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Top award caps successful study at EIT for former Business Studies student | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

16 mins ago

Amy Saunders has capped off her Bachelor of Business Studies degree at EIT by graduating with a top award.

Amy Saunders has capped off her Bachelor of Business Studies at EIT by graduating with a top award.

Amy had been in Canada since January for a working holiday, but rushed back to attend the graduation ceremony at the Napier Municipal Theatre earlier this month.

Amy, who was awarded EIT’s Margaret Hetley Scholarship in her first year, rounded off her degree by walking off with the TRACTA Award for Academic Excellence in the EIT Bachelor of Business Studies (Marketing).

“After finishing my degree, I thought I’d have a little break and decided to go over to Canada. It was just to try something different.”

Amy says she was “super grateful” to receive the award, sponsored by TRACTA.

“My degree has been quite disrupted, like everyone else, but with COVID and then the cyclone. Being able to keep myself accountable throughout all of that disruption and still graduate and get the grades that I was after, was really cool.”

“This award is very validating after quite a hectic degree.”

Amy is now focussed on finding a role in marketing in Hawke’s Bay or elsewhere and getting her career started.

“I’m pretty open to anything. I do love to travel, so I think it would be exciting if I did find something overseas that worked, but yeah, I love New Zealand, and Hawke’s Bay is always home.”

EIT initially wasn’t on Amy’s radar when she was head girl at Karamu High School, with the plan being to go to the University of Auckland to do a Bachelor of Global Studies.

“I paid for everything and got into my hall, and then realised that I didn’t want to do that.”

“I withdrew from the course and went and volunteered in Southeast Asia for six months and then came back and thought that I was actually ready to study. I chose EIT, because it was at home, and I could sort of get straight into everything without having to pick up my whole life again and move. “

Another motivating factor was studying for a degree she wanted to do.

“I’ve got a creative mind, but also enjoy the academic side of things. The marketing major offered both of those things and could give me what I wanted all in the one degree.”

“I had a great time, really enjoyed studying, and the topics that we covered and the lectures were great, too.”

Not only did she enjoy the programme, but she also made friends who she still keeps in touch with.

“Throughout all of the disruption, there was always support, and it was a really nice environment while there was so much uncertainty with COVID-19 and the cyclone as well.”

“I feel that it was two-way support. It was the first time for a lot of our lecturers that this kind of thing was happening, and same for the students, so we were all in it together.”

Amy is keen to get into the workforce, but does not rule out studying further at some stage. One thing is certain, she will recommend EIT to people.

“It’s not a huge university, you don’t get lost and made into sort of a number. You are treated as a person, and people know you by name and remember things about you. And I think that that’s really unique about EIT, and I personally felt really looked after throughout my whole degree.”

Amy’s drive and ambition is also reflected in her sporting achievements. Amy captained the under 18 canoe polo women’s team who won gold at the Oceania Championships in 2017. In 2019, she competed in the waka ama sprint nationals.

Kurt Sandtmann, Managing Partner of TRACTA commended Amy on her achievements in both graduating and receiving top honours for her degree in business.

“It is energising to see such strong, ambitious marketing talent such as Amy coming from within the Hawke’s Bay region. TRACTA are proud be able to support her through EIT.”

John West, the Head of EIT’s Schools of Business and Accounting, said: “Amy is another outstanding graduate, completing her studies through the EIT School of Business.”

“Her resilience like so many others, coupled with her drive to preform at the highest level, has seen Amy not only awarded top graduate awards but provided an outstanding pathway into her career.”

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Third time graduating for former EIT student, but still just as exciting | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

12 hours ago

Rebecca Dames graduated with a Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting from EIT and also received an award for the top student in the Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting.

Rebecca Dames graduated for the third time when she crossed the floor to receive her Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting from EIT earlier this month , but says it was still just as exciting as the first time.

Not only did Rebecca, 34, graduate at the Napier Municipal Theatre, but she also received an award for the top student in the Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting.

Rebecca’s journey through academia began after she finished school at Iona College in Havelock North, she went to the University of Canterbury where she completed a Bachelor of Science. She then moved across to Australia where she did a Masters in Library Management at the University of South Australia.

After that she came back to New Zealand and worked as a librarian at Lincoln University for five years before she went on an OE to the UK for two years.

