Founded by Max Farndale 1947 - 2018
Dec 15, 2017 - More young people in 2018 in Canterbury will have the chance to set up and run their own ventures, learning first-hand from local business mentors and developing critical skills for future employment and study. Ara Institute of Canterbury is the new regional partner for The Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) and is enthusiastic about becoming more actively involved after previously hosting YES events.
“We are thrilled to work with Ara Institute of Canterbury to continue supporting local entrepreneurs. We know Ara will be able to offer value and support to the schools we work with to further impact youth entrepreneurship in the region,” Head of YES Dr Colin Kennedy said. The Lion Foundation YES is an experiential year-long programme where senior secondary students set up and run a business while still in school with real products and services, real profit and loss.
Ara will utilise its network of relationships with Canterbury schools and local businesses to support and grow the scheme. Some 500 students will be engaged in the scheme in 2018, participating in the journey of coming up with an innovative idea and developing it further into a successful business.
Head of the Department of Business at Ara, Michaela Blacklock, said that the two organisations share similar values and Ara was delighted to become a YES regional partner.
“Working with the students, teachers, mentors and sponsors involved in Young Enterprise in 2018, we can support and challenge our young people to develop their potential. They could go on to become Canterbury’s future entrepreneurs and business leaders – and that’s exciting,” she said. “The practical nature of YES aligns directly with the Ara focus on applied learning, where students learn by doing from day one. We apply this principle to all of our business programmes ensuring that our students get the best possible learning experience by applying theory as they learn it.” Blacklock says Canterbury is a leader in understanding the social, economic and environmental impacts of business activity.
“Christchurch hosted the Social Enterprise World Forum this year, and we have many successful social enterprises here to inspire YES participants. You only have to look at Anteater and My Green Dinner Table, both created by former Ara students, to see what is possible.”“Young people are playing a pivotal role in transforming and growing the local economy, and in creating a better world.”
CORE Education has provided the umbrella for YES in Canterbury in recent years with the number of students taking part regionally growing year on year. Ara looks forward to building on this from 2018 and is grateful for the work CORE have put into the programme to this point.
| An ARA release || December 15, 2017 |||
Dec 5, 2017 - The Government’s policy of a year’s free tertiary education for eligible students will benefit workers and business alike, says E tū. Of the 80,000 students forecast to take up the offer next year, 50,000 are expected to enrol in NZQA accredited industry training.
In the case of industry training, eligible students will enjoy two years fee free.
“There are currently about 11,000 construction apprentices but there’s a need for another 40,000 workers over the next five years,” says E tū’s Industry Coordinator, Engineering and Infrastructure, Ron Angel.
“We should have begun training five years ago, but the next best time to start is right now, so this will certainly provide a boost for the relevant Industry Training Organisations to promote apprenticeships,” he says.
“This is an opportunity for more firms to take that jump and say, ‘yeah, I’m taking on an apprentice’, and having a go at it.”
Ron says the policy will also sit well alongside the Government’s focus on forestry and regional development.
“There are huge opportunities in forestry and the primary sector where we can add value to workers and get highly trained, highly skilled people who know there’s a future and a career ahead of them,” he says.
Electrician and E tū Executive member, Ray Pilley says the trades have been neglected for too long and anything which promotes trades to young people is good.
“I’m an electrician and I’ve been in the industry for over 30 years. I’ve had a fantastic career. It’s well paid and you’ve got a job for life.
“The old saying is true – got a trade, got it made.”
| An E tū release || december 5, 2017 |||
Dec 5, 2017 - The Government has today made good on its 100-day promise of delivering the first year of fees-free post school training and education and industry training from 1 January next year, says Education Minister Chris Hipkins. “This Government has taken the first major steps to break down financial barriers to post-school training and education. Next year, around 80,000 people will be eligible for fees free post-school training and education.
“It comes on top of our recent announcement of $50 increases in student allowance and student loans weekly living costs limits, which will make more than 130,000 students $50 a week better off.
“The policy is a major investment in New Zealanders and the New Zealand economy.
“It’s great news for young people who are finishing school and adults who have in the past been put off because of the cost, and it provides a genuine incentive to keep learning. This government is passionate about life-long learning. “Employers have also been calling for bold forward thinking to build a future workforce with new skills to meet changing demands. That’s what this policy will deliver.
