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After ten years in management, South African immigrant keen to start Graduate Diploma of Business at EIT | Te Pūkenga | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

39 seconds ago

South African immigrant Jacques Carey is looking forward to doing his Graduate Diploma of Business at EIT | Te Pūkenga this year.

South African immigrant, Jacques Carey, who has more than ten years of management experience, as well as many certificates, courses, and an apprenticeship, is is now  keen to get back into the books.

He will do this by studying for a Graduate Diploma of Business at EIT | Te Pūkenga this year.

Jacques, 39, who moved over from South African more than five years ago, has worked for Jamestrong Packaging, both here and in Auckland, for all of those years. Jamestrong is a manufacturer and supplier of metal packaging for the food, infant and nutrition markets.

Jacques’ previous role was as a Procurement Manager at an engineering company in Randburg, South Africa before moving out to New Zealand with his wife, Tanya. He started out at Jamestrong in Auckland in January 2019 and was recently  promoted to manufacturing manager in Hawke’s Bay in June 2023.

“I started my Bachelor of Applied management at MIT in Manukau in 2022, where I resumed my studies for about 18 months, before we moved to Hawke’s Bay.”

“I moved over to EIT and went to speak to one of the lecturers, Russell Booth,  who suggested that I should do a Graduate Diploma in Management.”

In order to qualify for the diploma, Jacques has had to do the Recognition to Prior Learning (RPL) programme. This looks at all qualifications a learner has had in the past, including “life lessons”.

Jacques says he is looking forwarded to getting into his studies at EIT| Te Pūkenga as while he has enjoyed his Open Polytech course, he prefers sitting in a classroom.

“I liked the whole engagement in class.”

Apart from his studies, Jacques and Tanya are taking their time exploring New Zealand as well as enjoying family visiting from South Africa.

“The Graduate Diploma in Business suits Jacques down to the ground,” explains Russell Booth, who is also the co-ordinator for the Graduate Diploma.

“It is at the right level for Jacques and allows us to recognise the extensive depth and breadth of his impressive work history through the RPL process towards a New Zealand based qualification. The RPL process means that Jacques only needs to attend classes in person to develop the knowledge that he feels is missing and required to progress his career.”

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EIT Te Pūkenga to showcase wide range of programmes on offer at information and enrolment day in Tairāwhiti | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

An information and enrolment day will be held at the EIT | Te Pūkenga Tairāwhiti Campus on Thursday (25 January 2024).

Prospective learners in Tairāwhiti will get an opportunity to view the wide selection of programmes offered by EIT | Te Pūkenga at it’s information and enrolment day on Thursday (25 January 2024).

The day is open to anyone who is interested in studying at EIT | Te Pūkenga and who would like more information about what programmes are on offer.

The event will be held on Thursday between 9am and 6pm at the EIT | Te Pūkenga Tairāwhiti Campus. An information day will be held at the Wairoa Learning Centre on 31 January between 10am and 2pm. An information day planned for the Ruatoria Learning Centre has been postponed and a new date will be announced in due course.

Waata Shepherd, campus manager at EIT | Te Pūkenga in Tairāwhiti, says the day is an opportunity for EIT | Te Pūkenga to show what it has on offer.

“We are very proud of our wide range of programmes and would encourage everyone to come and choose something that suits them.”

“We are quite unique in offering people a full range of qualifications from certificates to postgraduate level, with full-time, part-time and online study options available.”

“This gives learners the opportunity to remain at home with whānau while pursuing top class qualifications like our Bachelor of Māori Visual Arts through Toihoukura.”

“Come chat to our staff to see how EIT | Te Pūkenga may support you, whether you’re looking to get qualified, upskill, or just exploring your study options.”

Prospective students will be given a tour of the campus and a chance to chat to the student liaison team and tutors about what is on offer.

Check out the EIT | Te Pūkenga website eit.ac.nz for more info or phone 0800 CALL EIT.