Not wanting to go back into the library, Rebecca decided to rekindle a love of numbers by pursuing the Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting at EIT.

“My Bachelor of Science was in Mathematics, so I’ve always been very good with numbers, but I’d never actually taken accounting. I never did it at high school or anything, but I just knew that I was good at numbers, so I thought it was probably going to be a good fit.”

And so it turned out to be. However, the road to achieve her graduate diploma did have some obstacles, firstly with COVID-19 and also never having done accounting before.

“Because of this, the diploma was two years as I had to do the prerequisite papers. And I was also working for my family at the same time, so I went on and off full-time, so it took me two years.”

It got worse as she found herself and her family affected quite badly by Cyclone Gabrielle.

“I’m actually off an orchard in Fernhill . It’s not where we live, thankfully, but it’s just the apples. It was a little bit stressful trying to get things sorted at the same time. But after COVID-19, we’d gotten used to working online, so it was just more of the same really, attending online lectures.”

The family has recovered from the Cyclone, but Rebecca still remembers the feeling of going back to study after so many years.

“I was a bit nervous about it, but I was so grateful that EIT had such small class sizes because all the teachers knew me.”

“It’s so personal, that just made it so much easier. And also, I said to myself, ‘Okay, if we’re going to do this, if I’m going to change careers completely, commit to being poor for a couple of years while I study, I might as well do it properly,’ which is why I said to myself, ‘Let’s get an A in everything,’ and I did. I was really proud with that.”

Rebecca is now working as an auditor at PwC and working toward becoming a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA).

“My future goals are to get my CPA, and then I’m going to stick with audit for a while and really get to know that, because audit gives you such a great overview of all the areas of accounting.”

As for her time at EIT, Rebecca has no hesitation in recommending the programme to others.

“It’s great that it’s local in Hawke’s Bay, and it’s really good that you can work and study at the same time because of the way the timetable is set up.”

The Head of the EIT School of Business and Accounting John West said: “EIT is delighted to see Rebecca continuing our tradition, with strong accounting graduates heading into excellent jobs within Hawke’s Bay.”

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Friendship cultivated through Master of Professional Practice at EIT | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

Georgia Dick (Ngāti Kahungunu) and Lisa Harrington have graduated with a Master of Professional Practice with Distinction at EIT.

Lisa Harrington and Georgia Dick (Ngāti Kahungunu) have graduated with a Master of Professional Practice with Distinction at EIT, but their association will continue long after thanks to a friendship developed through study.

Lisa, a Social Worker and National Practice Design Advisor at Oranga Tamariki, and Georgia, an Advanced Practitioner Respiratory Physiotherapist at Te Matau a Māui Hawke’s Bay, first met while studying the Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Supervision (Level 8) in 2021.

Neither of them thought they would end up completing their masters, but both credit one another for getting through it. Coming from different fields was particularly beneficial.

“I don’t think I would have gotten through it without Lisa,” Georgia admits. “Neither,” Lisa says.

Brunches became a staple of their study.

“The good thing about Georgia and I is, I’d have a panic and she’d be calm and then she’d have a panic and I’d be calm. And so we could actually message each other and then we’d go out for brunch and we’d go to the library or stuff like that. And we’d do a little bit together and then get on track. It was easier to do with Georgia.”

While supervision is a core part of Social Work, it is not mandated for Physiotherapists, but equally as important.

“I’ve been a supervisor in the organisation for ages, but there was a group of us from Oranga Tamariki at the time that went and did the supervision certificate together. I just wanted to explore different models and different ways of doing supervision and reignite that passion for it,” Lisa says.

Lisa, 50, graduated with a Bachelor of Social Work at Massey University more than 20 years ago, but through that degree had to complete some papers at the EIT Hawke’s Bay Campus in Taradale.

Georgia, 29, graduated from the School of Physiotherapy at the University of Otago in 2016.

Both are from the South Island but ended up moving to Hawke’s Bay several years ago.

“I had kind of wanted to always do my masters, but I do a subset of physiotherapy – respiratory physio and critical care – and there isn’t a lot of specific masters available for that. So I kind of got into it accidentally through the professional supervision and then realised that was a third of the way towards my masters, so thought ‘well, I’m this far in, let’s try.”

Lisa says the masters has been “life changing”.

