Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
4 mins ago
Geoffrey Mather is EIT’s new Head of Computing.
A near-death experience during Cyclone Gabrielle has motivated Geoffrey Mather to be even more positive than before.
Geoffrey, who has recently been appointed EIT’s new Head of the School of Computing, says the Cyclone forced him to reimagine his life and not “sweat the small stuff”.
“I don’t worry about a thing now, instead I just get on and do the best I can with what I’ve got.”
Geoffrey, who was the Assistant Head of the Schools of Business and Computing at the time, was living semi-rurally near the Napier Golf Club at Waiohiki. He says that he was fast asleep at about 5.30 am on the day the Cyclone hit last February.
“I was woken by this torrent of water and my mobile’s torchlight showed that there was about 2 foot of water in my bedroom.”
Wherever he went in the house there was rising water and Geoffrey realised that he needed to get out.
Attempts to break windows proved futile, so he made his way to the kitchen where there was a high window that he could climb out of.
“I pushed the window out and jumped into the torrent of water that by this time was running around my place.”
As he tried to make it to safety he came across his landlord and together they were able to make it to higher ground, eventually ending up at a neighbour’s house.
“About this time, I sent a message to John West, my boss, and it’s quite funny on reflection, but it said something like, ‘Hi John, I don’t think I’m going to be able to get into work today’.”
Having escaped with his pyjamas and his mobile phone only, it was the start of a period of rebuilding for Geoffrey and he credits John West and EIT for their understanding, support and compassion.
“When I did come back to work, I initially came back part-time, and also got some counselling through EAP, which I am also very grateful for.”
Since coming back to work, Geoffrey has been acting Head of School for Tourism and Hospitality, Computing and English Language.
He says this has helped him master the art of multi-tasking and ironically given him focus, but he has also benefitted from the counselling and has even created a podcast about his experience.
“My podcast is called Cyclone Gabrielle Smash-up. It’s six episodes and it’s just me sharing. The first episode is a slightly longer account of what happened on that fateful day.”
”I would like to find a way to create a platform where people can share from their experience what they went through, because something I have learned since Cyclone Gabrielle is that whether someone was impacted or not, everyone has a story.”
“I think it can be empowering, insightful, rewarding, not just for the person who’s sharing the story, but those who are receiving it. And I would like to create a way for those sorts of stories to be shared.”
Now living in Taradale, Geoffrey is looking forward to getting into his new role.
“I am excited by where computing and the school could go in the coming years. That excites me. And I’m eager to help make that a reality and propel the school forward.”
He says that his vision is for it to become EIT’s showcase and to deepen the connections and synergies between teams and communities.
“And not just in the Hawke’s Bay, Tairāwhiti and Auckland regions where we deliver programmes, but also internationally. And at the moment, we have a large project in China with Zhejiang Yuexiu University. And another reason why I look forward to working alongside the School of Computing whānau is before joining EIT, I worked in China for 12 and a half years.”
“I think I therefore have an interesting lens within which to grow and support our China-based programme.”
Geoffrey also looks forward to being reunited with his Malaysian-born partner Kenny. They met 20 years ago in Shanghai and have been living a long-distance relationship for most of that time. Post the Cyclone, they applied for a Partner Visa for Kenny and are now awaiting Immigration New Zealand’s decision.
John West, EIT’s Executive Dean: Faculty of Commerce and Technology, says: “EIT was delighted to have appointed Geoffrey when he started in April 2022. His subsequent appointment to Head of School reflects EITs commitment to empowering and growing managers.”
Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
7 mins ago
EIT Associate Professor Pii-Tuulia Nikula, has been awarded a prestigious Associate Editor of the Year award.
A top EIT researcher, Associate Professor Pii-Tuulia Nikula, has been awarded a prestigious Associate Editor of the Year award by the Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia (HERDSA).
Pii-Tuulia is well known for her research on management, policy, and sustainability issues in international education, higher education, and the private sector.
Last year she co-edited two books – Student Recruitment Agents in International Higher Education and Sustainable Education Abroad: Striving for Change.