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EIT | Te Pūkenga student living a lifelong dream by studying te reo and reconnecting with her whakapapa | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

7 mins ago

Amy Tuhoro has enjoyed studying the Bachelor of Arts (te reo Māori) at Te Whatukura at EIT | Te Pūkenga in Te Tairāwhiti.

Amy Tuhoro grew up disconnected from te reo Māori and Te Ao Māori, but is making amends now by exploring her culture and language through EIT | Te Pūkenga in Te Tairāwhiti.

Amy (Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, Te Aitanga a Mahaki and Tūhoe) grew up in Kawerau in the Bay of Plenty and spent many years as a caregiver before becoming a registered nurse. However a desire to learn te reo led her to enrol in a programme at the University of Waikato.

However, she felt the need to move to Te Tairāwhiti, an area where she has whakapapa to.

“We have connections to the area. That was the main reason for moving here, to get to know about Tairāwhiti and what the way of life is like here, and learning the history here.”

“It’s a different way of life here, and I wanted to learn about that.”

The move was made easier because she was able to cross-credit the courses she had done in Waikato and use it for her Bachelor of Arts (te reo Māori) at Te Whatukura at EIT | Te Pūkenga in Te Tairāwhiti.

“Our family grew up completely disconnected from te reo Māori and the Māori worldview. And I only started learning on and off night classes over the years, but I quit my job and sold my house in Hamilton and enrolled in full immersion last year.”

“It was a massive move and a lot of people thought I was crazy. I always felt like there was something missing and it has been a lifelong dream to be able to speak te reo, but I always found life happens. You can’t just do what I did, really, up and leave everything to pursue it, but the calling was that strong, I did.”

While Amy, 32, is keen to practice what she has learnt, she also wants to potentially use it in her former career in healthcare.

“While I am here, I’ve also been doing Māori medicine, and so to be able to combine both worlds would be ideal.”

Amy says the great thing about the Bachelor programme is the tutors.

“They’re not just teaching us about the language and the culture, they live and breathe it every single day. It’s not just a job to them, it’s who they are. And what more of a better example to learn from, really?”

“The other thing is that it is not just a programme. I’ve been to quite a few learning institutions in my time, but I’ve never felt the level of whanaungatanga and manaakitanga, the sense of family that you get at Te Whatukura at EIT.”

This may not be the last that EIT | Te Pūkenga has seen of Amy as she is keen to do her Honours in the Bachelor of Arts.

“EIT has just been granted to do the Honors programme here in Gisborne, so I’m weighing up whether I do that or not.”

Angela Tibble, Programme Co-ordinator and Lecturer at Te Whatukura, EIT | Te Pūkenga in Te Tairāwhiti, says: “Amy has bought humility, humour, wit, intelligence an open mind and heart to her studies this year.  We are pleased to extend the opportunity of another year of study here in the Tairāwhiti to explore further the opportunities of doing her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree, Te Pikitanga ki Awarua.”

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EIT | Te Pūkenga supports local business through sponsorship of awards | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

5 mins ago

John West, EIT|Te Pūkenga Dean of the Faculty of Commerce and Technology, presents the Hospitality Star award category at the Napier CBD Star Awards to Teresa Cocktail Bar owners Andrea Marseglia and Sarah Mitchell. Photo by Ruby Bloom Photography

EIT | Te Pūkenga is continuing its investment in local communities by sponsoring two prestigious business awards this year –  the 2023 Napier CBD Star Awards and the Datacom Hawke’s Bay Business Awards.

Local businesses were honoured at separate events earlier this month and EIT | Te Pūkenga was one of a number of sponsors at each event. The Napier CBD Star Awards, with Spark Business Hawke’s Bay as the main sponsor, celebrates the best businesses based in the Napier CBD. The finalists were judged by a panel of business owners and industry experts and were scored on written entries, and site visits where they each had to pitch their business. EIT|Te Pūkenga was sponsor of the Hospitality Star award category. This year’s winner was Teresa Cocktail Bar. The Supreme Award went to Market St.