“We expect the policy to halt, and over time reverse the current trend of fewer people going into post-school training and education. We have budgeted for a 3% increase in equivalent full-time students in 2018, equating to about 2000 extra students.
“The Government has budgeted for up to $380 million in the current financial year across the fees-free policy and the $50 increases to student loans and allowances.
“Of the about 80,000 eligible students, estimates are that about 50,000 will train or study at a polytechnic, as industry trainees, at a wānanga or a PTE. The remainder will study at university.
Eligibility and implementation
Mr Hipkins said the policy details released today confirm the eligibility for fees-free in provider-based education and industry training.
“If you're a New Zealander who finished school in 2017, or if you will finish school during 2018, you qualify for a year of free provider based tertiary education or industry training in 2018. If you're not a recent school leaver, and you've done less than half a fulltime year of education or training, you also qualify,” Mr Hipkins said.
The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) will be responsible for implementing the fees-free policy, Mr Hipkins said.
“The TEC is working with Tertiary Education Organisations (TEOs) to ensure effective implementation of the fees-free policy, minimising any extra work TEOs may have to do. The TEC has set up a fees-free website to help prospective students and trainees confirm their eligibility for free fees. The TEC is being supported by other agencies, including the Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Education and Inland Revenue.
“I appreciate that enrolled and prospective learners have had to wait some time before seeing the final details of the fees-free policy and I thank them for their patience; however, I’m sure learners will be happy with the result,” Mr Hipkins said.
More information for prospective students and trainees is at the fees-free website www.feesfree.govt.nz.
Further information for tertiary education providers and industry training organisations is available on the TEC’s website – www.tec.govt.nz.
The Government is committed to being transparent about how it develops and implements its policies. Cabinet papers on the Fees Free and student support costs polices are at: http://education.govt.nz/ministry-of-education/information-releases/100-days.
| A Beehive release || December 5, 2017 |||
Dec 1, 2017 - Phillip Goundar, New Zealand Diploma of Engineering (Civil) student, placed in the top three in an Engineering NZ competition, earning return flights to the November ‘Engineer your Career’ forum. The second year Ara Institute of Canterbury student from Fiji believes it was his creative vision, background and experience that impressed the judges.
In answering why he chose to study engineering Goundar drew upon his own life experiences. “I originate from a rural village in Fiji called Vatukarasa. Growing up we had a very basic house and no [clean] running water. I had to walk with a two-litre bottle to a family friend’s house as they had a borehole and clean water, so I would fill it up and walk back home. I made several trips every afternoon so we had clean water to drink.”
Experiences such as this make Goundar appreciate the value of engineering. “If I don’t do something correctly there are lives at stake, so that builds pride into what I’m doing. I can see how my work is going to serve the community. I can see the importance of my job, especially after going through all of the Christchurch earthquakes and aftershocks.”
Goundar was one of eight engineering students from Ara who beat out competition from tertiary institutes across the country to attend the Wellington forum. Engineering New Zealand, formerly IPENZ, originally offered fifty forum spots for tertiary students. However, due to the high calibre of entries they decided to offer seventy-two spots.
To earn entry to the forum students had to provide winning answers to two questions: what inspired you to study engineering and what does the future of engineering look like to you?
Twenty-one year old Goundar thinks that in the future the engineering industry will place higher value on safety and innovation. Within his own career, Goundar wants to explore the concept of “designing a material which is lighter than concrete but much superior in strength”.
“The highlight of the whole event for me was to hear that grades are important but it’s a fifty-fifty split between grades and experience. For me personally, I made use of all my opportunities at Ara, not just in class. Ara gave me the platform to speak up and share my ideas. The tutors welcome questions and conversation with the students, and they keep learning engaging. It’s clear that they want you to understand.”
From December, Goundar will start working for BECA as a Civil Engineering Technician. However, since attending the forum he is considering his career pathway and exploring the possibilities of further study. “I appreciated the networking opportunities at the forum to talk with new engineers in the field and hear about the difficulties they face. I also gained a better understanding of how I could move up in the ranks within the engineering industry.”