Pii-Tuulia is also an active peer-reviewer and holds editorial roles in international journals. She has contributed to the work of Higher Education Research and Development since 2019, initially as part of the College of Reviewers, and then, as an Associate Editor from 2020 onwards.
The Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia announced last month that Pii-Tuulia is one of two recipients of the Associate Editor of the Year Award for 2023. The other winner was Sylvie Lomer of the University of Manchester in the UK.
The award was established to recognise the outstanding contribution made by the Associate Editors of HERD. Contributions of associate editors are assessed according to the following criteria: Timeliness, Commitment, Decision making, Quality of communication with authors and with the HERD editorial team.
Pii-Tuulia said that she was honoured to be recognised for her work by such an esteemed organisation.
“Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with numerous HERD authors, reviewers, and editorial board members, all passionate about making contributions to the field of higher education.”
“I am pleased to be able to play a role in ensuring these articles are published and contributing to the continuing success of HERD as a leading academic forum that informs and challenges researchers, administrators, and policy-makers concerned with the past, present and future of higher education.”
At EIT, Pii-Tuulia teaches courses in sustainable organisations and research methods.
Gareth Allison, EIT’s Head of the School of Business, congratulated Pii-Tuulia on the award.
“Pii-Tuulia is one of our most prolific and active researchers and this award is a testament to the high regard with which she is held in the industry.”
Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
5 mins ago
An EIT delegation has paid a visit to China to hold meetings with its partner Zhejiang Yuexiu University and to attend the very first graduation ceremony of EIT Data Science and Communications College of ZYU students, who started in 2020.
An EIT delegation has just returned from China where it held joint management, teaching and academic meetings to further a partnership with Zhejiang Yuexiu University of Foreign Languages (ZYU); and attending the very first graduation ceremony of EIT Data Science and Communications College of Zhejiang Yuexiu University students.
The joint International College partnership between EIT and ZYU began in 2020. That first year saw 230 students starting on the campus in Shao Xing City, Zhejiang Province, Southeast China.
Approval from the China Ministry of Education and the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) paved the way for EIT to deliver its degree programmes in China. The joint venture supports the delivery of two of EIT’s degrees, the Bachelor of Creative Practice and the Bachelor of Computing Systems and , with three majors offered in Information Systems, Intelligent Systems and Digital Media.
The delegation that went to China last month was Philippa Jones, EIT Executive Director International; EIT’s two Executive Deans John West and Helen Ryan-Stewart; and Sue Blackmore, Head of School, Viticulture and Wine Science & IDEAschool. The delegation was joined in China by Kaylie Tan, Deputy Dean, EIT Data Science and Communications College, China.
The purpose of the visit was twofold – holding joint management, teaching and academic meetings to further the partnership; and attending the very first graduation ceremony of EIT Data Science and Communications College of Zhejiang Yuexiu University students, who started in 2020.
More than 200 students graduated, 56 with an EIT Bachelor Degree in either Bachelor of Computing Systems or Bachelor of Creative Practice, while the other students graduated with the ZYU qualification.
The event was livestreamed across China and received more than 560,000 views. Graduating as top student in their degrees were Ming Tong HU – Bachelor of Computing Systems (Information Systems); Bin GUAN – Bachelor of Computing Systems (Intelligent Systems); and Lequn XU – Bachelor of Creative Practice.
A celebratory dinner for the delegation was hosted by President Gang Xiu, his Executive Vice President Ms Xiaolin WEI; his Vice Presidents (Academic) Mr Wentao Chen, and Vice President (International) Ms Jinling Ge.
The delegation also met with a number of directors and managers of ZYU and EIT Data Science and Communication College. There was also visit to Qi LU University and a meeting with seven institutions as part of the China Center for International People-to-People Exchange (CCIPE).
A group of eight ZYU staff will be visiting EIT’s Hawke’s Bay Campus from July for five weeks as part of a 12-week training programme delivered to upskill ZYU staff both in China and in NZ. A group of 18 ZYU students and a teacher will come on a study tour to EIT Hawke’s Bay Campus in August for two weeks.