“It’s been a life-changing situation for me with the topics that I chose to research and the critical reflections that I did. It’s been a professional and personal journey for me. Nothing but beneficial.”

Georgia says the learnings from her study gave her the skills and confidence to go for a three month secondment as one of the Physiotherapy Critical Care Educators in the Central Region, which encompasses Hawke’s Bay, Palmerston North, and Wellington.

It was a similar situation for Lisa, who recently was promoted from Practice Leader for Oranga Tamariki’s Hastings site to National Practice Design Advisor.

“It helped me to apply for a different job to pursue the same kind of things that I’ve been doing, but that’s what’s contributed to my study as well.”

Georgia believes the programme is “underrated”.

“The ability to write your thesis on whatever you want was really interesting because I actually wrote mine on resources for healthcare workers after a disaster essentially after the cyclone. And there’s no way I would have been able to do that with any of the other kind of big masters.”

Lisa says: “I think that the way that it’s set up with the critical reflection, the types of professions that go into that masters potentially are ones that need to have self-critical reflection but don’t have the time because they’re quite high-pressured, stressful jobs. You can see from everybody through critical reflections how much stronger people are in their professional selves.”

They both speak highly of the lecturers.

“Heaps of credit goes to the tutors because they really just create space for you to explore areas. They don’t force you down a path, which can be kind of scary if you want some guidance about it. But actually, the end result when you think about it afterwards is it’s all your work. It’s not influenced by other people and it’s how you want to write it.

“And I think that it takes a special skill to be able to do that.”

Mandy Pentecost, Programme Coordinator of the School of Education and Social Sciences Postgraduate Programmes

“Being a part of  Lisa and Georgia’s masters journey  has been a privilege. Lisa and Georgia exemplify the commitment and determination our postgraduate students bring to their study, and their willingness to dig deep into the assumptions underpinning their practice. We wish them well as they take up their new roles.”

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Celebrations as EIT Hawke’s Bay students graduate after tough years | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

6 mins ago

More than 320 graduates received their diploma, degree or postgraduate qualifications at two ceremonies held at the Napier Municipal Theatre today.

There was an air of celebration in Hawke’s Bay as students from EIT graduated after a tough few years due to the devastation caused by Cyclone Gabrielle, and COVID-19.

More than 320 graduates received their diploma, degree or postgraduate qualifications at two ceremonies held at the Napier Municipal Theatre today. In total EIT awarded 813 diplomas, degree and postgraduate qualifications to Hawke’s Bay based learners who completed their studies last year. 

The first ceremony, held in the morning, saw graduates from the Centre for Veterinary Nursing, IDEAschool, Te Uranga Waka, Schools of Education and Social Sciences, Primary Industries, Tourism and Hospitality, Trades and Technology, and Viticulture and Wine Science graduate.

The afternoon saw graduates from the Schools of Business, Computing, Health and Sport Science, and Nursing cross the stage.

Attending both ceremonies were Andrew McSweeney, Te Pūkenga Deputy Chief Executive – Learner & Employer Experience and Attraction and Kieran Hewitson, Te Pūkenga Tumu Whenua ā-Rohe 2 | executive director. Napier MP Katie Nimon was also in attendance.

Glen Harkness, EIT Executive Director Operations, congratulated all those who graduated.

“It’s great to see these students succeed after some challenging years with the move to online because of COVID-19 and Cyclone Gabrielle. These students can take pride in how they overcame that to achieve their diplomas, degrees, and postgraduate qualifications.”

He thanked the lecturers and tutors involved for all their hard work as well.

“Once again EIT | Te Pūkenga is seeing a talented cohort graduating, which is a testament to the high quality programmes that we offer across the board. We have no doubt that these graduates will go on to make a mark in their chosen careers.”

A graduation ceremony was held for the Tairāwhiti Campus in March, while students at the Auckland campus of EIT will graduate on May 28.

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Move from Dubai to be near sister culminates in former EIT student graduating with top award | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

6 hours ago

Chirag Patel will receive the Top Graduate Diploma in Business Student award when he graduates at the Napier Municipal Theatre tomorrow.

Chirag Patel moved from Dubai to be near his sister and it is a move he does not regret as he is set to graduate from EIT with a top award this week.

