantastic to see one of our graduates pathway into the industry.”

Dream of starting own business leads student to enrol in business at EIT | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

4 mins ago

James McKinley-Blake is currently in his second year of the Bachelor of Business Studies (Marketing and Management).

James McKinley-Blake always had a dream of starting his own business, so he decided to act on it by enrolling in a business programme at EIT.

James, who was born in Australia and grew up in Hawke’s Bay, decided to take a gap year to work in retail and ponder his future after completing his final year at Napier Boys’ High.

“I was really interested in the arts and science and thought that’s what I wanted to do, but when I got to the end of my final year at school, I was a bit unsure of where I wanted to go to.”

“I took a gap year to think about what I actually wanted to do before I hopped into making this decision. But during that time, I always had the passion to start up or eventually manage my own business.”

“I thought business studies would be perfect. I saw that it was advertised at EIT and I thought, why not? Let’s do it, see what happens and I’m really enjoying it.”

James, 20, is currently in his second year of the Bachelor of Business Studies (Marketing and Management) at EIT Hawke’s Bay and he is loving it.

However his time at EIT got off to a tough start because the programme started the day before Cyclone Gabrielle struck, and the campus had been closed as a precaution. The classes were moved online and then moved off campus.

“The lecturers were great. They handled it well and just got into it. But when we ended up getting back to campus, you could tell a significant difference with that interaction because, personally, I prefer that face-to-face interaction.”

“Personally, I didn’t know what to expect with the business studies. I did go to an open day and heard about it for a bit, but when I got into it, it was a lot more than what I thought.”

James says that he would have no hesitation in recommending the Bachelor of Business at EIT.

“I may explore the sciences or arts a bit later in life, but at the moment just to build a steady foundation for my business, the business studies course is really enjoyable.”

He says that he is interested in starting his own business within horticulture or agriculture, but is keeping his options open.

He says he is also open to continuing  studying and may look to do the Postgraduate Diploma in Business at EIT after he finishes his degree.

“James has already proven himself to be a conscientious student who is focused on his goals and impressed his lecturers with a positive and mature attitude,” says Russell Booth, Programme Co-ordinator for the Bachelor of Business Studies at EIT.

“He has also been discussing with me ways he can expand his experience whilst at EIT through applying for the Prime Minister’s Scholarship and has volunteered his time to help other students as a valued peer mentor. James is already making his intentions clear that he intends on taking advantage of every opportunity he can whilst studying at EIT and for someone like James, we are more than happy to help in whatever way we can!” says Russell.

Working in wine industry leads student to pursue mechanical engineering at EIT | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

1 day ago

Courtney Roff is currently studying for the NZ Certificate in Mechanical Engineering (Level 3) at EIT.

After leaving school early, Courtney Roff spent some time working in the wine industry, where she realised that the career for her was mechanical engineering, so she enrolled in EIT.

Courtney, 21, grew up in Hawke’s Bay and attended Napier Girls’ High, but decided to leave school midway through Year 12.

Not sure what she wanted to do, she worked for a time in hospitality, but soon found herself drawn to the wine industry.

She has spent the last three years working at the Hawke’s Bay Wine Company in Pandora and says that she has learnt a lot from the experience.

“I started not knowing anything and then worked my way up to being second in charge and running a night shift for all my last vintage.”

She considered studying Wine Science and Viticulture at EIT, but says she did not really want to be a winemaker. However, she received a wonderful opportunity when she was awarded a Woman in Winemaking Mentorship from the New Zealand Wine Association for six months.

“That paired me up with a lady who works at Wineworks in Hastings and I was catching up with her once a month for six months. I was in there to figure out what I wanted to do, and  Sophie, my mentor, was really awesome.

“It was there that I decided that I wanted to do engineering, so Sophie got me into Wineworks for eight weeks, to see if I liked it. I did so I signed up for the programme at EIT in July.”

That programme is the NZ Certificate in Mechanical Engineering (Level 3) and it will set Courtney up to still work in the wine industry, where engineering is required in tank building, presses or working on machines.