Philippa Jones says that the visit was a success as it built on the solid relationship that EIT has with ZYU and also showcased the hard work that had gone into the first graduation.
“We look forward to many more graduations as we continue to see the EIT Data Science and Communications College grow. This is a milestone in our partnership because it is the very first graduation from our ZYU joint education institute partnership.”
Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
3 mins ago
EIT’s new Pouarahi Māori (Executive Director Māori), Layelin Stewart, with his wife Stella.
EIT has a new Pouarahi Māori (Executive Director Māori), Layelin Stewart, who brings a passion for Mātauranga Māori to the role.
Layelin (Rongowhakaata, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Maniapoto) was welcomed to EIT at a pōwhiri on the Hawke’s Bay Campus yesterday (Monday). He has been one of eight National Ako Directors at Te Pūkenga, responsible for Mātauranga Māori, since April last year.
Layelin says that he is pleased to be coming back to his East Coast roots.
“One of the really standout things for me when considering my application to the role was how vibrant the mātauranga Māori community is over there on the East Coast and Hawke’s Bay.”
“I think it’s a role of service to supporting and promoting success for Māori students and staff, as well as navigating the way in which EIT might support iwi aspirations.”
“Of equal importance is supporting our organisational understanding of Te Tiriti excellence and how we explore what that might look like. It is also about how I serve and support my fellow executive staff members, colleagues, and our broader EIT staff collectives , in their understanding of tikanga Māori and how mātauranga Māori or Māori ways of being, doing and knowing might serve as a bridge towards nationhood, albeit at the EIT local level.”
Layelin, 45, first came to Te Pūkenga as Senior Māori Advisor in the office of the Deputy Chief Executive of Academic Delivery Innovation. Before that he was involved in Māori education for more than 20 years.
His most recent role before Te Pūkenga was as Deputy Principal at Te Wharekura o Ngā Purapura o te Aroha in Te Awamutu from 2017 to Oct 2021. His career has seen him work as Kaiako in Kura Kaupapa Māori, Kura ā-iwi and Wharekura in Gisborne and Waikato, including his hometown of Te Kuiti.
He also had a stint as a radio broadcaster for Iwi Radio Station Te Reo Irirangi o Maniapoto between 2006 and 2009.
Layelin has whakapapa links to Te Kūiti, Ruatoki and Gisborne, but grew up in Gisborne, where he attended Gisborne Boys High, before finishing his last year at Te Awamutu College. He enjoys the outdoor life and spending time with his wife Stella and their blended family of six children and 2 mokopuna.
EIT’s Executive Director Kieran Hewitson welcomed Layelin, saying that he would add value to the Executive Team.
“We are pleased to have Layelin join the Executive team. Layelin brings insights and experience to this role that will advance our relationships with our Tiriti Partners and set the strategic direction for responding to the opportunities to deliver better outcomes for Māori.”
The shock find came only days after the discovery of a cluster of shortjaw kōkopu eggs in the first ever documented ‘nest’ from Northland.
Freshwater ranger Fern Donovan found the eggs after hours of intensive searching along the banks of a tributary of the Waipoua River. She set up a trail cam on the nest site and checked it daily.
Left: Fern in her waders, with a waterfall the fish travel up to get to the spawning areas | Sarah Wilcox, DOC. Top right: Shortjaw kōkopu nest site | Fern Donovan, DOC. Bottom right: Translucent shortjaw kōkopu eggs on the leaves and rocks beside the stream | Fern Donovan, DOC.
“Each day there were less and less eggs – I assumed they were getting washed away by rain, but when I saw the video my heart sunk, I felt really, sad as I’d spent so much time studying the fish and got to really care about them.”
She describes the eggs as “protein pearls” that would be particularly attractive to the rodents in autumn, with high rat numbers and food supplies starting to dwindle with cooler temperatures.