Chirag, who is 27, was born in India but grew up in Dubai, where he obtained a Bachelor of Engineering at the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani in Dubai. He also worked there for nearly five years as a sales manager for a building automation and fire safety company, but decided that he wanted a change of pace. He decided that he wanted to study further in New Zealand and EIT became his chosen destination because his sister, Shital, lives in Hawke’s Bay.

Chirag Patel will receive the Top Graduate Diploma in Business Student award when he graduates at the Napier Municipal Theatre tomorrow (Friday 12 April).

But it was a yearning for a change of pace that led him to Hawke’s Bay.

“I was not really happy with the entire work culture in Dubai. It’s quite fast-paced and it’s not really secure.”

“It was good to be near my sister because my parents live in Dubai and I am fond of being around family.”

Chirag could have been at EIT earlier and was all set to come to EIT when COVID-19 hit and New Zealand shut its borders.

“ I got my student visa as well, and I was enrolled in EIT. And unfortunately my flight, which was scheduled for March 23rd, 2020, was cancelled because the borders were shut on 19 March.”

His troubles were not finished because when he arrived at EIT, studies moved online because of Cyclone Gabrielle.

“Cyclone Gabrielle happened in the second semester of my studies, so I only had one course which was done online and rest of my credits were through a business internship. I was working at Specsavers in Hastings.”

Since completing his degree, Chirag has moved on to ABB, at Hawke’s Bay Airport where he works as a planner.

But for now, his focus is on graduating on Friday, where his sister and colleagues from work will be in attendance as support.

“This is the second time I’ll be wearing the whole regalia and everything, so I’m quite keen on doing it once more.”

Chirag has no hesitation in recommending the Graduate Diploma in Business at EIT.

“I would say that it’s a great pathway for someone to actually come into New Zealand and understand the work culture, which was really, really important for me. Since I come from a different business landscape, it was quite important for me to come to a different country, see how the landscape differs over here.”

Russell Booth, Senior Lecturer and Programme Co-ordinator – Business at EIT, said: “Chirag made a big impression within the first few days of starting his Graduate Diploma. He was enthusiastic to learn everything he could from his lecturers and all commented on his enthusiasm, his ability to learn things quickly and his very personable nature.”

“There is no doubt he thought carefully about the work-based internship in the second semester of his Graduate Diploma to ensure he was setting himself up for a sustainable career here in Hawke’s Bay. It was no surprise when he landed an excellent role at ABB from which he can develop. His aptitude to be the best he can has also made an impression at ABB and his future there seems very bright indeed!”

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EIT Valedictorian happy to be graduating after tough times during degree | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

2 mins ago

Travis Sumner will graduate as one of two EIT Hawke’s Bay Valedictorians after his time studying for a Bachelor of Teaching (Primary).

Travis Sumner will graduate as one of two EIT Hawke’s Bay Valedictorians after his time studying for a Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) was made tougher by COVID-19, Cyclone Gabrielle and kidney stones.

Travis, 41, says he was surprised to be chosen as a Valedictorian for one of the graduation ceremonies to be held at the Napier Municipal Theatre on Friday.

“It was quite unexpected. It is quite special for me and for my family. I’ve really enjoyed my degree, so I knew that my academic results were up there and I knew that I’d done quite well. Some people might try to aim for it, but it was something out of the blue for me.”

Travis, who is from Hawke’s Bay and went to St. John’s College, says he has wanted to be a teacher since he was about 17 years old. He remembers clearly when he initially decided he wanted to be a teacher. He was due to sit a Bursary oral exam for te reo Māori, but was nervous so skipped school instead.

“Lo and behold, just after nine o’clock there was a knock at my door and I peeked out the window and it was my Māori teacher from St John’s, Paul Blake, and he had come to pick me up because he must have realised that I was a bit scared and that, and he managed to tell me it was going to be alright.”

“We jumped in his car and we came over to Hastings to sit our examinations and I ended up passing with flying colours and I did really well. What he did for me really sparked the fire and made me want to become a teacher as well.”

After studying at a teachers’ college, however, he found himself gravitating towards hospitality and bar management.

“I ended up progressing away from teaching, but it was always in the back of my mind, like I really wanted to tick that box. I spent 26 years in hospitality and started my own business for weddings and functions and things like that and learning. I decided that it weighed quite heavily on my family time, which I enjoy. I kind of lost my why in hospitality because it was just seven days a week.”