She knows she is now in the right place and is enjoying the mechanical engineering programme.

She says that while she realises that mechanical engineering is still male-dominated, she is enjoying her classmates and says her tutors are “awesome”.

“You never will get stuck as there is always someone to help you.”

Courtney particularly enjoys the fabrication course and says she is looking forward to completing the second year of her apprenticeship next year.

She is currently working part-time as a petrol attendant in Greenmeadows while she studies, but she is looking forward to beginning her new career.

EIT Engineering Tutor Patrick Doohan said: “As Courtney’s tutor, I’m proud of her positive start in the mechanical engineering program at EIT.”

“Her transition from the wine industry to engineering shows her determination. She excels in her courses, especially fabrication, and she always bring a positive attitude to her work. Courtney’s initiative in seeking mentorship and hands-on experience reflects her commitment to her future.”

Te Ūranga Waka Senior Lecturer honoured with Te Tohu Reo Māori Award | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

7 mins ago

EIT Te Ūranga Waka Senior Lecturer Hiria Tumoana (Ngāi Tūhoe) has been awarded the Te Tohu Reo Māori Award.

EIT Te Ūranga Waka Senior Lecturer Hiria Tumoana (Ngāi Tūhoe) has become the first recipient of the prestigious Te Tohu Reo Māori Award.

Presented by Ako Aotearoa, the Te Whatu Kairangi Awards celebrate outstanding educators who make a profound impact on their learners, their whānau, and the wider community.

Hiria, who will receive the award at Parliament next month, is overwhelmed by the honour.

“It’s amazing. They have a lot of people to work through. So, for someone like me, I must be doing something really good. I think I’m just really privileged and lucky to get this,” the 70-year-old said.

Hiria’s journey with te reo Māori began in Ruatoki, where she was raised in a community where Māori language and culture were central to everyday life.

Te reo Māori was her first language, and it has remained the foundation of her life’s work.

“For me, English doesn’t tell me who I am. Only te reo Māori does that,” Hiria reflects. “I will never stop teaching te reo Māori and hope to continue until my time is up.”

Hiria began teaching Te Reo Māori at Victoria University in 1977.

Since then, she has gone on to gain her BA Honours, train and examine translators for Te Taura Whiri i Te Reo Māori (Māori Language Commission), and co-design and teach te reo Māori on Radio Kahungunu and across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Her passion for revitalising the language has driven her more than 40-year career at EIT, first starting in Wairoa, and now at the Hawke’s Bay campus in Taradale.

Hiria is renowned for her engaging teaching style, which blends humour, tradition, and modern techniques to create an inclusive environment for learners of all ages.

She believes that helping students discover their full potential is her greatest achievement.

“I want them all to be successful and I want them to know their full potential. They don’t always know what they know but when they understand, they feel good about who they are and what they can do.”

Pareputiputi Nuku, Pouarataki, Te Uranga Waka, says: “Hiria is an inspiration to all staff of Te Ūranga Waka, the majority of whom she has taught over the years and now they themselves are teachers”.

“Congratulations Hiria as the inaugural winner of this very significant award. E poho kereru ana mātau i a koe!”

Ako Aotearoa Deputy Director Māori, Dr Joe Te Rito says the proverb, ‘Te puna o te kī, te whītiki o te kī’ describes Hiria most aptly.

“She is an authority on the Māori language, as a native speaker and linguist, and she has a special gift for teaching it. Hiria is an icon for her life-time commitment to the revitalisation and teaching of the language dating back to the 1972 te reo Māori Petition.”

Hiria Tumoana will join the 10 other Te Whatu Kairangi awardees at Parliament on November 4 at the official awards ceremony hosted by the Hon Penny Simmonds, Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills.