The rat (or rats) was filmed returning multiple times over several nights to clean out the nest. Within 10 days the only eggs left were unviable or mouldy, and clearly no longer appetising.
Fern’s trail camera captured a rat eating the shortjaw kōkopu eggs | DOC.
A partnership with Te Iwi o Te Roroa
The rohe of Te Roroa is situated on the Kauri Coast and includes the Waipoua Forest, home of Tane Mahuta. Taoho Patuawa, science advisor for the iwi, has been closely involved with the shortjaw research project.
“With the discovery of the eggs has come the discovery of the problem. It’s a clear demonstration of the impact that pests are having on our taonga species. The work that’s been done to get to the discovery has been fantastic, but it highlights the real struggles facing the largely unheralded species.”
Taoho points out that even in a forest with good habitat, there are no guarantees of successful breeding.
“The species is clearly at-risk at this critical part of their lifecycle because of the ongoing pressures we have from pests.”
A pool in Fern’s study stream | Fern Donovan, DOC Short jawed kokopu” data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/blog.doc.govt.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/5.jpg?fit=300%2C300&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/blog.doc.govt.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/5.jpg?fit=580%2C580&ssl=1″ tabindex=”0″ role=”button” data-id=”53871″ src=”https://i0.wp.com/blog.doc.govt.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/5.jpg?resize=580%2C580&ssl=1″ alt=”” class=”wp-image-53871″ srcset=”https://i0.wp.com/blog.doc.govt.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/5.jpg?resize=1024%2C1024&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.doc.govt.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/5.jpg?resize=300%2C300&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.doc.govt.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/5.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.doc.govt.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/5.jpg?resize=768%2C768&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.doc.govt.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/5.jpg?resize=1536%2C1536&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.doc.govt.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/5.jpg?resize=2048%2C2048&ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.doc.govt.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/5.jpg?w=1160&ssl=1 1160w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.doc.govt.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/5.jpg?w=1740&ssl=1 1740w” sizes=”(max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px” data-recalc-dims=”1″/>A shortjaw kōkopu | DOC
DOC and Te Roroa, along with other organisations, have been working together to restore the Waipoua River from mountains to sea for more than 5 years.
“We’re walking this journey together. There’s a lot to do, but it’s the good people who make the relationship successful. We’re working with nature for the betterment of our people and the landscapes we live and work in.”
Bait stations deployed for autumn 2024
Video footage of the rat predation provided evidence for Te Roroa and DOC to put intensive predator control in place ahead of this year’s spawning season.
“We were able to move swiftly to put in a line of bait stations 50 metres apart along the stream margins, as well as another line further back,” says Fern.
The bait stations are topped up regularly so they never run out.
Triangles marking the bait line | Tom DonovanA rat caught on one of Fern’s trail cameras | DOC
“It’s a big forest so we’re assuming there will be constant re-invasion into the area. Especially at this time of year when rodent numbers are peaking.”
Tracking tunnels show that the strategy is working, with June 2024 results showing just 3% of the tunnels in the treatment area were visited by rats but 96% visited in the non-treatment area. At a control site (with no bait stations) in an adjacent area, shortjaw nests have been predated by rats.
2024 results looking promising
The 2024 breeding season at Fern’s study site got off to a great start.
“I’ve found three nests so far. The trail cam footage picked up rat predation at one nest but not all the eggs have been eaten – fingers crossed some of them make it. Hopefully they are finding the bait blocks more tasty!”
Shortjaw kōkopu eggs on leaves near the stream | Fern Donovan, DOC
She is also pleased to report that some of the eggs developed tiny black eyes.
“I’ve never seen that before – last year the eggs were all eaten before that stage. I’ve also set up drift nets in the stream so I am hopeful that we might catch some larvae as they’re washed downstream on their way to the sea.”
Fern is waiting for the next big flood to wet the eggs and trigger hatching.
A story that remains incomplete
Taoho says the innovative and dedicated work at-place has led to some pretty immediate conservation strategies.
