Category: Tertiary Education

Auto Added by WPeMatico

Posted on

Student’s wife enrolled him in EIT Te Pūkenga and now he is graduating with diploma | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

14 hours ago

CJ Pineaha-Burns (Ngāti Kahungunu) is graduating from EIT | Te Pūkenga with a Diploma in Te Reo Māori.

CJ Pineaha-Burns (Ngāti Kahungunu) delayed completing the final half of his Diploma in Te Reo Māori, so his wife enrolled him – now he is graduating from EIT | Te Pūkenga tomorrow (Friday 18 August).

CJ says he began his te reo journey as far back as 2013, completing the NZ Certificate in Te Reo me Ngā Tikanga [Level 4] and half of the Diploma in Te Reo Māori (Immersion) [Level 5]  before he and his wife moved to Australia. When they returned in 2019, his wife Savannah decided to study for her Bachelor in Māori Studies at EIT | Te Pūkenga.

The 28-year-old says it was important that he continued his studies.

“Te reo Māori was becoming so much more prominent in our house. All of our four kids go to Te Ara Hou, which is a full immersion Māori school. And so they were learning te reo Māori, my wife was in level six of her te reo Māori journey, and I was the only one in the house not on that journey.”

“And so, I got a phone call from EIT saying, ‘It looks like you want to enrol back into the diploma’. I didn’t know anything about it. It was actually my wife and my twin brother that rung them and told them that I wanted to be a part of it. And that’s how I got back in there. So I didn’t want to, I was pushed, and definitely grateful for that now.”

Te ao Māori (the Māori world) was a big reason for moving back home from Australia.

“It was a big part of what was missing when we were in Australia.”

His wife and twin brother Ethan will watch him graduate on Friday, and then next graduation, it will be their turn to walk the stage as they are due to both complete their Bachelor in Māori Studies at EIT | Te Pūkenga.

CJ says Te Ūranga Waka (Māori Studies) at EIT | Te Pūkenga has been so accommodating and supportive to him during his studies.

“Because I’ve got kids, they’ve helped me through that. And I ended up actually quitting my job recently so that I could go back to full-time study, because I did my diploma during night classes once a week. But when you’re learning te reo Māori, and you’re only doing it at night-times, it’s not enough. And because my kids were already in a Māori school, I needed to progress twice as fast, and I needed it daily. So now I’m full-time, and the whole dynamic of it has changed. It feels like I’m immersed in it all day now, which is perfect for my progression.”

“We’re all on the same page, and I can help them on their learning journey, and they can help me. We feed off each other now.”

While he may be graduating on Friday, his studying will still continue as he is enrolled in the Bachelor of Māori Studies.

While he has had other jobs in the past, including as a chef, CJ says he has finally found something he is comfortable in, and enjoying.

“It’s been an awesome journey. When they say ‘find something you enjoy doing’, I’m finally in that space. So I’ve just been offered a job as Kaiawhina (assistant) just going into level two classes and helping the tutors there. And that just helps me with my te reo Māori journey too, because I’m helping teach it.”

He joins his wife, brother and sister Desma Culshaw-Kaisa, who are all tutors at EIT | Te Pūkenga.

Pareputiputi Nuku, Pouarataki, Te Uranga Waka, says: “The Kahungunu whakataukī ‘Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini’ describes how achievements are not due to the efforts of one but of many as in the case of CJ and his talented whānau.”

“It isn’t uncommon to have students from the same whānau studying with us but so many and all at the same time, is quite rare. It is also very powerful. CJ is a great role model for his tamariki and our students.”

Posted on

Student who started at EIT | Te Pūkenga Trades Academy set to graduate with diploma | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

2 mins ago

Maata Morrell-Dzilic (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Porou) will graduate from EIT | Te Pūkenga with an NZ Diploma in Beauty Therapy [Level 5], and now runs her own business ‘Ma’s Beauty’.

Maata Morrell-Dzilic (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Porou) started at EIT | Te Pūkenga attending Trades Academy when she was still at school, now not only is she about to graduate with a Diploma in Beauty Therapy from EIT | Te Pūkenga, but she also has her own business.