“My goal is to study the Ara Bachelor of Engineering Degree part-time, or a Bachelor of Engineering through University. Once I have achieved that and gained work experience I want to go on to do a taught Masters. I don’t know if I’ll want to work within the industry for my entire career. One day I’d like to be a lecturer.”
| An ARA rerlease || December 1, 2017 |||
Nov 29, 2017 - When Casey Aranui went looking for work experience for her EIT trades training programme, she was knocked back by a dozen builders. The reasons she was given, she says, were about gender, but the determined 32-year-old wasn’t about to be deterred and her perseverance has paid off.
Graham Scarfe Builder Ltd offered Casey the opportunity she was looking for, and now, working full-time for the company, she is on track to securing a carpentry apprenticeship.
EIT tutor Tom Hay says Casey wasn’t the norm for a Level 3 New Zealand Certificate in Construction Trade Skills (Carpentry) student, the norm being “a young fellow just out of high school”. However, she was one of four women on the programme – which has intakes in February and July – and Tom says the local building industry needs more female role models like her.
Living in Taradale, Casey and husband Reese have four children aged between two to seven. The Ngāti Kahungunu couple have a plan for getting ahead and it was with that in mind that they both enrolled at EIT.Reese recently completed the first year of the Level 6 Diploma in Architectural Technology and once he gains his qualification he wants to work at a job that will allow him to give back to his community.
Managing the demands of family life, Casey notched up a good attendance record at EIT. And while on work experience she tackled some hard physical jobs including jack-hammering out concrete. “She’s really determined,” Tom says and Graham Scarfe, whose family company employs 25 staff, agrees. “She’s going to be a top apprentice,” Graham enthuses. “She has got a hard road to achieve that and she’s going to do it.”
Like Casey, he’s picked up on outdated attitudes towards women working on construction sites and says there’s no need for it – from builders or from clients.
While Casey found that mind-set disheartening, she says she had no option other than to succeed. “We have four kids at home and a mortgage, bailing wasn’t an option.”
Like Reese, Casey likes to give back to the community. With Tom’s guidance and using offcuts from the trades programme, she and a friend recently built a rabbit hutch for the kōhanga reo on Waiohiki marae. Outside of work, she enjoys time with whānau and keeps active with boxing, cycling, Iron Māori and waka ama.
| An EIT release || November 29, 2017 |||
15 Nov 2017 - A study done by the University of Southern California and New Zealand’s Victoria University shows that additional trade schools could be a better way to close the income gap than universities. The research found that more investment is needed to go to vocational training because "there are too many four-year colleges serving too many students, and too few institutions with greater focus on vocational education and training," according to Joshua Aizenman, economics chair at University of Southern California.
Data shows that the amount of available vocational training relative to the size of a country's manufacturing sector may reduce income inequality and improve the fortunes of workers earning below the top 10 percent of household incomes, according to the report.
"Pushing more students to B.A. granting colleges may no longer be the most efficient way to deal with the challenges caused by the decline in manufacturing employment," said Aizenman.
Many believe fewer works would mean decreased output, but real gross domestic product manufacturing has risen over the past two decades, according to the report. This leads to the popular conclusion that machines have replaced labor in the workplace.
| A news4sa.com release || November 15, 2017 |||
15 Nov 2017 - Applications close Friday 24 November for the Rocket Lab Scholarship that was established in 2017 to enable students from the Mahia Peninsula and wider Wairoa District in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, to pursue tertiary study in science, technology or engineering disciplines.
The Rocket Lab Scholarship directly supports the community surrounding Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 1 and is designed to foster continued excellence and innovation amongst New Zealand’s next generation of science, technology and engineering leaders.
To apply or view the regulations and selection process please click here to download the application form. Complete the form and send to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Friday 24 November 2017
| A Rocket Lab initiative || November 15, 2017 |||
6 Nov 2017- The Worldskills New zealand Team won gold and five medallions of excellence at World International Competition hed during October in Abu Dhabi. Air New Zealand aircraft engineer, Jarrod Wood, won the gold medal in the aircraft maintenance skill competition of the 44th WorldSkills International Competition that was held 15-18 October 2017 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Wood was also awarded Best in Nation, for having the highest marks amongst all Competitors from New Zealand.