The Datacom Hawke’s Bay Business Awards is a prestigious awards process that celebrates successful businesses across the region from Wairoa to Central Hawke’s Bay. At the recent awards, EIT|Te Pūkenga was the sponsor of the Excellence in Innovation award, which was won by Wayfinder.

The Supreme Winner of this event was Topline Contracting Limited who won the Outstanding Social Impact award. EIT|Te Pūkenga has a connection with Topline, in that it supports the Topline Academy, an initiative to introduce cadets into the infrastructure industry, by delivering the Infrastructure Works level 2 programme three times a year and engaging their students in other life skills throughout the programme.

 EIT|Te Pūkenga has been supporting the Academy since its inception in July 2022 and have seen more than 60 graduates qualify in the level 2 programme.

John West, EIT|Te Pūkenga Dean of the Faculty of Commerce and Technology, said that the sponsorships were an important part of the institute’s involvement in the local communities.

“We are part of our communities as we live and work in them, so we are proud to show our commitment by sponsoring categories in these prestigious awards.”

“Congratulations to all the winners. Hawke’s Bay can be proud of the calibre of businesses that we have in Napier and the rest of the region.”

“These businesses play an important part in our economy and we should all support them and wish them every success.”

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Research sparks innovation and the develops professions, says Early Career Researcher

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

Max Christie

In this feature we interview staff members who have been identified as Early Career Researchers. In the spotlight is Max Christie, an Early Childhood Education Lecturer in the Faculty of Education, Humanities and Health Science.

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

Masters of Education, Victoria University of Wellington, Finished in 2021.

Are you currently completing any other post graduate programmes?

No, unless you count learning to be a lecturer, which feels like a post-graduate programme in a way.

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

Lecturer or Kaiako. I teach a variety of courses. Next year I will be teaching;

– Education and Society

– Emergent Literacy

– Play, Pedagogy and Curriculum

– The History of Early Childhood Education

– Professionalism

– Leadership

– Artistic Languages

What areas do you specialise in?

 I would say that I have expertise within most aspects of Early Childhood Education. It is difficult to narrow this down to one or two areas of particular expertise.

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

None. I have just started work as a lecturer, previous to this I was travelling, teaching in and managing Early Childhood Centres

How important is research to you as an academic?

Vital. We must always strive to create new and interesting provocations for practitioners in order to spark innovation and the development of our profession in ECE.

How supportive is EIT in encouraging you to do research?

EIT has been very clear that I will be supported to do research and that this is a key part of my role which is very exciting

The post Research sparks innovation and the develops professions, says Early Career Researcher first appeared on EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti.

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EIT | Te Pūkenga students to showcase work produced at MTG | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

3 mins ago

EIT | Te Pūkenga Design Lecturer Roger Kelly (left), Level 6 Design ākonga (student) Maddie Klose and Level 7 design ākonga Micah Westrupp working to develop the visual identity for the ‘We Design’ exhibition.

Work produced by EIT | Te Pūkenga IDEAschool ākonga (students) will be on show at MTG, with a special industry showcase night to celebrate.

‘We Design’ is a multidisciplinary exhibition by Bachelor of Creative Practice (Design) ākonga, bringing together the best of 2D and 3D Design with projects in Graphic Design, Urban Design, Object Design, Product Design, Spatial Design, and Illustration.

EIT | Te Pūkenga Design Lecturer James Smith says it is the first of its kind for IDEAschool and the Bachelor of Creative Practice (Design).  

For the first semester, ākonga were based at MTG Hawke’s Bay Tai Ahuriri due to the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle on the Hawke’s Bay Campus in Taradale.

While they will have their annual end of year exhibition at the campus on November 24, James says they wanted to acknowledge the relationship that has developed between IDEAschool and MTG. It will be held tomorrow (Wednesday, November 8).

“We organised with them to have this end of year exhibition to showcase the students work that they made with a lot of challenges due to the cyclone and displacement. And they’ve been supported by the MTG, so it’s celebrating that relationship which we look to foster going forward as well.”