Maata, 19, who was born and raised in Hawke’s Bay, is of Māori and Muslim (Bosnian) heritage. She says she is excited to be graduating tomorrow (Friday 18 August) at Toitoi – Hawke’s Bay Arts & Events Centre in Hastings.

“I’m really excited because I’ve been dreaming of graduating ever since I started at EIT.”

That journey began when she was at school. She attended Kahu o Te Rangi Te Kōhanga Reo, Tauparanui Ki Heretaunga Te Kōhanga Reo and Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngāti Kahungunu Ki Heretaunga prior to EIT | Te Pūkenga.

“When I was 15 years old, I was introduced to Trades Academy where high school students go to EIT every Friday. I just remember my teacher taking us around to all the departments. Once I got to the beauty department, I felt, ‘Okay, this is me. This is where I’m meant to be.’ That’s when I started here in the Trades Academy Beauty Services [Level 2].”

Maata then decided to leave school to study at EIT | Te Pūkenga full time.

Since then, Maata has completed the Makeup and Skin Care (Introduction) [Level 3], Beauty Therapy [Level 4] and NZ Diploma in Beauty Therapy [Level 5].

While studying, Maata also worked as an OSCAR Programme Assistant at House of Unity, with all her pay cheques being saved so that she could start her own business.

“Last year, I was 18, and that’s when I completed my diploma in beauty therapy, and that’s when I opened up my business, Ma’s Beauty.”

“I hope my story will inspire up and coming beauty therapists and entrepreneurs, but also the younger generation to follow their passion.”

Maata credits her tutors at EIT | Te Pūkenga for their knowledge and support.

“Their support was outstanding. Whenever you needed a hand with something, they’re just always there, which was really nice to have here.”

While she is looking forward to graduation where her family will be to support her, Maata’s focus is on her new business.

“Ma’s Beauty is currently home-based and I do the lot – nail services, massage services, brow and lash services, facial waxing, makeup, and facials.”

“The goal is to eventually have my own beauty therapy clinic in town, but to also eventually franchise out as well. Although I’ve made it this far, I still feel like I’ve got a long way to go.”

She does not rule out further study either.

“I will focus on my business, but then I wouldn’t mind looking at specialising more in skin and doing some business courses as well, just to help me have that foundation of how to eventually build a franchise.”

Jodee Reid, EIT | Te Pūkenga Beauty Therapy Lecturer/Programme Coordinator, says: “We are thrilled with the achievement of Maata after completing all three programmes within the beauty suite. “

“Maata’s drive and determination to excel in the beauty therapy industry was evident right from the start in her Trades Academy classes, and then in following the pathway programmes to the Diploma in Beauty Therapy.  Despite the challenges and demands of studying during the height of the pandemic, Maata exhibited a relentless commitment to mastering each facet of the art and science of beauty therapy.  Her passion and unwavering dedication have been a true inspiration to both her peers and tutors alike. “

“The team of tutors who have worked with Maata congratulate her and her fellow graduates on this momentous milestone, celebrating not only their exceptional accomplishments but also the resilience and tenacity that have fuelled their journey.  As Maata embarks on the next chapter of her career, we are confident that her boundless drive will continue to propel her to new heights which will undoubtedly leave an indelible mark on the beauty industry.”

Posted on

EIT | Te Pūkenga Valedictorian credits studying for putting his life back on track after rugby career in France | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

2 mins ago

Ausage Fomai will graduate with a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science from EIT | Te Pūkenga on Friday. He is also Valedictorian at one of the ceremonies in Hawke’s Bay on Friday.

When Ausage Fomai returned home from playing rugby in France he was struggling with a number of issues, but now not only is he graduating from EIT | Te Pūkenga, he is also Valedictorian at one of the Hawke’s Bay ceremonies on Friday (18 August).

Ausage, 34, will graduate with a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science from EIT | Te Pūkenga at the graduation ceremony at Toitoi – Hawke’s Bay Arts & Events Centre, in Hastings on Friday afternoon.

