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Careers Expo puts Flaxmere teen on pathway to career in Navy | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

58 seconds ago

Dante Taylor has enjoyed working at TW Group ahead of her joining the Royal New Zealand Navy. Dante (left) is pictured here with Ross Hunt of TW Group.

Attending a Careers Expo while in Year 12 put a Flaxmere woman on a pathway to a career in the Navy.

Dante Taylor (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Kahungunu) was at Karamu High School when she went to the Expo at Pettigrew Green Arena. She says she was immediately interested in the stand where the Royal New Zealand Navy was recruiting because she has a cousin in the Navy.

One thing led to another and she found herself signed up last year (2023) for the Services Pathway programme at EIT, which prepares students for life in the armed services. Dante, 18, had initially planned to enrol in the programme at the beginning of 2023, but she tore her meniscus disc in her knee and was forced to wait for that to heal.

“I got the injury when I was lifting something at work. I was still recovering from tearing my ACL in April 2022 from Netball and then having had surgery on it in August. I had to defer to the next course, which was in July.”

When she finally got on the programme she realised that it was made for her.

Following completion of EIT’s Services Pathway programme Dante is now all set to go and flies to Auckland in August to begin a 16 week basic training at Devenport Naval Base in Auckland. She is looking forward to starting her career and becoming a Marine Technician.

“I feel like you do travel more in the Navy. I’ve been on an experience week where I travelled to Devenport for a week and got to go around base, learn more about the trades and learn more about the Navy itself.”

“The Service Pathway programme itself did help me a lot, from my tutors, my fitness and my knowledge about the Navy. Without the course I don’t think I would’ve made it. Service Pathway helped me look at all the services within the New Zealand Defence Force, but I felt that the Navy just better suits me and my lifestyle.”

While she is keen to have a good career in the Navy, her long-term goal is to become a police officer.

“I hope to be a police officer. That’s always my goal. I feel that the Navy will offer me the experience I need to pursue that goal.”

“I feel like the Navy will help me a lot with building up my confidence. And also being able to get qualifications, but I never know what might happen.”

While she has been waiting to go to the Navy, Dante has thrown herself into the workforce and is currently employed at TW Group as a Contract Administrator/Operations Assistant.

After injury setbacks, Dante Taylor (right) is now ready to join the Royal New Zealand Navy. She is pictured here with her friend Keighan Hikawai, who had completed the Service Pathway Programme.

 “I’ve been at TW since January and I’m really enjoying it. It’s a really good work place. They are very happy and supportive for me to get this opportunity to go to the Navy.”

TW Group Chief People Officer TWG Rik Anderson said: “It has been an absolute pleasure watching Dante flourish in our business.  Her can-do attitude, task focus and positive attitude have been a real bonus for all of us within the wider TW Group. Dante has been fantastic.” 

“Dante was open and transparent with us from the beginning that she was joining the Navy and we worked hard every week to ensure that she could commit the time and effort (including some positive encouragement around the number of press ups she needed to do every day) to ensure she passed and was accepted into the Navy.”

Rik says they will be extremely sad to see her go but wish her all the best as she joins the Navy.

“We will be watching her career with pride.”

Todd Rogers, EIT’s Head of the School of Trades and Technology said: “Dante was a model student during her time on the Services Pathway programme.”

“She displayed the drive to pursue her career in the Royal New Zealand Navy, a delay in her application due to a previous injury didn’t deter her and she has come out the other side and now embarks on a life changing career path.”

“I’d also like to thank TW Group for employing Dante and supporting her through the application process”

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A love for The Lord of the Rings and aftermath of pandemic has led EIT Valedictorian to study in New Zealand | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

14 mins ago

EIT Auckland Valedictorian Julie Mercado will graduate with a Master of Information Technology later this month.

A love for The Lord of the Rings and the aftermath of pandemic, has led EIT Auckland Valedictorian Julie Mercado to move from the Philippines to study for her master’s degree in New Zealand.

Thirty-two year old Julie will graduate with a Master of Information Technology on Tuesday 28th May at the  Aotea Centre in Auckland. Not only that, she has also been asked to deliver a speech as Valedictorian.

She says she was very surprised when she was asked to be Valedictorian.

“I didn’t actually expect it. When I saw the email, I wondered if they had the correct person.”

Having completed a Bachelor of Information Technology in the Philippines, Julie decided to look abroad for an opportunity to do a postgraduate qualification.