The level 6 ākonga, who are seeking internships for their final year of study, are showcasing their ‘Mobile Activity Units’ produced as part of their ‘community project’ in collaboration with the MTG.

On the other hand, work produced by the level 7 ākonga, on the cusp of finishing their degree, is more individualised.

Design Lecturer Beck Wheeler says the work produced is of a really high standard.

EIT | Te Pūkenga Level 6 Design ākonga (student) Maddie Klose taking photos of one of her team’s ‘Wonder Hubs – Mobile Activity Unit’ scale models for presentation at the ‘We Design’ exhibition on Wednesday.

MTG Hawke’s Bay Tai Ahuriri Director Laura Vodanovich says: “We were really happy to have the students with us”.

“It made it a really easy way to collaborate with them by working within the museum context and coming up with ideas for their community project.

“Being able to interact in the space all the time was, I think, really helpful for them and for us and it is exiting to have their exhibition on display so they can show some of the work they’ve done while they’ve been here.”

‘We Design’ will be held at MTG Hawke’s Bay Tai Ahuriri on Wednesday (November 8) at 4.30pm. For more information visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/351027480923290. An end of year showcase will be held at the EIT | Te Pūkenga Hawke’s Bay Campus in Taradale on November 24 at 5.30pm.

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EIT | Te Pūkenga graduate youngest to win Young Winemaker of the Year | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

Alena Kamper, a graduate of the Bachelor of Viticulture & Wine Science Concurrent at EIT | Te Pūkenga, is the 2023 Tonnellerie de Mercurey North Island Young Winemaker of the Year.

An EIT | Te Pūkenga graduate has been named the 2023 Tonnellerie de Mercurey New Zealand Young Winemaker of the Year.

At 22 years old, Alena Kamper, who now works as a Cellar Hand at Sacred Hill Winery in Hawke’s Bay, is the youngest person to win the coveted title.

“I am over the moon. It still feels quite surreal,” Alena says.

“Especially with the calibre of the contestants this year, I think it could have been anyone’s game. So incredible to take it out. I feel very very honoured.”

The national final took place at The Bone Line in North Canterbury on Tuesday (October 31). The  three finalists delivered their speeches at the Altogether Unique Wine Industry Celebration in Christchurch the following evening, when the overall winner was announced.

It comes just a year into Alena’s career, having completed the Bachelor of Viticulture & Wine Science Concurrent at EIT | Te Pūkenga at the end of last year, and graduated in August.

Alena was initially nervous to enter the competition but is glad she took the plunge. She first won the North Island Young Winemaker of the Year in September, qualifying her for the national final. 

“I definitely felt like I was quite the underdog in the situation. So just so surreal when they called my name out. It’s been an incredible experience. I’ve learned so much.”

Alena won two section prizes; the Fruitfed Supplies best speech and the Indevin Wine Judging Section.

The speech topic was: “Why is your region unique and how does it complement other regions to make New Zealand wine altogether unique?” Each contestant had the same topic and had to speak on their specific region.

“That was definitely a highlight, especially when you get the chance to talk highly of your region. It just felt so easy to write and I truly believe that Hawke’s Bay is the best wine region of New Zealand, so it was awesome.”

Alena looks back at her time at EIT | Te Pūkenga with fondness, saying the programme was recommended to her by an old science teacher of hers at the school she attended, Sacred Heart College.

She says she loved the degree and was pleased that the lecturers gave one-on-one help to students.

“I think it’s just been the perfect launch platform. They give you just so many skills to be able to ask the questions and interpret all the things that you come across in the industry. It gave me great connections to start off with and it’s been awesome.”

As NZ Young Winemaker of the Year, Alena took home a prize package that includes $1000 cash, a visit to the Tonnellerie de Mercurey cooperage in Burgundy, France, and the opportunity to be an associate judge in the 2024 New World Wine Awards and review some of her favourite wines in DrinksBiz magazine.

The Head of the EIT | Te Pūkenga School of Viticulture and Wine Science, Sue Blackmore said they are so excited for Alena.