He was born in Auckland, but grew up in Hawke’s Bay, attending Hastings Boys’ High. A promising rugby player, Ausage went overseas to first play American Gridiron in Australia and then over to France, where he played for US Meyzieu Rugby Club near Lyon.

“When I came back from France, I actually had nothing to my name, no legacy. I was struggling with quite a few things.”

“My first thought was that my older brother Tivaini had gone through EIT and I saw that he was a teacher, and then I just thought that I’ll try, ‘maybe I could be a teacher one day’.”

“My first pursuit was to become a teacher like him and then, along that journey I found myself leaning towards more of the community side of things.”

“I had pretty much nothing and I just wanted to change the direction for my family and my three children.”

It has worked out well for Ausage as he has found his calling in life – working to uplift the Pasifika community.

“Last year in my final year of study, my full-year project was to use exercise to strengthen a relationship between parent and child for the Pasifika people. So, I did that study, and now I’m doing that full-time this year with a business we started up while I was studying called WOWbeing. Now I’m a director in the business.”

The WOW in WOWbeing stands for Wellbeing of Whānau.

“I set the company up with my older brother Tivaini, who did the degree in sport and rec, and then went on to do a teaching post grad. We also linked up with another set of brothers, Davis and Tyson Ataera. We used my project from my degree as our first programme of four in what we call the Journey to Prosperity.”

“I was proactive when I was studying so even though it was busy, I still just made the right connections with people. And our heart is for our Pasifika people.”

For now, Ausage is focused on graduating and his Valedictorian speech. He describes being selected as Valedictorian as surprise and an honour.

He plans to use his Valedictorian speech to encourage his fellow graduands to pursue their dreams.

“I stepped out of my comfort zone to create something that wasn’t there, so I will tell them to ‘Just dream big and nothing’s impossible’.”

Ausage says his family is looking forward to supporting him at the graduation, but unfortunately his brother Neria will not be able to attend as he is flying out to France on the same day to represent Manu Samoa at the Rugby World Cup.

Neria started the studying journey with Ausage and ended up completing his NZ Certificate in Exercise.

“Unfortunately he won’t be here. He plays for the Magpies in Hawke’s Bay, but he has been selected to go to the World Cup with the Manu Samoa team. So, that’s him now,” says Ausage.

Dr Helen Ryan-Stewart, Head of School Health and Sport Science at EIT | Te Pūkenga, says: “We are so proud of all our 2023 graduates. They have successfully studied and balanced life commitments faced with the added challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. They have shown incredible resilience, determination, and adaptability in the face of unprecedented circumstances.”

“We are moved by the passion and work of Ausage and his team in Pacific communities. They have and are working to continue to make a difference in the lives of their people by tackling some of the biggest challenges around health disparities. The skills that Ausage has developed during his studies are now allowing him to create positive change. Ausage was an obvious choice as Valedictorian to represent his peers; his journey is inspiring and we are honoured to see him graduate from EIT | Te Pūkenga.”

Posted on

Newly refurbished Waikato IDI Lab a catalyst for fostering academic-industry collaboration

Source: University of Waikato – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Newly refurbished Waikato IDI Lab a catalyst for fostering academic-industry collaboration

The University of Waikato re-opened its newly refurbished Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) Lab; the lab is the only one in the country based at a university campus and is therefore, uniquely placed as a catalyst for innovation in research within the tertiary sector.

– –

Posted on

EIT | Te Pūkenga Valedictorian excited to be graduating and embarking on new career | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

12 mins ago

Anna Kelland will graduate with concurrent Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science degrees at the EIT | Te Pūkenga Hawke’s Bay graduation on Friday. She is also the Valedictorian.

Anna Kelland was thrilled when she was told she would be one of two Valedictorians at the EIT | Te Pūkenga graduation ceremonies on Friday (18 August), and she can’t wait to carry on with her exciting new career.

Anna, 22, completed the final year of the concurrent Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science degrees last year, and is now working as a viticulture technician for Constellation Brands in Marlborough.