“One of the reasons I chose New Zealand was because I love The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. I always watch it. But more than that I also heard good things about New Zealand and it’s one of the places on my bucket list.  I have seen New Zealand thrive and have one of the most successful strategies among all countries during the pandemic”.

“I looked at a number of tertiary institutes in New Zealand, but I found the Master of Information Technology at EIT, which matched well on what I wanted to do and focus. It was my first choice because of the curriculum that EIT was offering.”

Making the move less challenging for Julie and her partner, Matthew, was that family and friends were there to support throughout the process.

Julie had been a software engineer in Philippines and then branched out into business intelligence, data architecture and infrastructure. She was ready for her next move and New Zealand seemed the perfect opportunity.

Since then she has not looked back and has particularly enjoyed the research focus of the master’s degree.

Having finished her degree last year, Julie soon got a job as a data engineer at AA Insurance. She has then moved on to an exciting new role as an Analytics Engineer at Plexure.

She says that she is enjoying her new life.

“It’s peaceful and quiet here and we experience work-life balance as well. I think we’ll be staying here for a while or maybe for good.”

For now, Julie is focused on her graduation and writing that speech of hers.

“Looking forward to graduation and celebrating success with everyone.”

EIT Auckland Campus Director Cherie Freeman says: “EIT chose Julie as the valedictorian because she represents the students that came to study with us at EIT after the pandemic.”

“Grateful for the opportunity to be in New Zealand and contribute to building our economy after Covid 19, Julie worked hard at her studies while continuing to remain positive and happy.  Julie was well liked by her fellow students and staff.  We all wish her well in her future endeavours.”

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EIT programmes to be on display at Hawke’s Bay Careers Expo | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

6 mins ago

The breadth and variety of EIT’s pr ogrammes will be on display at the Hawke’s Bay Career’s Expo this month.

This year’s Hawke’s Bay Careers Expo will be held between 9am – 3pm and 5pm – 7pm on Tuesday 28 May at Pettigrew Green Arena in Taradale.

Students from schools around Hawke’s Bay will attend the expo in the morning, with the evening session open to students and parents.

Meriama Taufale, the team leader, Engagement and Transitions at EIT, says that the Careers Expo is a perfect opportunity for school students to see the array of programmes available at EIT.

“EIT has options for every level of study from certificate, diploma or degree and beyond

Meriama says that EIT staff will be available at the Careers Expo to discuss study opportunities at EIT.

“The Hawke’s Bay Careers Expo has been running for a number of years and we find that many students who attend it, realise that the career or vocation they want to follow is right here at EIT.”

“We are the largest tertiary institute in Hawke’s Bay and offer quality education without students having to leave home.

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EIT Services Pathway programme in Waikato prepares single mother for police service | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

5 mins ago

Jess Hohepa is enjoying her time on the EIT Services Pathway programme and is looking forward to becoming a police officer.

Completing a new Services Pathway programme offered by EIT in Waikato, has set a single mother up for a career as a police officer.

Jess Hohepa (Raukawa ki wharepuhunga Tuwharetoa Tainui Ngati Maniapoto and Te Arawa) is currently enrolled in the Services Pathway programme at EIT and upon completion will then go down to Police College in Wellington to become a police officer.

It is a dream that the 31-year-old has had for years, but has only recently pursued seriously.

Born and bred in Te Awamutu, Jess grew up with te reo as her first language and completed her schooling at Te Awamutu College.  She was initially drawn to a career in nursing and enrolled in a foundation programme at the Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) before starting the Bachelor of Nursing.

However, she soon realised that nursing was not for her.

“I thought I could handle the sight of blood, but it turned out not to be the case.”

She returned to the Kohanga Reo in Te Awamutu which she had attended as a student and became a kaiāwhina.

She was there for about four years, but moved into different jobs after that.

“I pretty much went from job to job after that to find my feet on what I really wanted to do. Don’t get me wrong, being a police officer was always my dream but what was holding me back was that I didn’t have my full license. I was still on a restricted, so I had to make sure that I had my full licence before I could apply.”

It was the birth of her daughter, Satieva-Jade, in 2019 that motivated Jess to get her full driver’s licence so that “she was safe in the vehicle with me”.

Jess devoted the next few years to caring for her daughter, which Jess felt was important “because those are the most important times of their life”.

“Satieva-Jade going back to school was my motivation to make my dream come true.”