Malcolm Harris, CEO of WorldSkills New Zealand, says, “I am thrilled with the performance of the NZITP Skills Team at the recent WorldSkills International competition held in Abu Dhabi Oct 14-18. The team competed in 13 of 51 Skill categories in the competition attended by over 1300 of the world’s finest young skill apprentices.”
He adds that, “A Gold medal won by Jarrod Wood in the Aircraft Maintenance category sealed a very good team performance with another five competitors winning Medallions of Excellence for top scores.”
Wood, for his part, shares his experience on the Competition:“The competition skill of aircraft maintenance was full of professionals. It is a very good reflection of the people in our trade. Everyday was a challenge. But Mike [Naus, the NZ Skill Expert on aircraft maintenance who coached Wood throughout his training] and I took it day by day and that seemed to work well.” “I was so humbled to be standing on the stage next to Finland and Korea. Winning gold was such a shock. It still hasn’t sunk in yet. But I feel privileged and proud to be bringing back NZ’s second ever gold medal. I’m also proud to have been awarded Best in Nation.”
Wood, nonetheless, stresses, “But the whole NZ Team deserved that award. They’re such amazing professionals in their respective trades, and can all be proud of their performance.”
The five Medallions of Excellence won by the New Zealand Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (NZITP) Skills Team were the following:
1,300 young people from 59 WorldSkills Member countries and regions showcased their talent across 51 skillscompetitions, between 15-18 October. This was the first time that the WorldSkills Competition has been held in the Middle East and North Africa region. At the Closing Ceremony at the du Arena in Abu Dhabi - with around 10,000 international visitors and a global audience more than 825,000 online - watched Competitors discover who had won coveted gold, silver, and bronze WorldSkills medals.
In addition to the presentation of medals, the Closing Ceremony provided an opportunity to reflect on the success of WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017, the largest WorldSkills Competition to date, which attracted more than 125,000 visitors.
Held in conjunction with the Competition were the WorldSkills Conference 2017 and the first International TVET Youth Forum. These provided a unique opportunity for young professionals, Ministers, and other global policymakers to debate the major issues that the vocational education sector faces.
The Closing Ceremony of WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017 ended with the handover of the WorldSkills flag to the next hosts, WorldSkills Kazan 2019. The 45th WorldSkills Competition will be held on 29 August – 3 September 2019 in Kazan, Russia.
The WorldSkills International Competition occurs every two years and is the biggest vocational education and skills excellence event in the world, reflecting global industry practice. Competitors will represent the best of their peers and are selected from skills competitions in 78 WorldSkills Member countries and regions. They demonstrate technical abilities both individually and collectively to execute specific tasks for which they study and/or perform in their workplace. Skills competitions showcase and inspire world-class excellence in skills and introduce the youth to a variety of skilled career options.
One of the main legacies of the WorldSkills Competitions is to give visibility and importance to professional education, as one of the true tools of socioeconomic transformation.
The Competition also provides leaders in industry, government, and education sectors with the opportunity to exchange information and best practices. New ideas and processes inspire school-aged youth to dedicate themselves to technical and technological careers and towards to a better future.
| A WorldSkillsNZ release || October 24, 2017 |||
30 Oct: New Zealand’s top carpentry apprentices are getting ready to battle it out for the title of Registered Master Builders CARTERS 2017 Apprentice of the Year on Friday 3 November. After winning their respective regional competitions the 10 apprentices will compete for the top prize at the national competition, which takes place this Thursdayand Friday in Auckland. The finalists include Seddon-based Olivia Ward who took out the Upper South Island Apprentice of the Year to become the first female apprentice since 2013 to compete in the national final.
To win the national competition, the industry’s future leaders must impress the judging panel over a two-day event. This includes undergoing a 45-minute interview and a six-hour practical challenge. The practical challenge takes place at The ASB Showgrounds in Auckland on Friday 3 November and is open to the public from 8am till 1pm.
This year the competition is taking place alongside the Auckland Build Expo, which brings together industry professionals and leaders from across the construction sector.
Registered Master Builders chief executive David Kelly says Apprentice of the Year not only promotes the fantastic career opportunities in the industry for apprentices, but also encourages more employers to take them on.