However, she is looking forward to returning to Hawke’s Bay to attend one of two graduation ceremonies at the Toitoi – Hawke’s Bay Arts & Events Centre War Memorial Theatre in Hastings on Friday.

“I was very happy to receive the email from my Head of School, Sue. I had wondered before the graduation was postponed in March, who the valedictorians were going to be. And then, of course, that was postponed. And then the month before, I was thinking, ‘Who’s it going to be?’ and it was not too long ago that I got the email from Sue. ‘Oh, it’s going to be me.’ Exciting.”

Anna has shown her talent from a young age, having left Taradale High School in Year 12 as Dux of the school and enrolled in the degree when she was still 17 years old. She was so young when she started the degree that she was not allowed to drink the wine in the wine-making course.

It did not hold her back as she received a number of awards for her excellent work. She received the Lawson Robinson Hawke’s Bay A&P Society Scholarship at the Napier Port Hawke’s Bay Primary Sector Awards 2022. She had also received an EIT | Te Pūkenga Year 13 Scholarship for her first year and then a Bragato Trust Study Grant in her second year.

Anna says she is finding that what she was taught at EIT | Te Pūkenga is helping her in her new job.

“The combination of teaching us about the scientific approach to wine making, and viticulture, it did go really in depth. But there was also that practical side with industry partners, and people who were industry leaders becoming lecturers, teaching us about how things are really done. So we had those two different approaches to our thinking, going to the workforce. I definitely felt super prepared.”

Her attention is now turning to graduation and it is an opportunity for the family to come together and celebrate.

“Mum and dad will be there. My sister is over in Sydney, where she works for the Heart Research Institute. She was a graduate speaker at her ceremony when she graduated with a Bachelor of Biomedical Science from Victoria University of Wellington. So it makes two of us. Mum and dad are really proud of her too.”

“I’m hoping she’ll watch the stream of the ceremony since she’s overseas.”

Anna says she is very proud to be graduating.

“I’m a very academic person and I do take a lot of pride in my studies. It’s very important to me. I definitely put quite a good amount of focus on my studies.”

While she may have finished her degree, the studying continues for Anna. In 2021, she also enrolled in Wine and Spirits Education Trust London, to get her diploma. She is doing the programme through the New Zealand School of Wine and Spirits.

“I’m still studying, I’m not particularly free of it yet. I have my final exam in October.  I’ve been doing that in my spare time, alongside my full time studying at EIT| Te Pūkenga. And it continues now while I am working.”

Sue Blackmore, the Head of the School of Viticulture and Wine Science at EIT | Te Pūkenga, says: “Anna is a very worthy valedictorian; she has always been both strong academically and also focused on finding a rewarding career in the wine industry once she finished.”

“She is part of a very strong cohort of students and I want to congratulate all of our graduates.”

Posted on

Horses microchipped as part of EQuiChip Initiative by EIT | Te Pūkenga Professor | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

15 mins ago

EIT | Te Pūkenga Professor Nat Waran (right) with a group of veterinarians, vet technicians, vet nurses, RDA and Pony Club volunteers and Veterinary Nursing ākonga (students) at the Napier RDA.

Horses in Hawke’s Bay that were displaced due to Cyclone Gabrielle will now be able to be traced as part of a microchipping initiative led by EIT | Te Pūkenga Professor Nat Waran.

Prof Nat Waran, Professor of One Welfare at EIT | Te Pūkenga created the EQuiChip initiative.
The initiative enables the equestrian community in Hawke’s Bay to take positive preventative measures to help reduce some of the risks and stress associated with being unable to find and identify horses if they are separated from their owners in unforeseen circumstances.

As the Chair of the Companion Animals New Zealand, the organisation responsible for the National Companion Animal Register (NZCAR), Nat is keen to increase awareness amongst responsible horse owners of the need to microchip and register their much loved animals so that they have a better chance of finding them if they are lost or separated.