“I have gone back to the classroom as an adult and really enjoyed my learning. A lot of the cultural stuff I did at high school came back to sort of be a wealth of knowledge for me throughout this degree. So I’ve been able to help people with their te reo Māori and things like that.”

Travis says that the journey through his degree was arduous.

“Obviously we had COVID and then we had the Cyclone (Gabrielle), but I also had kidney stones for a lot of my degree. I ended up getting my surgery put off six times and going in and out of hospital while I was trying to study as well, as well as being the sole income for my family because my wife looked after my two boys, Cayden and Lacelle.”

“So it’s been a pretty hectic three years doing all that, working obviously at the restaurant and studying as well. It was mentally draining and I got into a bit of a dark place about having my surgery put off so many times. It was hard to be on placement with kidney stones and still try to teach in the classroom, still try to produce the results that I wanted because I have a high expectation of myself.”

Travis pays tribute to his wife, Amanda, for standing by him during his studies.

“She’s probably the backbone of everything I’ve achieved because we’ve been together for 20+ years now, and yeah, she’s just very supportive of anything that I need to achieve.”

“My parents have also been there by my side and supported me through my studies which I am incredibly grateful for.”

Travis, who is now teaching at Bledisloe School in Taradale, says he encourages more people, particularly young males, to enter the industry as it is very rewarding.

“I am loving my time at Bledisloe School. It is an amazing school to begin my career.”

Associate Professor Emily Nelson, Programme Coordinator, Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) & Acting Assistant Head of School, says they are thrilled that Travis has been chosen as Valedictorian.

“He inspired all of us throughout his degree – Candidate Teachers and Teacher Educators alike – for his passion, his mātauranga and his commitment through some really tough circumstances. Tamariki and kura for years to come will benefit from his unique and powerful presence as a Kaiako.”

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EIT Business Studies graduand says being Valedictorian is a significant award | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

3 mins ago

Ashleigh Kearns-Steed, who will be graduating with a Bachelor of Business Studies (Management) next Friday, as been chosen as one of two Hawke’s Bay Valedictorians.

Ashleigh Kearns-Steed, who will be graduating with a Bachelor of Business Studies (Management) next Friday, says she was overcome with emotion when she was asked to be one of the two Hawke’s Bay valedictorians.

Not only is she graduating at one of two ceremonies at the Napier Municipal Theatre on Friday, 12 April, but she will also be Valedictorian. It is an honour she does not take lightly.

“Well, it’s a significant award for not just myself, but my whānau, as well as I will be the first Kearns walking across the stage.”

“It’s a true honour. I’m extremely grateful to be able to represent my whānau as well as all who are graduating from EIT. It means the world, trust me, I cried heaps.”

Graduation is the culmination of a time of studies full of achievements. Last year Ashleigh was selected for the prestigious Te Hononga-ā-Kiwa scholarship, which recognises excellence in Māori students. The scholarship is a Māori student of excellence award, which has seen chosen students previously travel to Chile, Taiwan, and Ecuador. Ashleigh attended last year’s rōpū in Columbia.

It has been a long journey for the 25-year-old Ashleigh, who left high school at about 15, worked in retail for about six years, before spending some time in Italy.

“I did not think that I had the knowledge, and I didn’t realise that there was a pathway for me, especially any kind of educational pathway without carrying on my high school education.”

“I did not believe that I had a career path there for me. That was until I got back from my overseas travel, a korero with my brother and partner was sparked; inspiring me to apply for my business degree.”

Ashleigh has nothing but praise for EIT and her lecturers.

“I started at EIT when COVID first kicked in, so all lectures were based on teams, online. So that was a bit of a struggle, due to never having the experience of using a laptop before. The teachers, the lecturers were very transparent that it was a new setup for them as well. Together, we all learned how we could best make it work for one another. And we did. I still remember my first day going onto campus, and feeling the appreciation for face-to-face learning, there is a significant difference between the two types of learning.”

“I’m extremely grateful for the time that I had at EIT. Many of my friends went to large universities, and I did not realise how privileged I was to be able to generate relationships with my lecturers instead of just learning from them. There was always open opportunity for us to have korero with our teachers and they made that known. They went above and beyond for me in many circumstances.”

Since graduating, life has got even better for Ashleigh as she is now working for Te Kura i Awarua, EIT’s Māori research unit.