That dream began when Jess was told that EIT was starting a Services Pathway programme in Hamilton, where she was based.

She is loving the programme, which has ten other learners under tutor Zac Te Maro.

“The progamme was not very well known in Hamilton, but Matua (Zac) has done a pretty good job with recruiting. He is also an amazing tutor. If it weren’t for him I wouldn’t be as far as I am today.”

“The best thing I like about the programme is the consistency really, and the planning that goes on throughout the day. “

Fitness and exercise is an important part of the programme and Jess says she was encouraged by Zac to simply do the best she could.

With the programme coming to an end, Jess is now poised to go down to Police College in Wellington for 20 weeks. She is looking forward to it, secure in the knowledge that Satieva-Jade will be taken care of.

“She’s got a lot of support here, so I can go off and do what I need to do to make her future brighter.”

Jess is looking forward to becoming a police officer and is keen to eventually work in the canine squad.

“I absolutely love dogs and have had them since I was young.”

EIT Services Pathway Tutor in Hamilton Zac Te Maro said: “At the pre-course interview it was evident Jess was going to be a police officer.”

“She clearly articulated why she wanted to be a police officer and how she planned to go about achieving her dream. Jess’s maturity (in terms of life experience) and natural leadership qualities were evident early in the course. Younger students have turned to Jess for guidance and mutual support.”

“Jess has worked hard to achieve outstanding results to date. A lover of sports, Jess’s physical attributes stand out and will be well suited for a career with police. She continues to reduce her run times in preparation for the police Physical Assessment Test (PAT).”

Zac says that on a recent excursion to Waiouru involving 40 EIT students from Hawkes Bay, Tairāwhiti and Kirikiriroa Hamilton, tutors recognised Jess for her sound leadership and physical resilience.

“It is without a doubt, Jess will serve her community with pride and professionalism. It has been an absolute pleasure being involved in Jess’s journey and EIT wish her well for the future.”

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Former EIT Business Studies student says being recognised at graduation has given her confidence | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

Sophie Hughes graduated with a Bachelor of Business Studies (Marketing and Management) at EIT and won the Niki Hibberd Memorial Cup and BDO Award for Best All Round Bachelor of Business Studies Student.

Being recognised at the recent EIT Hawke’s Bay graduation earlier this year has given former business studies student Sophie Hughes confidence and pride in the hard work she has put in.

Sophie, who finished the Bachelor of Business Studies (Marketing and Management) at EIT last year, won the Niki Hibberd Memorial Cup and BDO Award for Best All Round Bachelor of Business Studies Student. She graduated at the EIT Hawke’s Bay graduation ceremony at the Napier Municipal Theatre recently.

“I am so grateful and honoured to be the recipient of the award. Thank you to BDO. It definitely came at a really perfect time. I just returned from Japan and was in between work, looking for my next role. It just gave me that moment to feel proud of my hard work and dedication and give me that confidence back.”

Graduating has been a bitter-sweet experience for Sophie because she enjoyed her time at EIT.

“I have loved my experience at EIT, not only my supportive lectures and peers, but also the courses and assignments, making it a bittersweet feeling finishing up my EIT journey. But it’s shown me I’m in the right space in marketing. I look forward to continuing that hard work and dedication into my next marketing role.”

Sophie attended Napier Girls’ High School and then did a gap year. Her first year at EIT in 2020 coincided with COVID-19, but rather than seeing this as a negative, she enjoyed the online learning experience.

“It was the perfect way for me to take the first step online without going into a classroom on the first day. It took away those nerves being online. I immediately knew I was in the right place. I was getting great grades and my teachers were awesome. I just felt that I belonged which meant a lot.

Not only was it the academic environment that worked for Sophie, but also the friends she has made.

“When I started at EIT I met an incredible circle of friends. They also shared a high level of dedication and passion to the degree. So then that increased my motivation. We were pushing each other. It was just the best experience being at EIT,” says Sophie, who completed her degree in July last year.

Sophie says that she chose EIT because it was local.

“I’m definitely someone that wanted to stay local, stay with family, and my friends are here.”

“I really loved the smaller classroom environment I just really built a lot of rapport with each lecturer. I think I was drawn to it because it felt more of like a relationship building, classroom style environment, almost similar to what you had in high school.”

It stands to reason that Sophie has no hesitation in recommending EIT as a place to study as not only has she achieved her degree there, but it has also given her opportunities.