“An incredible achievement for someone less that a year out of study. We wish her all the best for what will be an amazing career in the Wine industry.”

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Love of gardens lures mature student back into study at EIT | Te Pūkenga | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

Sophie Worsnop is now in a career she enjoys after graduating from EIT | Te Pūkenga.

A love of gardens and a desire to work outdoors led a mature student to overcome her nerves and study at EIT | Te Pūkenga.

Having left school in 2012, Sophie Worsnop worked in hospitality for ten years before COVID-19 lockdowns made her realise she wanted to work outdoors. She returned home from Australia and was attracted to the New Zealand Certificate in Horticulture (Level 3) at EIT | Te Pūkenga. She followed that up with the NZ Certificate in Sustainable Primary Production (Level 4).

“I had wanted to go to university post high school. I graduated 2012, but I had a really bad injury and couldn’t go to school, so I couldn’t go to university. So I went and did hospitality and I got that hospitality bug and did it for 10 years.”

“I lived in Wellington and then got stuck in Melbourne through COVID-19 and decided that I hated being stuck inside. I found my biggest peace through all the lockdowns in Melbourne going to the botanical gardens. So I came home in July 2021 and didn’t really know what to do with my life. I knew that I didn’t want to stay in hospitality anymore just because of how COVID-19 had treated things.”

She says she happened to notice the horticulture programme at EIT | Te Pūkenga.

“I saw it and thought, ‘Oh, that’s something that I really love’. I was keen to work in gardens and work with people. I was a bit nervous about being an adult student but I thought I’d give it a go.

Having grown up on a farm, Sophie always had an interest in landscaping and gardening. This passion was cultivated in Melbourne where she had about 300 house plants during the lockdowns.

“I think really recognising the anxiety and frustration that being cooped up inside was giving me, made me really want to appreciate my outdoors. I was raised on a farm out in Tukituki so everyone’s always told me that I’m an earth baby. I’ve always enjoyed being out and tutu-ing around in the garden.”

“It’s always been there, but I don’t think I really ever thought about it as a career or furthering my education until after COVID-19.”

Sophie says she loved studying at EIT | Te Pūkenga and enjoyed learning from the tutors, whose passion, she says, was “second to none”.

“It was inspiring to help me let go of a lot of stress and anxiety and I guess the hustle of the world.”

“I think that industry works at the same rate as things grow. So in winter we get to slow down a little bit more because everything slows down and stops growing. And in summer we work a bit harder and faster because everything grows a bit harder and faster.”

She also says she found that she was well supported as a mature student.

Since finishing studying, Sophie has been working at garden and ground care specialists, Bark Limited. She is a team leader working in a number of retirement centres around Hawke’s Bay.

“Our shirts say Great Gardens, Great Service. And to me that’s the joy of bringing people and their gardens together, creating that network for them”.

Programme Coordinator Lisa Turnbull says: “It’s great to see a person with a passion for horticulture get a formal education and end up with a great job in the industry”.

Gerard Henry, programme tutor says: “The introductory Level 3 Horticulture programme offers so much more than growing and gardening skills but also an opportunity to rekindle or discover new practices and passion for the plant kingdom and the environment. Sophie is a fine example of a learner that was unsure where the programme might take her at the outset but eventually became focused toward the end of the course to seek new work opportunities.”

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Top EIT | Te Pūkenga researcher promoted to Associate Professor | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

3 mins ago

A Top EIT | Te Pūkenga academic has been promoted to Associate Professor in recognition of her internationally recognised research and academic leadership.

Dr Pii-Tuulia Nikula, now an Associate Professor at EIT | Te Pūkenga School of Business, is well known for her research on the international student recruitment industry and sustainability.

She has been the author and co-editor of two books this year – Student Recruitment Agents in International Higher Education and Sustainable Education Abroad: Striving for Change.

EIT | Te Pūkenga Executive Director Glen Harkness congratulated Dr Nikula, saying: “Pii-Tuuliais an internationally recognised researcher and innovative educator with extensive industry, teaching and research experience in the fields of management, sustainability, higher education and international education.”