“Although some far more impacted than others, Cyclone Gabrielle affected all of the Hawke’s Bay equestrian community. From pony club and leisure horse owners to elite equestrians and racehorse trainers.

Nat says while there were many stories of horses that had timely evacuations or were lucky to be quickly found, there were also those who were swept away by the flood water or trapped in silt, their whereabouts unknown.

“In the days after the cyclone, many of our community searched for their horses, posting desperate Facebook messages, circulating photographs for identification, and contacting the emergency centres. In circumstances like this, being able to more effectively identify a horse and its ownership through a microchip will help improve the chances of reuniting a horse and its human.”

Nat says the Hawke’s Bay equestrian community has pulled together to support each other over the past months, including getting behind the EQuiChip initiative.

“Whilst the project won’t change the impact of the devastating event that affected many local horse owners, we will, I hope, through this initiative, ensure that we are better equipped to protect our horses in future.”

EIT | Te Pūkenga NZ Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Level 6) Ākonga (student) Sophie Freeman with Vet Renae Griffin.

Megan Williams, the head coach for one of the local pony clubs, is a vet nurse for VetsOne and an EIT | Te Pūkenga veterinary nursing student who is completing the new degree .

Megan’s personal experience following the cyclone where she couldn’t locate her children’s pony who had been swept away by the flood water in Dartmoor Valley meant that she didn’t hesitate when asked to help with the EQuiChip days.

“It took three long days before very luckily our pony, Poppy was found alive. I would recommend having all horses microchipped and registered on the national animal register so that they are easier to identify and can be returned quickly to their owners. Fortunately, despite having such a traumatic experience, Poppy is home now and appears none the worse for it.”

Three free ‘one-off’ events have been held in Napier, Hastings and most recently at the Waipukurau Racecourse (August 12), with more than 150 horses and ponies microchipped. They hope to see more owners contacting their vets to have theirs done too.

“It’s great to have had such wonderful support from colleagues in MPI, SPCA, ESNZ, local veterinary groups – VetServices Hawke’s Bay and VetsOne and the BioTherm Chip manufacturers (MSD).

“We are also extremely grateful to our venue hosts – RDA Napier, Hastings Showgrounds (VetServices Hastings) and Waipukurau Racecourse – along with the many local volunteers from local pony and riding clubs, including the vet nursing staff and students from EIT | Te Pūkenga.”
Emma Martin, the programme leader for veterinary nursing at EIT | Te Pūkenga has been assisting with the events.

Leanne Harkness, EIT | Te Pūkenga eMarketing Coordinator, has also been heavily involved.
With seven horses herself, who were not displaced, she has been traveling near and far collecting donated hay and delivering it to owners in need for the past six months.

Sophie Freeman, who is in her final semester of the NZ Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Level 6), has gotten behind the initiative.

During her studies, she has been working as a vet nurse, and spent three weeks out in the field in the aftermath of the cyclone finding horses to “bring closure to families”.

“Obviously it’s hard when you’re trying to identify animals out there and get them back to their families. Especially when so many went missing. And we weren’t quite prepared to track owners down, which is why we’re doing this so we can have another way to identify them.”

While they did scan horses they found, not enough were microchipped.

Sophie has seven horses and says microchipping them is something she has always done. “We get our cats and dogs done so it makes sense to get horses done as well.”

Posted on

PBRF Quality Evaluation 2026 – Consultation open on guidelines and audit methodology

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

Last updated 11 August 2023
Last updated 11 August 2023

Print

Share

Consultation is now open on the draft TEO Guidelines, Assessment Guidelines, and the revised audit methodology.
Consultation is now open on the draft TEO Guidelines, Assessment Guidelines, and the revised audit methodology.