“What Fern’s found is a neat piece of the puzzle, but the story is incomplete. We don’t know yet what success looks like for this species or what numbers should be present in the catchment.”
“I’m looking forward to seeing what we achieve this year and beyond. It’s good to have such a concentrated effort in our forest. What we’re finding out here will be really valuable for protecting this taonga species both here and in other parts of Aotearoa, and ensuring it can thrive.”
Fern’s story
Fern grew up as a ‘bush baby’ in Hokianga and spent a summer during her undergrad study working for her family business, Donovan Ecological Management.
“We surveyed the reaches of the Waipoua River looking for different fish species as part of DOC’s restoration work. It was an incredible opportunity to visit some of the most beautiful and remote places in the catchment.”
Fern (centre) with her parents Tom and Karina Donovan, getting ready for an evening studying the threatened fish | Sarah Wilcox, DOC
“Shortjaw kōkopu were the fish we saw least frequently. I didn’t have to dig too deep to see there was a whole lot that’s not known about them. I spoke to the DOC scientists who helped me identify the most important knowledge gaps, and these formed the basis of my Master’s research project at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.”
She intensively researched the population of shortjaw kōkopu in the Waipoua River and completed her thesis in early 2024. Fern was appointed to DOC as a freshwater ranger in September 2023.
Studying the nocturnal fish population | Sarah Wilcox, DOCA shortjaw kōkopu at the study site | Sarah Wilcox, DOC
The challenges of studying a rare, nocturnal fish
Shortjaw kōkopu are only found in Aotearoa New Zealand and are the rarest of six species of native fish caught as whitebait. Their conservation status is Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable. Until Fern’s discovery, spawning sites for this species had only ever been observed in Taranaki.
“The fish lay their eggs in moss or leaf litter just out of the water during a flood or high-water event. The eggs sit on the bank for at least 2–3 weeks to develop into larvae and are then carried downstream on the next big rain event. It’s the most bizarre life history with so much room for failure – the eggs could so easily dry out or be washed away before they’ve developed!”
Fern describes the searching as literally looking for a needle in a haystack.
“I go out when the water’s dropped and look above the waterline but below the wetted edge. I use a headtorch even in the daytime as the eggs are so tiny and hard to see – only 1-2 mm in diameter. To me they are like perfect pearls.”
Shortjaw kōkopu ‘nests’ are simply a collection of tiny translucent eggs | Fern Donovan, DOC.
“The searching is very intensive and quite soul-destroying. There are so many rocky crevices and patches of leaves to look at. You can only spend about 3–4 hours at a time doing it because it’s so intense. But when you do find the eggs, they’re really obvious – hundreds of eggs sitting there. It’s the most amazing feeling!”
Fern takes her cue to start looking for eggs by monitoring the adult fish in the stream. Because they’re nocturnal, the work starts 30 minutes after sunset and finish after midnight in the summer.
“We’ve been studying the fish here for a couple of years and we see the females getting heavier in autumn as their bellies become full of ripe eggs. If they suddenly lose weight and look skinny again, you know they’ve laid eggs, so that’s the time to go out looking.”
A shortjaw kōkopu from Fern’s study site | Fern Donovan, DOCA shortjaw kōkopu being measured | Fern Donovan, DOC
When nests are found, Fern takes 4–8 eggs from each site for DNA analysis to confirm their identity. She also records detailed information about the sites such as the location, slope, canopy cover and what material they were laid in.
“This is crucial information to inform our work to secure the species both in the Waipoua River and other catchments.”
The Waipoua River is also in DOC’s Ngā Awa river restoration programme, which is working in partnership with others to restore the biodiversity of 14 rivers from mountains to sea.
Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
3 mins ago
Hailey Keepa has worked and studied at EIT Tairāwhiti and is now in her first year of a Bachelor of Midwifery, through the Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec) where her study is a mix of classes based at EIT’s Tairāwhiti Campus and block courses in Hamilton.
Her personal experiences and working at EIT Tairāwhiti’s Hub Café has inspired a local woman to study a career preparation programme at EIT and now midwifery.
