Category: Tertiary Education

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

A newly released report by the Education Review Office (ERO) which has found time spent in school enhanced new teachers’ feelings of readiness around the job, aligns with EIT’s approach to the Bachelor of Teaching (Primary), says Associate Professor Emily Nelson.

‘Ready, Set, Teach’ canvassed new teachers, their principals, school leaders, and mentors to find out how well prepared and supported new teachers are.

Associate Professor Emily Nelson, Programme Coordinator of the Bachelor of Teaching (Primary), says the degree at EIT has been graduating new teachers in partnership with local schools in Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne for more than 12 years.

“It was great to read that 50 percent of new teachers who participated reported they found their initial teacher education effective and that nearly all new teachers enjoy teaching. ERO noted that time spent in school enhanced new teachers’ feelings of readiness around the job.”

“The EIT primary teaching degree involves student teachers belonging to a school all year and spending two days per week in that school to put into practice what they learn at EIT. Schools and EIT take joint responsibility for the learning and wellbeing of student teachers up to graduation.”

Maurice Rehu EIT Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) Advisory Committee Chair, says: “We feel our EIT student teachers get the full experiences within their school based learning required for them to be successful teachers in the future”.

Rehu, also the Principal of Irongate School, says as a partnership school, they “provide real time learning experience of the realities of being a teacher”.

Dr Nelson supports the ERO’s recommendation for more time spent in school during initial teacher education.

“During EIT’s degree student teachers spend 230 days in school across the three years of their degree, significantly more than the Teaching Council minimum requirement of 120 days.”

However, Dr Nelson believes that it is what is done with the time in school that is important, supporting student teachers to reflect on their learning and identify new growth and further development opportunities is key.

She believes it is the active partnership between schools and providers that supports student success, with schools and the EIT teaching team jointly committed to supporting student teachers to critically reflect on their theoretical and practical learning in ways that enhance their understanding as teachers.

EIT welcomes the ERO report that identifies key challenges of contemporary teaching but prefers to frame these challenges generatively as: supporting teachers to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi in their teaching practice, utilise assessment information for targeted teaching and learning, adapt their teaching to suit the tamariki they are teaching, and take a strengths-based approach to engage meaningfully with tamariki and whānau. 

“We look forward to continuing to grow and develop our partnership-based initial teacher education with local schools and with our colleagues in the diverse provider contexts that operate across Aotearoa New Zealand. There is much to learn from each other in order to grow great teachers who can inspire and connect with rangatahi in meaningful ways.”

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

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.

 “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”

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

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.”

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

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.