This Performance Based Research Fund (PBRF) Quality Evaluation 2026 update covers:
PBRF Sector Reference Group (SRG) consultation on draft versions of the full TEO and Assessment Guidelines 
Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) consultation on a revised audit methodology 
See Sector Reference Group Consultation Papers 2026
SRG consultation on TEO and Assessment Guidelines
The TEO Guidelines (PDF 1.9 MB) and Assessment Guidelines (PDF 1.2 MB) incorporate the in-principle decisions made by the TEC on the basis of the SRG’s consultation process and recommendations since September 2021. The accompanying Summary of TEC’s In-Principle Decisions (PDF 464 KB) provides a full record of these in-principle decisions for reference.
The SRG is consulting on the full drafts of these guidelines to ensure that all changes have been clearly explained, rather than for further feedback on the decisions made earlier in the process.
The draft TEO Guidelines include three new proposals for changes based on earlier sector feedback on the SRG’s technical matters and reporting papers:
Introducing the use of Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC) codes for the Field of Research field in the Evidence Portfolio (EP), rather than a free text field. This proposal is based on feedback from the University of Otago.
Adding an EP Language field, to allow participating staff members to indicate if any languages other than English are used in any of the Example of Research Excellence (ERE) Outputs included in the EP. This proposal is based on feedback from Victoria University of Wellington.
Updating the description of “Software” as a Research Output type to better reflect current practice. This proposal is based on feedback from the University of Auckland.
TEC consultation on revised audit methodology
The TEC is consulting on the draft audit methodology (PDF 382 KB) developed with our TEO auditing partner Deloitte.
Consultation, feedback and next steps
Consultation on the draft guidelines and the revised audit methodology is open from 11 August to 22 September 2023.
You can submit feedback via this online survey: TEO, Assessment guidelines and audit methodology
The SRG will carefully consider all feedback. The final guidelines will be published in November 2023.

Posted on

Monitoring update: August 2023

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

This update includes information about:
accuracy of course (component) start and end date reporting in the Single Data Return (SDR)
adjusting for recognised prior learning
ensuring your Fees Free website content is up to date.
Accuracy of course (component) start and end date reporting in the SDR
Although the TEC makes investment decisions at the programme/qualification level, for administrative purposes we also require providers to disaggregate funded programmes into their component parts, or courses. The SDR is then populated with start and end dates per course, and this will determine how funding is apportioned across the programme.
We expect course start and end dates to align with the actual and scheduled delivery of those courses. The SDR Manual – which providers must comply with – defines these:
Course start date: “This field is to contain the start date of the student’s course(s) in the current or previous academic year. This date is the officially notified beginning date of instruction and/or structured supervision associated with each student’s course(s) at a tertiary education organisation.”
Course end date: “This field will contain the end date of the student’s course. This will normally be the officially notified end date of instruction and/or examination associated with a course. If a course spans the end of the normal academic year, the last date will be for the following year.”
The manual cautions against using “generic” start and end dates unless it is impractical to identify the start and end dates for each unit or course. This allows exceptions in rare circumstances.
The TEC has a responsibility to invest public money responsibly and only fund education and training that is actually delivered. Accurate reporting of start and end dates ensures that:
learners do not unfairly miss out on student support initiatives if they withdraw before the end of a programme, and
we can calculate learner consumption and entitlements based on a learner’s actual study.
It is therefore important that course start and end dates are accurate as far as possible. The longer or larger the programme, the more important this is.
Please note, however, that once entered in the SDR, course start and end dates should not be changed for any enrolment in future submissions, since equivalent full-time students (EFTS) delivered and funded are calculated over the course of the initially reported period on the basis of reported start and end dates.
Adjusting for recognised prior learning
Recognised prior learning (RPL) is previous study or experience (prior achievement) relevant to the programme the learner is about to enrol in or is currently studying. It enables a learner to proceed with their study without repeating aspects of their previous qualification, or re-learning skills they already have from past work or other experience.
Where you have applied RPL, you must adjust your reporting to ensure you do not incorrectly claim funding. A recent audit of a TEO found that due to an override function in their student management system (SMS), they had not adjusted the reporting and had therefore claimed funding for those enrolments.
We carried out a review of all TEOs that use that SMS to see if the issue was widespread. The review found that one other TEO had also incorrectly claimed funding for RPL. We assisted both TEOs to correct reporting and contacted the SMS provider to ensure that they could fix the system or provide appropriate training.
Ensuring your Fees Free website content is up to date
As per your 2023 Fees Free agreement “you must ensure that any information about Fees Free you provide to learners, employers, or other third parties, including information published on your website, is accurate and up to date”.
We are currently working through the Fees Free-related content on TEOs’ websites to ensure that learners receive accurate and up-to-date information about Fees Free.
Please check your website and update any outdated content. To meet this condition we recommend that you use material in the Fees Free marketing toolkit. We may be in touch to ask you to make changes to your website.