Hailey Keepa left Gisborne Girls’ High School in year 11 in 2002 and proceeded to do a number of jobs before starting her own cake business, which she ran for five years out of her registered kitchen from home.
However, circumstances changed when she and her whānau were unable to buy the house they had rented for 15 years. The loss of their home meant the loss of Hailey’s business and weeks later they also experienced the loss of their son Kyrei who was born stillborn. These life altering events that all happened within six weeks of each other, made her assess her life.
A job at the Hub Café on the EIT Tairāwhiti Campus, led her to realise that studying further was a way forward for her.
“Working there I met heaps of students, and especially adult students. It inspired me to realise that I could still study at my age, and that I was determined to do better for not only myself, but for my whānau.”
“I always thought I’d love to be a midwife, but I always put it in the too hard basket, as I thought that it would be terrible to go back to school as an adult student. But working at the Hub Cafe, meeting all those people, I was like, ‘man, I am actually going to do this’.”
Because she had been out of study for so long, 37-year-old Hailey first had to enrol in the NZ Certificate in Study and Career Preparation (Level 3 and 4).
“I didn’t think I needed to do the level three, but I’m actually so glad that I did it, it helped transition me into level four. These courses just prepare you so much more for further study in degree level. They take you back to the basics, which I needed as I wasn’t at school long enough to even learn those. I actually did way better than I thought I would academically too.”
“My tutors were amazing, and all the staff at EIT are so encouraging. It’s a very close-knit community at EIT.”
Hailey is now in her first year of a Bachelor of Midwifery, through the Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec). And with her first semester completed she was pleased to announce she received straight A’s, and hopes to continue her learning journey at a high level.
Hailey, who is married and the mother to five children, says that her experience with her stillborn son Kyrei is a big part of her midwifery journey.
She says that while she realised that she wanted to be a midwife when her daughter was born 12 years ago, it was the birth of Kyrei that pushed her to make it happen.
“I always thought that it would be an amazing career to have and to be part of that moment in a woman’s life. What held me back was that I did not do too well at high school. School was never for me, I’m much more of a hands-on person.”
“But then after everything with Kyrei, I thought: ‘Gosh, how many women could I support through their healing process if I actually was in this career.”
EIT’s Study and Career Preparation programmes provided the foundation for Hailey to fulfil that ambition.
With three more years to go of her degree after this one, Hailey is keen to learn what is needed to become a midwife and to equally care for and work in partnership with all women, and give back to the Tairāwhiti community.
EIT’s Acting Head of School Education and Social Sciences, Mandy Pentecost, says: “Hailey’s story is a shining example of the way the Study and Career Pathway courses are doing a great job getting people ready to enter higher level study, and we wish Hailey every success as she continues to pursue her dream.”
Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
4 seconds ago
Left to Right: Melody Khan (Masters Student), Dr Sue Scott-Chapman (Secondary Supervisor), Associate Professor Anita Jagroop-Dearing (Principal Supervisor/Lead Researcher) and Associate Professor Rachel Forrest (Student Mentor).
An EIT research project addressing the epidemic of youth vaping among intermediate and high school students in Hawke’s Bay has been extended outside of the region following interest from a Bay of Plenty High School.
The extended out-of-region study titled ‘Vaping Landscape’ complements an existing study ‘Scoping solutions to address the epidemic of youth vaping in Aotearoa’ which is currently being conducted by a team led by Associate Professor Anita Jagroop-Dearing from EIT.
Vaping Landscape will focus on Pāpāmoa College and is being conducted by EIT Masters of Health Science student Melody Khan, who has been involved in the original study.
It is funded by a second grant from the Health Research Foundation Hawke’s Bay, which adds to the pool of funding for the project including grants from the Health Research Council and EIT.
Both studies hope to capture the stories, experiences and health awareness of e-cigarette vaping by youth. It will also make for a comparison of regional variations in vaping behaviours.
Anita says it will be the first comprehensive investigation into vaping among intermediate and high school students between two areas in New Zealand.