“I love my job; I have new opportunities each week to network and gain knowledge of the culture we have here in Te Matau-a-Māui. I’m extremely grateful for the chance to continue my learning of Te Ao Māori and continue to make a difference in the world. I wish I could revisit myself as a young girl and tell her the story I have made for myself so far; I just know little Ashleigh would be just as proud of me as I am now.”

Next stop for Ashleigh is a Masters, with the ultimate goal being a PhD.

Russell Booth, Senior Lecturer and Programme Co-ordinator – Business at EIT, said: “Ashleigh is an exceptional young woman both on and off campus. Once she arrived at EIT she quickly got into her stride with excellent grades. Ashleigh’s compassion and care for her whānau and community is unbounded and this was displayed in the classroom with her fellow students.”

“Ashleigh epitomises everything of a strong, young wahine student at EIT. Her resilience is huge having overcome many personal challenges and issues and clearly demonstrated with where she is today.”

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Bachelor of Business Studies at EIT sets former student up for job at Nanogirl | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

44 seconds ago

A Bachelor of Business Studies at EIT has set former student Georgia Paterson up for her chosen career.

A Bachelor of Business Studies at EIT has set former student Georgia Paterson up for a job with renowned scientist Dr Michelle Dickinson at her Auckland company Nanogirl.

Georgia, 21, will be graduating at the Napier Municipal Theatre on Friday, where she will also be awarded the Fletcher Challenge Trust Award for Academic Excellence in the Bachelor of Business Studies majoring in Management.

She says that she realised in year nine at Havelock North High School that she wanted to study at EIT.

“I knew that I didn’t want to go to university. I don’t know why. I think just the debt that you can get up, moving away from home, I didn’t have a set decision what I wanted to study. So university for me was always out of the picture. And then in year 10, you can take a business subject at Havelock High. So I took that and I really enjoyed it.”

“The teacher was really awesome, and you can’t take it in year 11, but you can take it in year 12 and 13. So I took that as one of my subjects all the way through, and it was just a subject that I really enjoyed and I excelled at as well. So when I kind of got to the end of high school, I was tossing up whether I wanted to work, just go in and work full time or study at EIT.

“Obviously, 2019 was peak COVID for all of us and because of that and the risk of jobs and redundancy and things like that, I just kind of decided, I looked at EIT, the programme has everything you need. It was affordable. I could live at home, I could still work part-time, and I was doing something that I actually wanted to do. And I feel like the business degree is quite versatile, like it’s really broad and it doesn’t dial you down into one specific thing.”

Not only did Georgia have to deal with COVID-19, but also the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle, which caused devastation to EIT’s Hawke’s Bay campus. However, she is now glad that she has finished her degree and set to graduate on Friday.

“Even with the award and everything, it was all quite a shock and very exciting. So it’d be cool to just finally actually officially graduate.”

“The letter came through and I was at work, and it was such a nice surprise.”

Her parents will be at the ceremony as well as her Auckland boss, Dr Michelle Dickinson, who is also her cousin.

She says that when she was offered an internship at Nanogirl, she jumped at it. When her internship finished at the end of last year, she was offered a maternity position as operations manager.

“It’s always busy, always learning new things, and even just being in the city, it’s totally different to Hawke’s Bay. So it’s been a real eye-opener with what goes on in a fast-paced area.”

“Currently, I’m the operations manager. So part of the business, is we do lots of live events. So we run over a hundred birthday parties and assembly school shows. I organise the staffing and the rotation and everything to do with that to make sure it all runs smoothly and that the customer gets what they’ve ordered.”

As for the future, Georgia says she is still figuring that out.

“I’m still kind of figuring that out, but I think just because of my strengths and what I’m good at. I think I will look into event management or project management further down the line.”

Russell Booth, Senior Lecturer and Programme Co-ordinator – Business at EIT, said: “Georgia has always been a focused and organised young woman and it is no surprise to any of the staff within the School of Business that she is now the Operations Manager at Nanogirl.”

“Georgia obviously made a big impression whilst completing her final semester internship. Her strengths have always been about being organised and organising others coupled with a real drive to succeed and it will be fascinating to see where Georgia’s career path takes her as she gains more confidence and experience.”

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Seed collection unearthed at EIT Hawke’s Bay Campus | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

19 mins ago

Environmental Management Lecturer Dr Glen Robertshaw with an expansive seed collection dating back to the late 70s.