Posted on

New Zealand Defence Force staff taking command of their careers through Te Pūkenga study

Source: Open Polytechnic of New Zealand

Posted on 9 August 2023

Open Polytechnic | Te Pūkenga and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) have joined forces to recognise prior learning from on-the-job training for military-personnel who undertake tertiary education through Open Polytechnic.

Since 2020, graduates of the New Zealand Defence Force’s Joint Warrant Officers Advanced Course (JWOAC) have been able to enrol into the Bachelor of Applied Management with 240 credits, leaving just six courses left to complete, to be awarded the degree. This pathway was created in conjunction with Open Polytechnic.

New Zealand Defence Force Warrant Officers Aaron Jeffries and Kerry Williams say they are grateful for the opportunity to complete the Bachelor of Applied Management through Open Polytechnic.

From L-R: NZDF Warrant Officers Aaron Jeffries and Kerry Williams

According to Aaron, studying online through Open Polytechnic provided him with the flexibility he required to be able to successfully finish his degree.

“The online delivery style and assessment criteria suited my work, life and study balance,” Aaron says.

“Online allows for a paperless experience and everything I needed to be successful was incorporated within the electronic syllabus.”

Kerry, who took the programme to get a formal qualification to recognise 35 years working at the New Zealand Defence Force, found the degree programme practical.

“Open Polytechnic was great because I could base a lot of answers on my own personal knowledge, skills and experience,” Kerry says.

“Learning online allowed me to control the pace around full-time work commitments.”

“The study materials were easy to follow and informative.”

For Aaron and Kerry, the programme was beneficial for their careers now, and any future aspirations.

“I have certainly used aspects of strategy management (theories) and change management (processes) in my day-to-day role,” Aaron says.

“This programme of study captured what I already knew or had been practicing for many years,” Kerry says.

“There was some very good material covered within the programme that I will apply in the future, if the opportunity arises.”

Juggling work with study and family commitments was sometimes difficult for both learners, but they managed to get through it thanks to the Open Polytechnic degree programme format and helpful kaimahi (staff).

“It was challenging finding the right balance at times, however the online delivery style and the flexibility allowed by the tutors made the experience manageable,” Aaron says.

“The biggest challenge was making time to study,” Kerry says.

“Once committed with an end goal in sight, it made studying an achievable goal.”

Both aviators would recommend the Bachelor of Applied Management, and not just to those in the New Zealand Defence Force.

Aaron, who is a “huge advocate for professional development” found the programme useful in the New Zealand Defence environment and thinks that the skills he learned in the degree would also be relevant to other industries.

For Kerry, it rounds out much of what he already knows from his career to date.

“The time commitment is manageable, and you are surprised how easy it is to pick up and deliver the content in assignments,” Kerry says.

“It’s a good feeling to be supported by my organisation in developing an advanced learning pathway that I could utilise to acknowledge my previous skills and experience.”

NZDF’s Warrant Officer of the Defence Force (WODF), Mark Mortiboy is a strong advocate for JWOAC graduates to take up studying the Bachelor of Applied Management.

“The programme provides military leaders the opportunity to complement years of practical experience with understanding sound management practices. It provides a mechanism to broaden one’s knowledge and apply it on the job.”

“It’s great to play such an important role in helping the New Zealand Defence Force upskill their staff,” says Alan Cadwallader, Executive Director at Open Polytechnic | Te Pūkenga.

“By working directly with the Defence Force, we have been able to provide them with a pathway to complete the Bachelor of Applied Management programme, and we look forward to continuing to work with them in the future.”