“We are working with a number of schools across Hawke’s Bay and additional funding has enabled the involvement of out-of-region schools.
“Pāpāmoa College approached us to say that they were experiencing issues to do with vaping in their school and that they would like to be a part of our study. After confirming the feasibility, obtaining the necessary ethics approval, and securing funding for an out-of-region school, we included them to conduct comparative studies.”
The college has more than 1700 students, of whom 28 percent are Māori and six percent are Pasifika.
“Previous data indicated higher vaping rates among Māori and Pacific students compared to their non-Māori and non-Pacific peers. Therefore, we aim to compare the vaping behaviours in this school with those in Hawke’s Bay.”
Anita hypothesises that there may be regional differences between vaping behaviours in youth with distinctions in narrative of experiences and self-awareness.
Melody previously graduated with a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science at EIT. After being displaced due to Cyclone Gabrielle, she was able to pivot and extend this study for her masters.
“Initially I started with nutrition. My original masters thesis was nutrition and nutritional labelling, but when this opportunity opened up, I jumped on it because it’s something that’s going to need further research and is becoming more prevalent.”
Pāpāmoa College Deputy Principal (Tumuaki Katiriwā) Ben Ormsby says when they heard about the study, they thought why not reach out and see if they could be a part of it.
“Like most schools, we have been seeing an increase in vaping related incidents. Our rationale was that, while we are trying to find ways to educate students, we might as well volunteer to be part of the study.”
Ben says that the feedback from their community has been really positive about them being involved in the trial.
“We would suspect that whilst schools are struggling with youth vaping, the wider community is also seeing the impacts. The feedback to date would suggest the community is glad we are trying to do something about it.”
They are now looking forward to seeing what comes out of the study.
“If the information our students give forward contributes to something positive to tackle youth vaping, whether that be strategies or messaging then we thought it will be well worth it.”
Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
8 mins ago
Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst (left), Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills Penny Simmonds and Executive Director Region 2 – Te Pūkenga Kieran Hewitson at the EIT Hawke’s Bay Campus in Taradale.
Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills Penny Simmonds met with regional government, business and community leaders at the EIT Hawke’s Bay Campus in Taradale on Wednesday (3 July).
The purpose of the meeting was to hear what the region needed from EIT and to better understand the challenges the region faced.
Minister Simmonds has had a long association with EIT, having previously worked as Chief Executive of Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) for 23 years.
She says EIT has been a successful polytechnic all the way through, and has always had close connections with the community, and industries.
“EIT has been a real shining light in the polytechnic sector, particularly for regional polytechnics. There has been stable, sensible governance and management for not twenty years but decades.”
Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said: “We told the Minister that we have been very proud of how EIT has served our regions of Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay over the years, providing quality education pathways under a sustainable financial model”.
“Our region has long faced challenges in reducing the number of youth not in employment, education or training, and the progress we have made has been in part due to the broad range of quality programmes on offer through EIT and their campuses.
“The transition to Te Pūkenga has been very difficult for the leadership and governance team, compounded by the cyclone from which the Taradale campus is still recovering.”
As a region, Hazlehurst says our councils will invest $4b over the next 10 years on infrastructure related to recovery and growth.
“More than ever, we will need a skilled workforce to complete this mahi, and many of these workers are yet to be trained.
They also stressed to Minister Simmonds that given the urgency of our recovery, Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay should be a priority to get a locally governed and led training institute working effectively for our communities.
The ministers visit precedes the start of consultation on the future state of vocational education and training following the post-election decision to disestablish Te Pūkenga. Minister Simmonds encouraged those in attendance to provide feedback to the consultation to ensure the regions education and training needs are best served.
Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
5 days ago
Scott Kyle, an auto-technician with the Notman Motor Group in Napier, has benefited from doing the NZ Certificate in Electric Vehicle Automotive Engineering (Level 5) at EIT.
A Napier auto technician decided to complete an Electric Vehicle programme at EIT as he felt he needed to keep up with an ever-evolving industry.