“The rate of carpentry apprentices in training is increasing at a much greater rate than the number of employers taking them on. Between June 2016 and June 2017, the number of apprentices increased by 1007, yet the number of employers training them only increased by 421*,” he says.
“With the growth in apprentice numbers comes the need for more employers to provide them with the opportunities they need to succeed and make their mark on the industry.
“Apprentice of the Year showcases the skills and abilities of our apprentices who will go on to become the industry’s future leaders. It also celebrates the employers who invest in them to future-proof their businesses and the construction pipeline,” says David.
The winner of the Registered Master Builders CARTERS 2017 Apprentice of the Year will be announced at an awards dinner after the practical challenge has been completed on Fridayevening.
The national winner will receive prizes including the use of a Ford Ranger Ute for a year, a $5000 grant courtesy of CARTERS and a range of quality tools as well as an iPad, courtesy of MBIE. All ten finalists will also attend a specially designed Outward Bound course and the Registered Master Builders House of the Year National Gala on 25 November.
“We wish all the finalists good luck as they embark on the beginning of a fantastic career in the industry as Master Builders,” adds David.
Apprentices, employers and young people aspiring to be a part of the construction industry are encouraged to join the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/registeredmasterbuilders
For more information, visit www.apprenticeoftheyear.co.nz
The Registered Master Builders Apprentice of the Year competition is made possible thanks to principal sponsor CARTERS, the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO), and supporting sponsors the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and APL through their Altherm, First and Vantage brands.
*Statistics from the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO)
A new joint institute by the University of Waikato and the Zhejiang University City College in Hangzhou offers degrees in finance, computer graphic design and design media.ZUCC
The joint institute’s opening ceremony last month saw China and New Zealand representatives join Waikato and ZUCC staff to welcome 230 students to the campus.
The institute opened last month after being formally approved by China’s Ministry of Education in late 2016.
Its first intake has 230 students, with the University of Waikato expecting to have 1,000 students enrolled by 2021.
Students will be offered degrees in finance, computer graphic design and design media, taught by academics from both the University of Waikato and the Zhejiang University City College (ZUCC).
The institute will also welcome exchange students from the university’s Hamilton and Tauranga campuses.
The nearly 9,000m2 purpose-built facility is designed with New Zealand design principles, teaching approaches and standards in mind.
University of Waikato, Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alister Jones said the development of the joint institute was the result of the university’s work and investment in China for more than 15 years.
“The University of Waikato is the first New Zealand university to receive this kind of approval.
“Over the years, the relationship between ZUCC and the University of Waikato has evolved from student programmes, staff training and a dual degree, to the establishment of this joint institute.”
The institute has set the foundation for an exciting future for the university’s programmes in China, Professor Jones said.
“It reflects the hard work that staff in Hamilton and Hangzhou have carried out to get us to this important stage.
“The joint institute uses digital learning technologies and classroom and building design that encourages social interaction.
“We also offer our students in China a uniquely New Zealand education experience, which comes from our commitment to Māori language and culture, and the distinct cultural and historical perspective that it brings,” he said.
Several new students were also awarded scholarships to programmes at the joint institute.
ENZ’s Regional Director for North Asia, Adele Bryant said it was wonderful to see high-quality students join the programmes at the institute.
“ENZ has worked with the university since 2014 to support the development of the joint institute, so it’s fantastic to see that this investment has been worthwhile.”
“The programmes on offer respond to the students’ desire for a global degree that embraces both Kiwi and Chinese cultures, and gives them a truly international qualification.”
The University of Waikato is now looking to extend its partnership with ZUCC, and work with businesses in Hangzhou and other regions to develop internship opportunities for students.Share
| An ENZ release || October 12, 2017 |||
Palace of the Alhambra, Spain
By: Charles Nathaniel Worsley (1862-1923)
From the collection of Sir Heaton Rhodes
Oil on canvas - 118cm x 162cm
Valued $12,000 - $18,000
Offers invited over $9,000
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242
Mount Egmont with Lake
By: John Philemon Backhouse (1845-1908)
Oil on Sea Shell - 13cm x 14cm
Valued $2,000-$3,000
Offers invited over $1,500
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242
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