More than 1000 seed samples dating back to the 70s have been unearthed at EIT Hawke’s Bay Campus in Taradale.

The collection features seed varieties of different sizes, shapes and colours from around the world.

Environmental Management Lecturer Dr Glen Robertshaw says it is a thing of beauty.

“As part of the unpacking and moving back into our building we have come across a curious wooden box with about 1000 seed samples from all around the world.”

Two index books that came with the collection provided the collector’s name A J England, and details of where the seeds came from between 1978 and 1984.

Robertshaw asked long serving staff members who knew nothing about it, and an internet search yielded nothing. With the name, he turned to the White Pages.

“I wanted to see if there were any Englands around in Hastings, so I looked through the White Pages and just rang a few people. Eventually his son, Darren England, rang me back.”

Darren England says he knew his father, who passed away in 2016, had donated the collection to EIT and after the floods, wondered what had happened to it.

“It’s nice to see the legacy is carrying on.”

A J England pictured in the 1980s in his office at Wrightson NMA Grain Store, Omahu Road. Photo/Supplied.

His father worked in the grain and seed industry and upon moving from Australia to Hawke’s Bay, ran the grain store for Wrightson NMA.

“I remember when we were young, we’d be driving somewhere, and he’d stop the car and jump a fence and grab some seeds off something. He was always on the lookout for odd seeds.”

Darren says his father made the wooden stands and case from scratch.

“I think it was too good to get rid of it and none of the family wanted it so he thought EIT could use it. He just wanted it to stay local I think.”

Horticulture and Environmental Management Lecturer Gerard Henry says the collection is “fairly unique”.

“I mean, it may not have been an untypical thing to have taken part in back in the 70s and even in the 80s. But for it to have survived and for us to find it now is pretty rare I’d say.”

Robertshaw, who teaches biosecurity and soil science courses, says the research opportunities are endless. He has also spoken to Massey University which has an extensive seed collection.

“We can do a lot from looking at the viability of the seeds after all this time to looking at DNA changes over time between varieties then and the varieties now. And at the very least it’s a teaching resource for us.”

EIT offers level 5 and 6 of the NZ Diploma in Environmental Management, as well as a Bachelor of Applied Science (Biodiversity Management).

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Rangatahi Māori create health and wellbeing guidelines aimed at youth | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

18 mins ago

Rangatahi involved in the Manaora Rangatahi Guidelines kaupapa at Waipatu Marae.

Rangatahi Māori in Hawke’s Bay have launched a health and wellbeing kaupapa that aims to reflect what resonates with today’s youth.

Manaora Rangatahi Guidelines, which were launched last Monday (March 4) at Waipatu Marae, is part of Nourishing Hawke’s Bay: He wairua tō te kai, a collaborative local project between Te Kura i Awarua Ranagahau Māori Research Centre at EIT | Te Pūkenga and the University of Auckland (UoA).

For the last year, these rangatahi Māori from four different high schools across the region worked on the guidelines, with the intention of encouraging their peers to prioritise their health and wellbeing.

The guidelines emphasise a balanced lifestyle that encompasses nutrition, physical activity, cultural awareness, and personal confidence.

One of the rangatahi involved, Ben Tu-Pairi Davies says it is about “encouraging rangatahi not to give up and to fight for their health and prioritise their wellbeing”.

It is being disseminated as a 20-week social media campaign, with each guideline dropping as a video featuring the rangatahi Māori behind the kaupapa and influencers; Tamati Rimene-Sproat, Pere Wihongi and Georgia Awatea Jones.

Rangatahi are encouraged to engage with the videos and create their own on different social media platforms to show how they are using the guidelines.

EIT Māori and Indigenous Research Professor, David Tipene-Leach says these guidelines are holistic and inclusive of environmental issues and may be the basis of the next generation of wellbeing.

The rangatahi looked at health guidelines from New Zealand and overseas, and applied mātauranga Māori to them. Then, they sought feedback from their peers at school before refining the messages.

“The Ministry of Health Guidelines are mostly irrelevant because they are narrow, authoritarian, and no one is really looking at them. Having youth refresh these principles with a te ao Māori approach is really new.”

Professor Boyd Swinburn says it has been an inspiring journey.

“These guidelines are really innovative, and I am really proud to show these around the world.”