 “Pii-Tuulia is a good examples of the depth of research talent EIT | Te Pūkenga has and has brought much recognition for our research capabilities at EIT | Te Pūkenga.”

“With talent like this in our Professoriate, research at EIT | Te Pūkenga is in good health.”

Dr Nikula says she is excited to have been promoted.

“I want to acknowledge my academic and industry referees for their support. I’d also like to thank everyone who has supported, inspired and guided me throughout my academic journey, including my students, colleagues, managers, and academic and industry collaborators.”

“I’ll continue my leadership with the goal of making a positive impact at EIT and beyond!”

Dr Nikula teaches courses in sustainable organisations, global strategies and research methods and supervises under- and postgraduate level students. She also has extensive experience in course and curriculum design and programme and course coordination roles.

Before her academic career, Nikula worked as an entrepreneur and held management and leadership roles within the international student recruitment sector.

She is co-founder of Climate Action Network for International Educators (www.canie.org) and is the Chair of the School of Business and School of Computing Research Committee. She also serves as an editorial board member for Higher Education Quarterly and as an associate editor for Higher Education Research and Development and Journal of International Students.

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EIT Te Pūkenga farewells respected Executive Dean and animal welfare researcher | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

EIT | Te Pūkenga has farewelled respected Executive Dean and animal welfare researcher Professor Nat Waran.

EIT | Te Pūkenga has farewelled respected Executive Dean and animal welfare researcher Professor Nat Waran’

Professor Waran has also been made Professor Emeritus in recognition of her commitment to research and innovation at EIT | Te Pūkenga. Professor Emeritus appointments acknowledge normally retiring professors who are recognised nationally and internationally as having made an outstanding contribution in their discipline; have contributed significantly to the success of the institute over an extended period of time; are respected and esteemed by colleagues; and intend to maintain a continuing association with the institute.

Professor Waran has been Executive Dean and Professor of One Welfare since she joined EIT | Te Pūkenga in 2016 and has led the growth of research capabilities and structures within the institution.

Professor Waran is an internationally respected applied animal welfare scientist and educator with expertise in applied research, and the design and delivery of evidence-based education initiatives. She has more than 30 years of experience working as a strategic leader at senior level in the tertiary sector in NZ and overseas.

Prior to returning to New Zealand in 2016 she was the inaugural Director of the Jeanne Marchig International Animal Welfare Centre established at the University of Edinburgh’s veterinary school, where she collaborated with various organisations to advance animal welfare in developing countries.

EIT | Te Pūkenga Executive Director Glen Harkness paid tribute to Professor Waran, who was farewelled at a function on the Hawke’s Bay Campus on Friday, 15 September.

“In the past seven years, Nat has been an exceptional leader not only across EIT and Te Pūkenga but also in research bodies around the world. In particular, at EIT, Nat’s stewardship of the Faculty of Education, Humanities and Health Sciences, development of the EIT Research and Innovation Centre, the Ōtātara Outdoor Learning Centre, and contribution to developing the EIT Institute of Sport and Health has been invaluable.”

“Outside of EIT, Nat was a founding member of Te Poari Akoranga and te Ohu Whakahaere committees at Te Pūkenga, developed the new Te Pūkenga Animal Research and Teaching Code of Ethical Conduct and facilitated the Te Pūkenga Research Ethics Framework. We have been lucky to have Nat’s expertise as a world expert in equine welfare and one-welfare, all while maintaining professorial roles at leading international universities and providing leadership in research projects.”

“It goes without saying that Nat has contributed widely to the life and reputation of the institution and will be a huge loss and missed by all of us,” said Mr Harkness.

Professor Waran says she has enjoyed her time at EIT.

“I feel very proud of all that we have achieved together over the past years. I haven’t ever regretted the decision to accept the offer of the role of Executive Dean at EIT and to bring our family back to NZ from Scotland. EIT has always been about our people and our positive relationships, and it’s been an absolute pleasure to work alongside such great colleagues.”