Funding and payments – MPTT

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

For the full requirements, see the MPTT funding conditions for the relevant year.
Funding mechanism
The Minister responsible for tertiary education issues the MPTT funding mechanism. The funding mechanism outlines the general form and essential components of the fund. It provides the mandate for the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) to allocate the funding and what the funding can be used for, and details how we administer the fund.
Funding is agreed off-Plan via a funding confirmation letter.
A TEO that receives MPTT funding is required to:

The overall amount of MPTT funding available is set through the Government’s annual budget process. We determine the appropriate amount of MPTT funding for a TEO through an off-Plan assessment process.
Funding allocation and payments
Funding allocations, including any amendments, are available through the My Allocations and Payments app on Ngā Kete.
MPTT funding is paid in accordance with your funding confirmation documentation, which specifies the amount of funding payable for consortium activities and/or fees top-ups, and/or brokerage services (as applicable).
For the calculation of indicative allocations see the methodology from the relevant year. The most recent information is at the top.
For more details regarding your specific allocation, please contact customerservice@tec.govt.nz or your Relationship Manager.
Fees top-ups and brokerage services (first 50%)
MPTT fees top-ups and brokerage services is paid in equal monthly instalments, except for the brokerage incentive success payment (second 50%).
Brokerage success (second 50%)
Brokerage success payments (second 50%) are made three times per year, based on the MPTT Actuals reports provisioned on Workspace 2.
For the TEO to receive the success payment:

the learner must achieve the successful outcome within 18 months of leaving the MPTT programme, and
the TEO must report the successful outcome through Workspace 2 using the provisioned MPTT Actuals template.

Both brokerage payments are made to the TEO that the learner first enrolled with.
Consortium activities funding
MPTT consortium activities funding is paid in equal monthly instalments.
Learner Support Funding
As of 30 June 2020, Learner Support Funding has replaced the MPTT Transitional Tools Grant. Learner Support Funding is allocated to each consortium. 
Learners have access to the support funding when they need it, as assessed by the consortium.
Consortia will receive the learner support funding via monthly instalments as part of their consortium funding.
We determine the amount of funding that each consortium receives by using the number of learners the consortium is funded for. Any unspent funding will be recovered.
Funding rates
This page provides information on the MPTT funding rates.
Interactions with Fees Free
MPTT interaction with Fees Free
If a learner enrolled in MPTT on or after 1 July 2020, their MPTT training does not count towards the use of a learner’s fees-free entitlement, or count as prior study. This means learners will not be disadvantaged by enrolling in MPTT initiatives.
Learners must meet all other Fees Free eligibility criteria to qualify to receive Fees Free.
See the Fees Free website for more information on eligibility requirements.
Fees free for learners who completed an MPTT course that started after 1 July 2020
If a learner completed an MPTT course that started on or after 1 July 2020, this study will not impact their eligibility for Fees Free tertiary education. If the learner has previously accessed Fees Free, and has remaining entitlement, they may be able to use this at a later date (should they meet the criteria applicable at the time of enrolment in further study).
Credits obtained from MPTT courses that started on or after 1 July 2020 are not included as part of the prior study criteria 60 credits limit. 
Fees Free for learners who completed an MPTT course prior to 1 July 2020
Any MPTT study that started before 1 July 2020 will continue to be included in prior study calculations for fees-free eligibility.
This table shows entitlement based on when a learner started MPTT

MPTT course start/end date

Outcome

Starts on, or after, 1 January 2018, and ends prior to 30 June 2020

This study will count towards the use of a learner’s fees-free entitlement.

Starts on, or after, 1 January 2020 and continues after July 2020

See table below.

Starts on, or after, 1 July 2020

The study will not count towards the use of a learner’s fees-free entitlement.

This table shows the proportion of a course that does count towards a learner’s fees-free entitlement use.

Course start date 

Percentage of course post 1 July 

Proportion of course that counts towards entitlement use

 1 January – 30 April 2020

 Less than 50%

 100%

 1 January – 30 April 2020

 50% to less than 75%

 50%

 1 January – 30 April 2020

 75% or more

 0%

 1 May – 30 June 2020

 33% or more

 0%

 1 May – 30 June 2020

 Less than 33%

 100%

Funding wash-ups
For the calculation of funding wash-ups see the methodology and technical specifications from the relevant year. The most recent information is at the top.