One of these was her trip to Japan as a result of winning an Education New Zealand Prime Minister’s Scholarship award.

“I went to Tokyo, Japan on a Prime Minister’s Scholarship award for a six-week sales and marketing internship.”

“I worked at an e-commerce tech company and wrote and published informative articles that would be published onto the website and also created their brand guidelines. It was the most incredible experience.”

It was the trip of a lifetime.

“I was just like a sponge while I was there. I pushed my comfort zone, I opened my eyes up to global marketing, seeing how they’re doing things different.”

“Even being immersed in a different culture for the six weeks just boosts my confidence up a lot. It was just such an amazing experience.”

Heather Hallam, Managing Partner at BDO, said: “BDO Hawke’s Bay is delighted to extend our warmest congratulations to Sophie, the recipient of this year’s EIT BDO Award for the Best All-round Bachelor of Business Studies Student.”

“BDO Hawke’s Bay takes great pride in our partnership with EIT, and Sophie’s success reflects the high calibre of students it produces. We look forward to following Sophie’s career and wish her our continued success in all her future endeavours.”

Russell Booth, Senior Lecturer and Programme Co-ordinator – Business at EIT, said: “Sophie has in her own words ‘blossomed’ in the last few years and her confidence has grown immensely”.

“Her results show she is an exceptionally bright student, with A grades in all courses. However, Sophie knew this wasn’t going to be the only thing to get her noticed. The Prime Minister’s Scholarship certainly put Sophie out of her comfort zone but knew it was something to do to develop her confidence.

“Her career has just begun in an exciting role which epitomises everything Sophie has worked towards over the last four years and we wish her every success in her future.”

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Research is not just a job requirement, but fundamental aspect of professional life, says EIT lecturer | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

April 16, 2024

Amr van den Adel

In this feature we interview staff members who have been identified as Early Career Researchers. In the spotlight is Amr van den Adel, a Senior Lecturer in the EIT School of Computing in Auckland.

What is your highest qualification and where and when did you finish it?

Doctor of Philosophy in Digital Forensics and Counterterrorism.

Are you currently completing any other post graduate programmes?

Yes, I am currently in my 2nd year working on my 2nd Doctor of Philosophy.

What is your role at EIT and what courses do you teach?

Senior Lecturer and I teach courses related to IT Concepts and Tools.

What areas do you specialise in?

Information Technology, Digital Forensics, Cybersecurity, Industry 5.0, Human-Centric solutions, Smart Education, Fog Computing, and Vulnerability Assessments.

What research have you been involved in either last year or this year (please give details)?

Last year, I was involved in research related to the Future of Industry 5.0 and its societal implications, focusing on human-centric solutions, challenges, and prospective research areas. This work was published in the Journal of Cloud Computing (2022), and Smart Cities Journal (2023) and has been cited 285 times since 2022 and 2023, indicating a significant impact in the field. Both journals as ranked as Q1 with high impact factor in the field. In addition, I published a conceptual framework to improve cyber forensic administration in Industry 5.0 at Forensic Sciences journal, which was another key research focus in 2022 and has received 8 citations. Since 2020, there has been a notable increase in the number of research publications in the field.

This year, I have continued my research on the convergence of different technologies in smart education, specifically looking at the transition from Industry 4.0 to 5.0, as indicated by a publication in Smart Cities journal (2024), which also has received a citation. The research details the roles of intelligent tutoring, robotics, and IoT in shaping smart education environments.

How important is research to you as an academic?

As an academic with a robust research profile, it’s clear that research is not just a job requirement, but a fundamental aspect of my professional life. My engagement in dynamic fields such as Cyber Security, Industry 5.0, Fog Computing, and Smart Education hints a deep commitment to advancing these critical areas of study. The significant citation counts of my publications, especially the influential work on the future of Industry 5.0, underscores my impactful contribution to contemporary scholarly conversations and technological progress. Moreover, with a consistent h-index and i10-index, my research has established me as a recognized and respected researcher within the academic community. This recognition is not only a testament to my scholarly dedication but also to my role in shaping the landscape of the field. Top of Form

How supportive is EIT in encouraging you to do research?

EIT has provided substantial support for my research endeavors, offering financial backing this year that has been instrumental in advancing my projects. Their assistance has also extended to increasing the visibility of my work within the wider academic community, thereby facilitating greater engagement with my research.

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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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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!”