The Bachelor of Applied Management programme is part of an agreement signed last year between Te Pūkenga and NZDF to provide more than 4500 ākonga (learners) annually with world-class training and qualifications.

The agreement draws together the training and education previously provided by a number of Transitional Industry Training Organisations (TITOs) and Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs) into one new arrangement with Te Pūkenga.

This demonstrates how the country’s largest tertiary education and training provider can be the long-term skills training partner for organisations with regional and national reach, says Andrew McSweeney, Pourangi Ākonga me te Ahumahi | DCE Learner and Employer Experience and Attraction for Te Pūkenga.

“We are working collaboratively to simplify how New Zealand’s armed forces engage with vocational and applied learning.”

Posted on

Otago physiotherapy students volunteering as sports medics for over 20 years

Source: University of Otago

For more than 20 years Otago physiotherapy students have been volunteering weekends to take strangers to the emergency department.
It’s all part of the deal for School of Physiotherapy students who volunteer thousands of hours as medics for local sports teams – managing acute injuries, doing pre-game strapping, and even accompany players to the hospital when needed.
Though facilitated by the School, the service is not part of the Bachelor of Physiotherapy degree.
School of Physiotherapy lecturer Professor Gisela Sole says about 40 students volunteer about 4.5 hours a week for 15 weeks equating to about 3,200 hours a year helping the local sports community. 

In 2023 though, that number has more than doubled. Eighty-four students have volunteered – 64 doing it in Dunedin and 17 in other places.
“It is fantastic to see our students providing such an altruistic service to kiwis across the nation. It is clear they have a genuine passion for physiotherapy practice and a desire to give back to their local community, helping to make sports safe and accessible to all,” says Professor Sole.
Rebecca Hourigan volunteered in Dunedin and Sophie Wilson in Palmerston North.
A fourth-year physiotherapy student, Rebecca says she grew increasingly interested in rehabilitation and physical education while studying sport and exercise nutrition for a Bachelor of Applied Science.
Physiotherapy student Rebecca Hourigan says the experience she gained volunteering as a sports medic with the Kaikorai Rugby Club was “priceless”.
This led to her second degree in physiotherapy, which she feels is an underrated profession.
“It’s not just about helping people when they’ve hurt themselves, it about their holistic wellbeing, taking preventative measures to ensure they don’t get hurt, and encouraging them to live their best lives – volunteering as a sports medic encapsulates this in a very practical sense.”
Volunteering at the Kaikorai Rugby Club had been a “priceless” experience that allowed her to interact with people she might not have, learn about the management of sports clubs, get practical experience, and support people in need.”
She strongly encourages other physiotherapy students to volunteer, even if it’s just for a season, because the hands-on experience is so helpful in increasing confidence.
Sophie says volunteering as a sports medic benefitted both her professional and personal skills.
Volunteering as a sports medic while on placement in Palmerston North has increased Sophie Wilson’s personal and professional confidence.
From Dunedin, she is doing her fourth-year placement in Palmerston North, where she volunteers with the Fielding Rugby Club.
“It’s been hands-on experience, where I’ve had to learn about injuries, make quick assessments on how to manage them, and share with players how they can prevent long-term complications.”
Personally, she had enjoyed giving back, growing her contact networks and more quickly become a part of the “Palmy” community.
She encourages other physiotherapy students to volunteer as medics regardless of whether they want to be a sports physiotherapist eventually or not, because it helps improve communication and teamwork skills as well as shoring up what has been learned in class.
Sophie’s clinical supervisor helped her get involved with the rugby club, but students can also reach out to clubs themselves if they would like to volunteer.
“Most medic opportunities come from reaching out to people and I emailed several clubs but ended up taking up a volunteer position that my supervisor found as that was the right fit for me,” Sophie says.
“Also, I’ve found that opportunities tend to stem from taking up other opportunities; so be proactive and search out experiences because you’ll likely find yourself in exciting places you had never previously considered.”
Kōrero by the Division of Health Sciences Communications Adviser, Kelsey Schutte.