East Coast students get a taste of the future at successful careers day | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

3 mins ago

School students from the East Coast were given a taste of the future at a successful discovery day organised by EIT’s Education 2 Employment team.

School students from the East Coast were given a taste of the future at a successful discovery day held at Ngata College in Ruatoria recently.

The event, organised by EIT’s Education 2 Employment team, saw hundreds of students from the region get a chance to engage with tertiary institutes, pathway providers and employers.

Education 2 Employment (e2e) encourages the coordination and support of employers and the local business community to be involved in vocational education, employment and development opportunities for young people. The primary goal of the e2e programme is to help connect industry with schools so that students can identify possible career pathways.

Twenty-seven organisations were represented at the event in Ruatoria last month. While the event was aimed at senior school students, year seven and eight and even younger students also attended.

Among the companies and organisations attending to connect with the students were local and regional businesses, Government agencies like IRD, and educational institutes including EIT and others from outside the region.

Adrianna Wilson, Education 2 Employment Advisor for EIT Tairāwhiti, says that the aim of the event was to expose students to what opportunities were out there.

“We wanted them to see that there are local employers and ones further afield who can offer them a pathway to a career of their choice.”

“For an example, we had Mātai Medical Research Institute there, so if a student was interested in going into that career, what’s the pathway for them?”

School students from the East Coast were given a taste of the future at a successful discovery day organised by EIT’s Education 2 Employment team.

Adrianna says the event was staged in a way that engaged the students and got them interested in potential careers.

“Every employer or business had an interactive activity. Some had honey pots representing apiculture, civil infrastructure had roading games, the police services had drug goggles and were in their police cars. We also had a Media House there which did portraits of the students, STEM were there doing science activities, and we had the Department of Conservation discussing survival, trapping and other outdoor skills.”

“We also had a game where they were given a bingo card with symbols that represented each employer or industry. And they had to go and either ask questions or do the interactive activity and get it ticked off by the employer. At the end, they all got a prize if they filled their bingo card. They had to ask questions and engage.”

Adrianna says the aim is to make the event an annual occurrence.

“It is a rewarding time for both students and participating organisations as the students get to see what career opportunities there are and employers are exposed to the talent coming through.”

Consultation open on refreshed Response Framework for Educational Delivery and Performance

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

Last updated 7 October 2024
Last updated 7 October 2024

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The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) invites sector feedback on the refreshed Response Framework for Educational Delivery and Performance (formerly the Performance Consequences Framework) until 5pm on 1 November 2024.
The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) invites sector feedback on the refreshed Response Framework for Educational Delivery and Performance (formerly the Performance Consequences Framework) until 5pm on 1 November 2024.

We have refreshed and renamed the Performance Consequences Framework to reflect current context and policies. The Response Framework contains no new information; it describes our existing approaches for managing educational delivery and performance where they need to improve. We set out expectations of delivery and performance in a range of documents including Plan Guidance, funding conditions and technical information. 
We work closely with funded providers to understand the drivers for performance, and support and guide them to improve outcomes. Our first response is engagement; we only use other responses if necessary. Most providers will not need responses beyond BAU engagement because they already have good outcomes.
The Response Framework describes our options for managing educational performance and delivery, in three parts:

a set of principles that underpin all our decisions about responses, to help make it clear why we make these decisions
a range of responses we can take in relation to performance that does not meet expectations
sets of indicators, mitigations and contextual factors we consider when making decisions about responses. 