Scott Kyle, who works for the Notman Motor Group in Napier, has been an auto technician for close to 25 years. He says that he has seen changes in the industry in that time, the most significant being the move to electric vehicles.
“It’s certainly a new style of vehicle to work on, with some big differences. It is not only the motor side of things, but also the systems that run alongside them.”
“I definitely enjoy it as the electrical aspect certainly appealed to me.”
Scott says that he realised that he needed to study further in order to keep up with industry changes.
He said that he was attracted to the NZ Certificate in Electric Vehicle Automotive Engineering (Level 5) at EIT because he had done his pre-trade qualifications at EIT and he had heard good reports about one of the tutors Scott Cunningham.
“My employer helped me with funding to do the programme, which was a bonus, but you’ve got to keep up with the times and keep learning.”
“Working on electric vehicles every day means that you need to have a solid understanding of what you are working with.”
Scott, who completed the programme at the end of last year, says that attending classes fitted in well with his working schedule. He said he also enjoyed doing the practical block courses during the year.
“They go right back to step one of what you would need to know, you know, the basic electrical principles and then build that up slowly all the way through so you’ve got a really good understanding and a refresher of some of the stuff you probably haven’t looked at for a few years with electrics.”
“The best thing for me was that I went from where we had all these electric cars coming in and feeling that I did not have a full understanding of how all those systems worked, to feeling a confidence in working with them when I finished the programme.”
Scott says that another important part of the programme was learning about the safety aspect of electric vehicles.
He says that he has no hesitation in recommending the EIT programme to anyone who wanted to progress further as an auto-technician.
Automotive Tutor and Level 5 Electric Vehicle Programme Coordinator Scott Cunningham says having technicians like Scott step up to further their knowledge in our ever-changing industry is great to see.
“Electric and hybrid vehicles are here to stay for the foreseeable future. Technicians who are great in their field need to adapt and upskill to be able to safely diagnose and understand this emerging technology. Scott is definitely a student that absolutely exceled in this programme, now putting his newly gained knowledge to use in industry.
“Having developed a year long, part-time programme in conjunction with Otago Polytechnic, we have spent the past four years delivering this programme, adding content and resources each year to keep up with technology. Having our programme gain overseas recognition from America, wishing to implement our programme and training there speaks volume.
“We have even tailored our delivery to meet the demands for students in Rarotonga that have had an influx of EVs on the Island, and have realised they will have to upskill to meet the new demand. If you are considering upskilling in this area like Scott, I highly recommend you get onboard.”
Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
4 days ago
An Indigenous United States Lakota People contingent was recently welcomed to EIT’s Te Ūranga Waka on the Hawke’s Bay Campus.
An Indigenous United States Lakota People contingent was recently welcomed to EIT’s Te Ūranga Waka to discuss and celebrate te reo Māori.
A pōwhiri was held on Monday, 24 June for the group, which was accompanied by Sir Tīmoti Kāretu KNZM QSO CRSNZ, a leading New Zealand academic of Māori language and performing arts. The contingent visited Aotearoa to learn how te reo Māori has been and continues to be revitalised. They have experienced the breadth and depth of Māori culture during their tour of New Zealand which included visiting Auckland, Rotorua, Taupō and Hawke’s Bay.
Puti Nuku, Pouarataki – Te Ūranga Waka and Te Whatukura, says that it was a privilege of EIT to not only welcome the indigenous contingent, but also Sir Tīmoti, who is one of the country’s foremost proponents of te reo.
“It was a real honour to be included in the itinerary of the Lakota Peoples. We had a wonderful kōrero about the importance of indigenous cultures and languages.”
“They were most interested in hearing about how te reo continues to be revitalised. We were pleased to be about to show them the kaupapa we are involved in at Te Ūranga Waka,” says Puti.
The group left the country at the end of June.
Te Ūranga Waka Senior Kaiwhakaako, Hiria Tumoana, Sir Tīmoti Karetū and EIT Kaumātua, Matiu Eru during the visit by the Lakota People contingent.