View the refreshed Response Framework:
Response Framework for Educational Delivery and Performance (PDF 202 KB)  
Have your say by 5pm Friday 1 November
To help us finalise a framework that supports a shared understanding between tertiary providers and TEC, we are seeking your feedback on three questions:
1. Are the components of the framework clear (and how could we make them clearer)? That is, do you understand:
a. what could indicate that delivery or performance needs to improveb. what mitigations and contextual factors can be considered in making a response decisionc. the range of responses availabled. the principles underpinning TEC’s decision-making about consequencese. when the framework applies and how it is used in conjunction with other frameworks (ie, which framework covers what types of decisions)?
2. Is anything missing from the framework (eg, other potential mitigations)?
3. Are the actions the TEC will take in responding clear? If not, how can we make this clearer?
Please send your feedback to customerservice@tec.govt.nz with the subject line “Submission on Response Framework” by 5pm on 1 November.
We will publish a final Response Framework for Educational Delivery and Performance so our approaches are transparent.

Consultation open on criteria for significant plan amendments and replacement plans

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

Last updated 7 October 2024
Last updated 7 October 2024

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The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) invites feedback on the proposed criteria for significant plan amendments (SPAs) and replacement plans (RPs) until 5pm on 1 November 2024.
The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) invites feedback on the proposed criteria for significant plan amendments (SPAs) and replacement plans (RPs) until 5pm on 1 November 2024.

TEC is required by the Education and Training Act 2020 to set criteria for significant plan amendments and replacement plans. 
It’s normal for there to be changes to Investment Plans during an approved funding period. 
The proposed criteria are intended to:

enable tertiary education organisations (TEOs) to make some changes without our approval
clarify when we need to approve more significant changes.

If a proposed change: 

meets the criteria, a tertiary provider must ask us to approve the change.
does not meet the criteria, a tertiary provider can make that change without our approval.

The criteria will: 

create more certainty for providers
allow flexibility, and 
reduce compliance.

There are two ways an SPA or RP can progress using the draft criteria:

a provider satisfies the criteria for an SPA or RP and asks us to approve any changes, or
we are satisfied that a provider meets the criteria for an SPA or RP, and we require them to reassess their existing plan with a view to changing or replacing it.

We are interested in your feedback on the proposed SPA and RP criteria. We would like to know whether:

the proposed criteria for SPAs and RPs are reasonable
the equivalent full-time students (EFTS) and hours thresholds for private training establishments (PTEs) are reasonable
the assessment criteria are clear.

Supporting information for tertiary providers
The SPA and RP criteria are secondary legislation, so we need to use legal language when we draft them. We have published supporting information to help tertiary providers understand the proposed criteria.
The document contains:

Frequently Asked Questions about the consultation
the key questions we’d like to hear from you about
a plain-language version of each criterion.

Supporting information on the consultation of significant plan amendments and replacement plans (PDF 413 KB)
TEC-funded providers and their peak bodies can provide feedback on the SPA and RP criteria by 5pm on Friday 1 November. Your feedback will help develop the criteria that works best for providers and TEC. Please send your feedback to customerservice@tec.govt.nz with the subject line “Submission on Significant Plan Amendments and Replacement Plans”.
We know there are a lot of demands on your time, but we do hope you can provide feedback. Feel free to collaborate with others or provide feedback through your peak body. 
The finalised SPA and RP criteria will be published in the Gazette notice.

Fee limits and regulations

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

Last updated 2 October 2024
Last updated 2 October 2024

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This page provides information about how fee regulations are defined and applied across the Delivery at Levels 1 to 2, Levels 3 to 7 (non-degree), and Levels 7(degree) to 10 on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF) funds. 
This page provides information about how fee regulations are defined and applied across the Delivery at Levels 1 to 2, Levels 3 to 7 (non-degree), and Levels 7(degree) to 10 on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF) funds. 

Fees are regulated in the tertiary education sector for courses funded through the following funds:

Delivery at Levels 3 to 7 (non-degree) (DQ3-7)
Delivery at Levels 7 (degree) to 10 NZQCF (DQ7-10).

Student Services Fees are also regulated for courses funded through Delivery at Levels 1 and 2 on the NZQCF (DQ1-2) fund, the DQ3-7 and DQ7 -10 funds.
For more information on fee regulations, see: