The Magazine of the SIT2LRN Distance Students November 2016 Issue 22
SIT2LRN Industries' Profile
Why do they have staff doing study & why with SIT2LRN? • Bachelor of Therapeutic and Sports Massage on-site
programme • Kaipatiki Project • Results of Surveys • STAR Profile
About SIT The Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) is one of 18 government polytechnics and institutes of technology offering tertiary education throughout New Zealand. SIT programmes are accredited and approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority up to Master's level. SIT has a proud history of vocational education and training. For over 40 years we have been providing students with quality education across a range of subject areas and at a variety of levels including postgraduate study. This variety enables you to enter your training at the level that suits you and to progress as you are ready. Many of our programmes link to higher level qualifications at SIT and other institutions in New Zealand and throughout the world. We are constantly developing these relationships to ensure that our graduates have maximum mobility.
The Zero Fee Scheme Our Zero Fee Scheme means we pay your tuition fees, so all you have to pay for are the direct material costs for your course. This applies for all of our degree programmes and most of our diplomas and certificates, including distance learning programmes. Many of our graduates are able to start their careers debt-free! This is not an exaggeration – on any given degree, our students save between $10,000 and $19,000 on tuition fees.
Locations Our main campus is in Invercargill, and we have smaller campuses in Christchurch, Queenstown, Gore and Auckland.
SIT2LRN Contact Details Freepost SIT2LRN Private Bag 90114 133 Tay Street Invercargill 9840 Free Call : 0800 SIT2LRN (within NZ) Telephone : 03 211 2699 ext 3320 Free Facsimile : 03 211 2698 Email : info@sit.ac.nz Website : www.sit.ac.nz Free Text : 2LRN (2576)
Welcome to SITUATION One of the recurring reasons that students give as to why they choose to study with SIT2LRN is the flexibility that the courses offer. With distance learning, there are no classrooms or lectures to sit in on, no tutorials that have to be attended or any class attendance requirements that need to be met for you to pass. The courses are designed to be flexible, to allow students to work through the material as and when they want. They come with a part-time or fulltime option that allows students to progress at a pace that suits. The courses are designed for students like you – perhaps already employed and juggling a busy life. Our students realise that a new qualification can open doors and, in many cases, change lives by creating new career opportunities. Education opens doors but it's not always easy. Our students love the way they can tailor their courses to match their lifestyle or current situation. New mothers can study during those rare quiet moments. Workers can study and upskill in their lunch breaks or after work. Everyone can fit their assignment requirements around their normal life. It's just a case of being flexible. It’s almost unheard of to hear about a student who regrets putting in the hard yards and achieving a new qualification. It just doesn’t happen. Because the benefits of upskilling or retraining and moving into a new industry are exponential. SIT2LRN’s flexibility is highly regarded. Students are in control of their own destiny and they embrace that with a passion. But it’s not just students who appreciate the flexibility that SIT2LRN's remote or distance learning offers. In this issue we’ve got a profile on facilitators Ana Terry and Don Hunter. The couple currently live in Vanuatu on a Volunteer Service Abroad scheme but are continuing to facilitate their respective courses. Also on a Pacific island, students Sarah Tonorio and Ina-Arii George are working hard on their National Certificate in Adult Education and Training. They want to help the next generation of Cook Islanders achieve high levels of education so they’re learning the best way to go about that. Another facilitator appreciates the flexibility that SIT2LRN offers because it helps him to indulge another passion. When Tim Garman isn’t helping students master photograph editing software Photoshop, he can be found restoring his beloved 50-year-old Fiat 500 (Bambina) car. Health and safety remains a big buzzword in businesses and SIT2LRN is seeing significant interest in the courses offered. Former police officer Trinity Milham is one of those taking advantage of the SITLRN courses and sees a great future for herself in the health and safety sector – as well as creating more flexible time to spend with her family. Another who has juggled a busy life and job with gaining new qualifications is Paul Cossey, who began using what he was learning in his Diploma in Professional Coaching course almost immediately. Ange Robinson also loved the flexibility that her SIT2LRN course offered: “I love the flexibility and how I can work it in with my work and home life. I can study on the go, from anywhere.” Once you’ve got your qualification though, what’s next? Well, we’ve got five pages devoted to businesses that have supported their staff through their study and are reaping the benefits. Perhaps it’s time to consider talking to your employer about the next step in your career development. The future is flexible – and it’s in your hands. What will it take to make that next step?
CONTENTS
Production Manager: Teri McClelland
Cover photo: Pieter Burger
Editor: Mark Hotton
Graduate Certificate in Applied Management graduate (page 23)
Contributors: Claire Allison, Nathan Burdon Co-ordinator: Vicki Popham Art Editor: Elana Bai
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20 Trinity Milham
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SIT2LRN Kaipatiki Project Industries' Profile
Results of Surveys
Why do they have staff doing study and why with SIT2LRN?
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What's New in 2017
Facilitator Profiles
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13 Tim Garman
Student Profiles
Consultancy McHugh & Shaw
-Diploma in Digital Photography facilitator
17 Sarah Tonorio and InaArii George
06 Soil & Health
14 Colin Brand
-National Certificate in Adult Education and Training (Level 5) students
04 Funky Mutz Mobile Dog Grooming
05 Environmental
Association
07 Scion 08 Waikato SPCA
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-Bachelor of Applied Management facilitator
Results of Surveys
22 Wina Robertson -Certificate in Interior DĂŠcor graduate
23 Pieter Burger -Graduate Certificate in Applied Management graduate
24 Ange Robinson -Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management student
18 Ana MontgomeryNeutze
-Diploma in Digital Photography & Management facilitators
-Diploma in Digital Film graduate
19 Ben Fulford -Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety (Level 6) student
Bachelor of Therapeutic and Sports Massage
21 Kirsty Grant -National Certificate in Adult Education and Training (Level 5) student
15 Ana Terry & Don Hunter
On-site Programme
-Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety (Level 6)student
25 Paul Cossey -Diploma in Professional Coaching graduate
26 STAR Profile STAR/Gateway
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SIT2LRN INDUSTRIES' PROFILE
WHY DO THEY HAVE STAFF
DOING STUDY AND WHY WITH SIT2LRN?
SIT2LRN students aren't the only ones reaping the rewards of the qualifications they’ve earned. Employers say encouraging employees to undertake further training benefits their businesses, helps staff feel valued and in turn can improve retention rates.
FUNKY MUTZ MOBILE DOG GROOMING Basic Animal Care Graduate
to learn more about the health of our beautiful pets and animals.”
to manage the different assessments around my working and family life.”
Kirsty saw a poster advertising the Certificate in Basic Animal Care Science, so looked into further study.
Since working in the kennels, Kirsty has now become an independent contractor in a mobile grooming salon, offering her skills and service to those unable to travel to a salon. She also offers flea and worm treatments and mini health checks.
“I found that SIT2LRN offered the most flexible study options and better yet, it was free as I was under 25.”
Kirsty Rowlands has turned her passion for animals into a career. The 25-year-old Christchurch woman has been working with animals since early 2012, and, thanks to SIT2LRN, last year complemented her practical experience with a formal qualification, the Certificate in Basic Animal Care Science.
Kirsty gained her Certificate in Basic Animal Care Science and was proud to be able to display her achievements in her workplace. She was promoted to manager early on in her study and was able to share her training and knowledge with other staff members. “I found the study very satisfying and appreciated how approachable the facilitators were and the wide variety of study information they provided to assist with learning. The deadlines were very achievable and it was easy
Kirsty began her career working in a boarding kennel and cattery. It was a good fit for her, because she had always been interested in and passionate about animals, especially dogs. As a mother of one, she's enjoyed sharing her love of animals with her son. “My job at the kennels involved caring and cleaning up after the cats and dogs. I began training as a dog groomer in late 2012 and my passion grew stronger and stronger
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“I feel confident being able to advise my customers if their pet may need veterinary treatment. “As an independent contractor I have the freedom to work the hours I like and travel as far as I like pet grooming and meeting lots of wonderful pets and people. In the near future I am planning on buying the business I currently work in. “I highly recommend this certificate to anyone wanting to further their knowledge of basic animal care or looking to study as a vet nurse.”
SIT2LRN INDUSTRIES' PROFILE
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANCY MCHUGH & SHAW Certificate in Environmental Management Graduate their contribution to the business as well as building their self-esteem. The training or study they do can also take them into other positions within the organisation which keeps them motivated and fresh. Because they’re being trained on your time, they see that you value them enough to invest in them.
Maree Smith Technical Support and Advisor for McHugh & Shaw
Distance learning sits well within the ethos of a company aiming to minimise its impact on the environment. Auckland and Christchurch-based environmental consultancy McHugh & Shaw operates a “virtual office”, with staff working from home offices in different cities. Staff member Maree Smith is a recent graduate of SIT2LRN’s Certificate in Environmental Management, and was encouraged to enrol by her employers. "I jumped at the opportunity, as even though I have never studied via distance learning, I was keen to obtain a tertiary qualification. This proved to be a great way to get back into a study programme with little hassle – no need to travel anywhere. "It was also an opportunity to assess my enjoyment of studying after so many years away from it. I loved it! It was incredibly stimulating and I actually really enjoyed the assignments." Maree said her employers were very supportive throughout her study. Managing director Jeska McHugh said part of the ethos of the company was to encourage personal and professional development of staff. “I believe a good company is seen as one that invests in knowledge and this is also a way to achieve better staff retention. “Staff acquire new skills, increasing
“We believe that it benefits the organisation as a whole as skilled and knowledgeable people make for a successful business.” Distance learning courses offered by SIT2LRN also fit within another company value. “As part of reducing our impact on the environment we monitor and offset our greenhouse gas emissions. Being a virtual company means we aren’t contributing to the rush hour traffic congestion so it’s also great that staff can learn at home through SIT2LRN.”
their work, and “cut and paste” really was cut and paste. So when she enrolled with SIT2LRN, she found things had changed considerably. “What a difference it makes having a computer and the internet for researching and writing assignments. “I really enjoyed the course and was so pleased to achieve excellent marks after being away from study for so many years. Because I enjoyed the topic I really put the extra work into it. It has been so rewarding gaining knowledge about New Zealand’s endemic flora and fauna, how climate change will impact New Zealand, and how to read a weather map - I became obsessed with reading weather maps for a while there.”
“As part of reducing our impact on the environment we monitor and offset our greenhouse gas emissions. Being a virtual company means we aren’t contributing to the rush hour traffic congestion so it’s also great that staff can learn at home through SIT2LRN.” Maree has worked at McHugh & Shaw since its inception in 2012 in a technical support role; assisting clients with greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories, carrying out EcoBiz assessments for Auckland Council and assisting with voluntary GHG audits. She works from the Auckland home she shares with her partner and two cats. Her large garden keeps her busy, and she is passionate about the environment; a strong believer in the 3-R principles - reduce, re-use and recycle.
Her advice to anyone considering distance learning with SIT2LRN is to just do it. “SIT2LRN is an affordable study option for New Zealand citizens so if you’re unsure about making the commitment to a full-time degree then start with distance learning to see how you like it. "Take the time to navigate your way around Blackboard and always contact the facilitators if you have any questions – they are there to help.”
The last time she was working towards a tertiary qualification, students either hand wrote or typed
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SOIL & HEALTH ASSOCIATION Certificate in Organic Horticulture Graduate After completing an internship with Greenpeace International in Amsterdam, Mischa returned to New Zealand with the desire to make change on a local level. She worked part-time at a surf shop in her hometown of Piha while she completed her legal professionals course and looked for legal type work. “I didn’t get my first proper career/ legal type job until after I had completed the organic horticulture course with SIT2LRN.” Mischa had always wanted to do a permaculture course, so did that within a few months of returning home.
Mischa Davis as policy advisor and expert Alison White on behalf of Soil & Health speaking to the select committee in Parliament on the Food Safety Law Reform Bill. A Certificate in Organic Horticulture from SIT2LRN tipped the scales in Mischa Davis' favour when it came to finding work. The former international surfer is now a member of the Soil & Health Association of New Zealand’s legal team, but she spent eight months last year on the job-seeker benefit looking for work, and decided that while she had some free time, she might as well make the most of it and learn something new and useful. “I applied for a lot of jobs over that time with very little results in terms of interviews and callbacks. I found my job with the Soil & Health Association simply by writing to them and asking for some work experience on a voluntary basis.
organics, I would expect anybody that we employ to have an interest, knowledge and passion in organics so studying a course like the organic horticulture course through SIT2LRN is something that would stand out to us at the employee selection stage.” Mischa was familiar with distance learning, completing her final years of high school by correspondence because she was competing in international surfing competitions. She studied at the University of Auckland, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws, specialising in environmental law, and a Bachelor of Arts with a major in geography.
“I learned through the course and the influence of my partner Nick that how we eat is the biggest way that we impact the world. That led me into being interested in growing food which is what led me into completing a course in organic horticulture at SIT2LRN.” She said the course was quite different in terms of topics to what she had studied at university. “It was great to learn the practicalities behind growing food as well as the biological aspect of it. I also found that what had been largely missing on the permaculture course I'd done was the detail of food growing. So this really added to what I had learned on the permaculture course in terms of going into the details of how to grow food and what plants need in order to grow and be healthy, and organically too which is something I morally believe in.”
“About six months later they offered me a part-time paid contract, and since then I have started work with other organisations including Forest & Bird and Fish & Game. I feel very grateful to Soil & Health for offering me that initial position and also feel very lucky to work for an organisation that I so wholeheartedly believe in.” Association manager Linda Samways agrees that relevant study is something the organisation looks for. “As a manager of a not-for-profit organisation that advocates for
Mischa Davis (far right) with Soil & Health Association Legal Team 6
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SIT2LRN INDUSTRIES' PROFILE
SCION Diploma In Digital Photography Graduate Courses teaching glamour and magazine photography aren't much help when your subjects are mostly plants and pine cones. But SIT2LRN’s Diploma in Digital Photography was exactly what Wendy Allen (née Hurren) needed to increase the skills she uses in her job as a technician in the National Forestry Herbarium at SCION (formally New Zealand Forest Research Institute) in Rotorua. National Forestry Herbarium curator Matt Buys said Scion encouraged the pursuit of knowledge for the dual purpose of increasing an employee’s contribution to the growth of the organisation and for self-development. "Ultimately we support aspiration for further development as this often translates into benefits for our organisation. "Scion’s Educational Assistance Policy offers reimbursement to employees for the successful completion of job-related tertiary programmes and/or courses taken on personal time which have been approved.” Matt said the advantage of a distance learning course was that it avoids any conflict that formal classes can create - work commitments, care of dependants, transport needs, time constraints – as well as providing the ability to study/ work at one’s own learning pace. Wendy started working at Scion when she returned to Rotorua in 1995 after an eight-year stint overseas, living and working in London for a television research ratings company. The Scion role encompasses her love of the natural botanical world. “Part of the job of technician is the photographing of botanical specimens, both as dried specimen sheets and live as macro photography.” The tools of the trade are a Nikon D5200 and an Epson scanner. “Part of my training at work was to use Photoshop and expand my photography skill, so I searched the internet. Most courses I saw were for glamour and magazine
photography – not much use if you only photograph plants and pine cones. "Then I heard about SIT2LRN and its zero-fees policy on a television news story, so I looked on the SIT2LRN website and saw SIT2LRN did the type of photography course that we were looking for. The course encompassed both photographic skills and Photoshop processing.” Wendy said the facilitators were helpful, giving constructive critique, and the course material stretched her photography skills. “The highlight of the course was seeing my skills improve and my marks going from C grade to A grade.” Wendy’s now putting her skills to good use - technicians are imaging every specimen in the herbarium and uploading the images to the herbarium website. Being a distance learning student was challenging but Wendy found that with some good planning and being disciplined she was able to get the weekly assignments done. “I was able to include the course work as part of my normal work and I was also out on weekends doing the photographic assignments. “You soon make adjustments to fit it in with your schedule and the facilitators are easy to get hold of, with modern internet distance learning is easy to do and you can only gain invaluable skills from it.”
Wendy Allen combines her photography and technical skills at Scion
"The highlight of the course was seeing my skills improve and my marks going from C grade to A grade. I was able to include the course work as part of my normal work and I was also out on weekends doing the photographic assignments."
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WAIKATO SPCA Certificate in Basic Animal Care Science Graduate
Lee Wood with her long-haired chihuahua Jaffa
SIT2LRN courses tick all the boxes for the Waikato SPCA and its staff and volunteers. Lee Wood has been with the branch for the past four years, as a volunteer, on-call ambulance officer, and now op shop manager, and through SIT2LRN, has added the Certificate in Basic Animal Care Science to her CV. Two years ago, Lee wouldn't have imagined studying towards a tertiary qualification, but with the certificate under her belt, she's now open to gaining more qualifications. It's a positive for the SPCA, too, according to Jan Thomson, community liaison. “A lot of our staff are volunteers with a passion for animals; often it's a good starting point for them to work alongside qualified inspectors, vet nurses and attendants. Hours can be irregular, so distance learning can be very suitable to fit in. Being a cash-strapped charity, the zero-fees aspect is really attractive, as we have no budget available to upskill staff.
between volunteering and moving into a paid position with us.” That's been the path for Lee, who moved from Taranaki to Waikato and began volunteering with the Waikato SPCA. Two years later, a vacancy came up for a part-time on-call after hours ambulance driver. Lee was appointed, and worked in that role for two and a half years, as well as working for six months as assistant manager at the SPCA’s Dinsdale op shop. She's now manager of the Matamata shop, and while she's no longer hands-on with animals, she's happy to still be working for an organisation she believes in. While working the on-call ambulance role in late 2014, a co-worker mentioned the course. “She said she was thinking about doing it and put me on to it. I thought I'd do it, that it would be quite handy for me in the field I was working in, and would be something to put on the CV as well.”
“Qualifications like the animal handling one can be the bridge
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It wasn't an easy process for Lee, and she credits her facilitator’s support for her success “My facilitator was absolutely fantastic, she always gave me encouragement, she was one of the reasons I kept on task and kept going with it. There were times when I wanted to throw in the towel, but I didn't, because of her. “I hadn't done tertiary study before - I find study very difficult, concentrating and staying on one task is very difficult. “What kept me going was thinking ‘I've paid for this! I'm not going to waste that money’. And because it offers better work prospects, even if I don't use it in this field, I'm going to have it on my CV.” Lee is now open to considering more study long-term - possibly a vet nursing course. “Two years ago, I wouldn't have thought I'd be a distance learning student. But it's about trying to better yourself so you can get somewhere in your future.”
ON-SITE PROGRAMME
BACHELOR OF
THERAPEUTIC AND SPORTS MASSAGE The first Bachelor degree for massage therapists in the southern hemisphere was launched in 2002 by the Southern Institute of Technology (SIT). The intention was to offer a course of study that would develop professional, credible health professionals who were reflective, research-literate and independent learners. Fourteen years later, there’s little doubt that has been achieved. In a survey conducted to mark the first decade of the course, more than 82 per cent of graduates had achieved employment as massage therapists. Even better, about 40 per cent were already working part-time before they finished their studies and graduates have gone on to exciting careers across New Zealand and around the world, including working with international sports teams and across a range of massage disciplines.
Dr Donna Smith has been involved with the Bachelor of Therapeutic and Sports Massage course since its inception.
nationally and internationally, it translates into massage education and the practice of massage therapy.”
While the content of the course has changed little since 2002, with its focus on scopes of practice, anatomy and physiology, surface anatomy, the history of massage therapy and massage industry standards, there have been other changes.
Dr Smith believes the course is a challenging one, but with time, patience and support, it can also be extremely rewarding.
“What has changed is the strength and breadth of the research elements of this degree where research is imbedded throughout the programme,” Dr Smith said. “It informs our teaching and the learning experience, as well as contributing to research within the massage industry. As research knowledge increases within the massage therapy industry, both
“You aren’t expected to know everything when you enrol, it takes time to build your learning muscles, and develop learning strategies, understand how you learn and then engage with what the content is.” Year one students will look at massage therapy practical skills, anatomy and physiology and professional studies. In year two, students apply their knowledge in a number of different contexts across clinical and community settings through
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placements and sports settings. The third and final year sees students focus on integrating their learning and they will become independent massage therapists who run their own clinical practice, undertake case studies and a research project. Most students began the course because they had an interest in helping people, Dr Smith said. “Often a student will have a particular area of interest such as working with athletes, but this can change over time as they are exposed to other areas where massage therapy is of benefit, or it can cement and broaden their interest in a particular area.” A key component of the three-year course is the mix of theory and practical. “The course is based on mixing these two components of practice,” Dr Smith said. “Theory is applied throughout each year where students work in clinic offering massage therapy to the public. There are sports events or athletes that students work with, and there are a number of case studies that are linked to assessments. The focus of this course is on creating an environment where students develop critical thinking skills, an ability to reflect on their practice and an ability to read and critique the literature that will inform their massage practice.”
courses in the Queenstown area as I was currently living there,” Holly said. “I saw massage popped up and straight away I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I signed up to the certificate course a week before it started and enjoyed it and decided I wanted to continue.” The (excuse the pun) hands-on nature of the course has meant Holly has been actively involved in the community, working on placements and with sports teams. A highlight has been travelling with the Southland under-17 netball team, including their South Island tournament in Mt Maunganui. In July she started her own business, massaging part-time at the YMCA Invercargill and she’s looking forward to developing that. Travel is very much on the agenda as Holly looks to the future.
Many graduates opt to start their own businesses after completing their studies at SIT in Invercargill, and go on to work with, or for, health professionals such as osteopaths, chiropractors or physiotherapists, Dr Smith said. Diploma of Therapeutic and Sports Massage student Holly Clemett signed up just a week before her course started, but, as she approaches the end of her second year studying massage, she hasn’t looked back. “Massage had crossed my mind in high school but I never looked into it deeply. After a few years working I decided I wanted to do something with my life and was looking through
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SIT Programme Managers for Therapeutic and Sports Massage Dr Donna Smith (left) and Dr Jo Smith
“There are many opportunities that can come from this degree. I would love to continue my massage business after gaining more experience and develop new ideas. I’m currently interested in working with athletes, everyday working people, stress management and rehabilitation.”
“Travel and massage around the world is what I have in mind at this stage,” she said. “There are many opportunities that can come from this degree. I would love to continue my massage business after gaining more experience and develop new ideas. I’m currently interested in working with athletes, everyday working people, stress management and rehabilitation.” The decision to move to Invercargill and study at SIT has been a positive one for Holly. “I have enjoyed studying here at SIT. There are great facilities and the tutors are very knowledgeable. I have found having a small class beneficial to my learning as there is more opportunity for one-on-one time with the tutors. This has had a great impact on my learning. Invercargill is a great place to study and Zero Fees is a bonus.”
KAIPATIKI PROJECT
KAIPATIKI PROJECT An Auckland community ecological restoration charity has discovered the benefits of promoting a SIT2LRN course is having a positive spinoff in its community. An Auckland community ecological restoration charity has discovered the benefits of promoting a SIT2LRN course is having a positive spinoff in its community. The North Shore-based Kaipatiki Project has been promoting the Certificate in Environmental Management course to its employees and volunteers, and is already seeing the benefits of the unofficial environmental apprenticeship. The project is a large community environmental project, with a focus on growing plants in their nurseries and working to help restore 70 hectares of beautiful forest and bush reserve in Glenfield, on the North Shore. Not only are project members passionate about sustainably protecting their patch of native New Zealand bush but the organisation also offers horticultural, restoration and education expertise commercially as a growing and ambitious social enterprise.
Programme Manager Anna Halliwell, who is also studying towards the qualification, said the Kaipatiki Project had been teaching people about native plants, forest ecology and sustainable living for almost 20 years. “We host events and courses aimed at teaching people how to reduce their impact on their local area." A huge number of volunteers help the Project to grow about 30,000 eco-sourced, spray-free native trees each year, and then use those trees to restore reserves in the area. When Richard Wilcox, facilitator of the Certificate in Environmental Management course, approached the Project earlier this year about SIT2LRN and the course, it seemed like a natural addition to the Kaipatiki Project’s programmes, Anna said. “We're thrilled to promote the programme. The course has been offered to our volunteers and the people we work with right across Auckland.
“It enables people to learn more of the theory behind some of our nursery and restoration practice, which results in more skilled group of volunteers for us, and a more rounded education for people doing the course. It's a win-win-win for SIT2LRN, for Kaipatiki Project and most importantly for our volunteers/students.”
Kaipatiki Project members in forest and bush reserve SITUATION November 2016
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He had noticed the work the Project, based about five minutes from his house, was doing so approached them to introduce the course and see what benefits could be found by working collaboratively. The essence was that the project’s volunteers could be studying towards the course while they were working, so they gained the benefit of increasing their skills and knowledge as well as a qualification, while the Kaipatiki Project would benefit by having volunteers who had more knowledge and were upskilling.
“At the end of the day, the ultimate benefit has to be about the learning, nurturing and sustaining of our environment here in New Zealand ... this is what we do and the rest of the world is watching!”
“If I was an employer looking for an apprentice or someone for work experience, I’d want a person that has got their hands dirty and has that practical experience as well as the academic side of it. That’s where this works brilliantly,” he said.
Richard Wilcox
He’s keen to build links with other non-profit organisations and explore the opportunities for new migrants to New Zealand. “A perennial issue for many of my learners, wherever they come from, is as adult learners they may have been out of the academic world for some time so things such as how to write an essay properly is an issue. I understand this applies just as much to the Kaipatiki volunteers who may in addition not have English as their first language, some of whom are migrants, refugees and those here on working visas and so on.” Many of the volunteers were already doing the work and physically learning the more practical aspects from the course, so it made sense to connect the two into a structured training programme and give them a chance to gain an academic qualification that might lead into paid employment in a field they were passionate about.
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Certificate in Environmental Management facilitator
Anna has been working at the Kaipatiki Project for two years as programme manager, which means she runs the fundraising campaigns, and organises “amazing tutors” to run courses on everything from restoration and plant nursery skills to growing edible plants, keeping bees, weaving harakeke and living wastefree. “I wanted to gain a basic understanding of ecological management, partly to help write the funding applications but also to reinforce the learning Kaipatiki Project has been doing around ecological restoration and biodiversity monitoring and improvements.” She decided to enrol in the Certificate in Environmental
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Management to understand from a more formal perspective how the course is run, how their volunteers may cope with it and of course how and why it was taught. The British-New Zealander had been interested in environmental issues since she was young decided she really wanted to make change when her daughter was born. “I know the risks we face with climate change and environmental degradation and want to give her generation at least a fighting chance.” She likes the fact the course acts as an academic element to the practical teaching on restoration ecology and nursery work that they do here, and her goal is to deepen her understanding of the ecology in the bush area that the organisation is involved in. “I’m gaining a deeper understanding about the interconnectedness of the work we’re doing at a practical level and the wider implications to the local environment. More importantly, our volunteers who have signed up are learning more about the impacts their work is having in their community.”
FACILITATOR PROFILE
TIM GARMAN Diploma in Digital Photography facilitator
Life as a facilitator is often as challenging as those of the students they’re overseeing. They’re often juggling careers or further studies as well as helping students achieve their educational goals. Life as a facilitator is often as challenging as those of the students they’re overseeing. They’re often juggling careers or further studies as well as helping students achieve their educational goals. Working as a facilitator for SIT2LRN suits graphic designer Tim Garman well, although he’s also working hard to juggle another passion – the restoration of a 50-year-old Fiat 500 (Bambino) car. “I’ve been used to juggling deadlines and clients for the past 25 years and being able to mark assignments and support students through email and online videos is a very flexible way of working.” Tim is the facilitator of the Photoshop paper, part of the Diploma in Digital Photography, and loves the opportunity to help students develop invaluable skills. “The biggest buzz I get from facilitating for SIT2LRN is being able to coax unconfident Photoshop users through a structured course, developing their skills and confidence to a point where they can
Diploma in Digital Photography facilitator Tim Garman in his semi-restored Fiat 500
see for themselves how far they have come.” He’s joined the SIT2LRN team through an unusual path. Originally from West Sussex in England, he trained in in visual communications in 1983 and began working for a small design firm based in the London West End. After commuting for three years, he moved to a larger design agency and learnt how to develop his illustration skills for commercial use. He eventually took the plunge to start his own design firm, initially working from home. “This proved successful over many years, but eventually we got the travel bug and decided to sell up and move everything plus our two children to Whanganui, where we had some friends.” He was expecting to apply to design agencies for work, but quickly found his own clients leading to work on a range of different projects – among the highlights include designing four
issues of postage stamps for New Zealand Post, as well as designing and producing several books. His son became a facilitator for SIT2LRN after completing a threeyear film degree at the Southern Institute of Technology in Invercargill and when he finished facilitating, Tim decided to approach SIT2LRN about becoming a facilitator on the graphic design paper, also part of the Diploma in Digital Photography. “SIT2LRN suits my working life very well.” Tim is also continuing his own education, completing an honours degree in computer graphic design last year. He’s also just completed a Certificate in Adult Teaching (Advanced) and is looking forward to developing his teaching role next year. His other passion should also be ready in 2017. The restoration of the Fiat 500 has taken him four years so far and it’s still a work in progress – but that’s understandable considering he knows nothing about car mechanics and is relying on friends’ help and advice. “I've always been fascinated by model-making and miniature things. To me the Fiat is like making a fullsized model.” It looks like 2017 is going to be a busy – but fun - year.
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DR COLIN
BRAND Bachelor of Applied Management facilitator “Change is a journey, that is not for the faint-hearted,” Dr Brand said. “You can choose to remain the same or to change. The world is continually changing at such a rapid speed, that by staying the same you are actually going backward. Change management provides insight to this changing experience and the way we do things.”
Dr Brand has pursued a business education for the past 26 years and is an advocate of life-long learning. His formal education began with a Bachelor of Commerce degree, followed by a Master of Business Leadership and enhanced by a Doctorate of Business Leadership; concepts that he applied during a 29-year career in the military. “The first 17 years in the military provided me the opportunity to attain functional skills (Telecommunication and ICT) within the South African Corps of Signals of the Department of Defence in peacetime and combat. In addition it presented me the platform to develop my leadership skills at various levels of command.”
In business, it is said, “If you aren’t changing, you are going backwards”. This is a mantra that Dr Colin Brand, a facilitator for SIT2LRN’s Bachelor of Applied Management course, takes seriously.
The following 12 years ensured the maturing of his approach to change. Over the past five years, Dr Brand has been working within the commercial sector, in addition to supervising research projects at Master's level for Business Administration and International Business Studies. Dr Brand has been facilitating the Change Management course, a Level 6 paper taken during the second year of the Bachelor of Applied Management, something which enables him to help and support the next generation who can learn from his mistakes and processes. “It’s an opportunity [for me] to stay relevant in a changing world by collaborating with those that live and work within it,” Dr Brand said. He includes strategy, and the fourth industrial revolution – the current trend of automation and data exchange in manufacturing – as key interests. It’s therefore no surprise that he is passionate about finding the best approaches to managing change. “Whether a company is on the upside of the growth curve, or fighting to survive, one thing is common – the people working within those organisations are experiencing change in a very personal way,” Dr Brand said. “Change is continual and inevitable. Employees may have to work away from home frequently. They will have to work with new technology that requires new skills, say new things to customers, or meet with each other less frequently. When people face these kinds of dramatic shifts in the way they live, and work, the reaction may be negative and unproductive unless they have embraced change.” To get a better understanding of change within your organisation, Dr Brand recommends New York Times business bestseller Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson, as a good start.
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FACILITATOR PROFILE
ANA TERRY & DON HUNTER Diploma in Digital Film & Management facilitators
Creative adventurers Ana Terry and Don Hunter combine work in Vanuatu with their roles as facilitators for SIT2LRN. Ana is a facilitator for Graphic Design 108, a paper she developed for the diplomas in digital film and photography, while Don facilitates several management papers. They’re currently living in Lakatoro, Vanuatu, on assignments with Volunteer Services Abroad. Don is on a 12-month contract as a management adviser to the Malakula Cultural Centre, and Ana is a marketing adviser for the Malampa Travel Centre. “Facilitating for SIT2LRN from a relatively remote Pacific island has its challenges. The heat and humidity is a constant distraction. The internet connection can on occasion be a little fickle, so that – along with 'island time' – means it is necessary to build a generous time buffer into facilitation activities.” Ana and Don’s careers and education haven't followed a particularly linear path. They both run successful businesses, dip in and out of teaching
and student life, and have travelled overseas on several residencies and scholarships. They believe there are advantages to a non-linear approach to career development. "In our experience, skills from seemingly disparate jobs always transfer to your current employment activities - often in interesting ways." Both Fine Arts graduates, Ana has worked in the communications industry as a graphic designer for 25 years, and operated her own successful graphic design business. Don was working in a technical capacity at various galleries to earn funds for an art exchange to The Netherlands when he discovered there was a huge need for technical and events management for galleries. “What grew from this was a successful business that operated for 15 years and took me and a modest team to events in Europe and Australia.” After graduating, the couple both worked at the Dunedin School of Art - Ana teaching, and Don working as a technician in the sculpture department. But the teaching bug soon struck him, when he joined the School of Design. The couple’s careers and studies have since taken them all over the world – both being awarded the inaugural Platform China Residency
through the Asia-New Zealand Foundation led them to Beijing to live, work and exhibit collaboratively for two months, while they also spent two-month collaborative residency in Medellin, Colombia, facilitating creative workshops at a local youth centre. In 2012/13, Ana was awarded a Fulbright Scholar in Residence position in the United States, and they've also had prior Volunteer Service Abroad assignments in Vanuatu. Taking up the role of production manager of the Dunedin Fringe Festival brought Don back to what has become their home town . Ana first joined the SIT2LRN team to develop a new paper and then took on the role of facilitator. While Don was working as manager of Quarantine Island in Otago Harbour, he spotted an advertisement seeking a paper developer for the SIT2LRN events management papers, which led to him facilitating. The wanderers plan to return to Dunedin mid-2017 where they are on a promise to hide their passports. This will allow them the space to expand their involvement in tertiary teaching and facilitation, further develop a publication on “creative process and learning” and, as Ana puts it, “plus a little film-making and story-telling on the side”.
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RESULTS OF SURVEYS
RESULTS OF SURVEYS
WHAT’S NEW IN 2017
Thanks for your Feedback. We are Listening!
We’ve got some exciting new developments coming up in 2017 and thought we’d give our students a sneak preview of what’s to come.
At SIT2LRN we value all student feedback – whether it’s from our informal surveys, call centre responses, or the formal “How Did We Do” survey at the end of each intake. Your feedback helps us identify where things are going well – so we can keep on, or even extend what we are doing there; and helps us identify where things could be better – so we can work on improvements. During 2016 there have been a variety of surveys and call centres happening, and from these we’ve found that nearly 90% of SIT2LRN students find their online learning experience really good or great and over 95% of SIT2LRN students see value in, and are getting a lot out of, their SIT2LRN study. These are two really important areas for us, and it’s great to see that overall, our programmes are hitting the mark. Your feedback has also enabled us to identify areas where we can improve, and if actions taken make a difference. As an example, in the first informal feedback survey at the beginning of this year only 9% of the students in one of our programmes felt that their facilitators were brilliant. This gave us an opportunity to identify and put in place some improvements early, and in the most recent informal feedback survey, we now have 45% of the students in the same programme feeling that their facilitators are brilliant. A great result, which was only possible due to your feedback. Over 80% of you have told us that you are doing study for employment reasons (either to increase your employment chances, or to seek promotion, or as part of retraining). It’s important to us to know we are meeting your employment goals. From our call centre surveys we know that graduates of SIT2LRN programmes of study are doing well out in the workplace – with 77% of our 2015 graduates currently in employment and earning a median annual salary of $51,480. Additionally, 96% of our 2015 graduates were very satisfied with their programme of study and 93% of these graduates would recommend their programme of study. These are all great results – but we won’t be resting on our laurels. At SIT2LRN, we are always looking for how we can improve, from our first contact with a potential student seeking information through to our enrolment and then ultimately our programme delivery. Your feedback is a really important part of our improvements – so please, keep it coming!
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New Qualifications SIT2LRN’s popular Bachelor of Applied Management has had a new major in Occupational Health and Safety Management approved and accredited. From this base a new Graduate Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Management and a new Graduate Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety Management have also received approval and accreditation. Watch for these qualifications to start being offered in 2017. In 2015 SIT gained approval and accreditation for a Master of Applied Management, which commenced at the Invercargill Campus this year. We currently have development underway for the online delivery of this qualification, which should be kicking off in 2017. As part of the NZQA Targeted Review of Qualifications, SIT2LRN has gained approval and accreditation for programmes of study for the following qualifications: ª New Zealand Certificate in Animal Care (Level 3) (Companion and Lifestyle Block Animals strands) ª New Zealand Certificate in Horticulture (General) (Level 3) ª New Zealand Certificate in Organic Primary Production (Level 3) ª New Zealand Certificate in Organic Primary Production (Level 4) ª New Zealand Certificate in Horticulture (Level 3) (Landscape Construction strand) ª New Zealand Certificate in Horticulture Services (Level 4) (Landscape Design strand) ª New Zealand Certificate in Land Based Sustainability Practices (Level 3) ª New Zealand Certificate in Sustainable Primary Production (Level 4) ª National Certificate in Adult Education and Training (Level 4) ª New Zealand Certificate in Cleaning (Level 2)
And programmes of study approved at the end of 2015 will have their first full online offering starting in 2017; these programmes of study are for the following qualifications: New Zealand Diploma in Business (Level 5) (Administration and Technology, Leadership and Management, and Project Management strands) New Zealand Diploma in Business (Level 6) (Administration and Technology, Leadership and Management strands) ª New Zealand Certificate in Business (Small Business) (Level 4) ª New Zealand Certificate in Project Management (Level 4) ª New Zealand Diploma in Tourism and Travel (Level 5) ª New Zealand Diploma in Tourism and Travel (Level 6)
Finally, also as part of the NZQA Targeted Review of Qualifications, SIT2LRN will be exiting out of several of its old/ replaced qualifications. These will only be open to returning students in 2017, but our online application information will help to direct new students to the new/replacement programme of study. Keep an eye on our website: https:// www.sit.ac.nz/campus/SIT2LRN-Distance-Learning for updates.
STUDENT PROFILE
SARAH TONORIO & INA-ARII GEORGE National Certificate in Adult Education and Training (Level 5) students
For two educators living on a remote Pacific island, the benefits and advantages of learning remotely through a SIT2LRN course are quite clear. For two educators living on a remote Pacific island, the benefits and advantages of learning remotely through a SIT2LRN course are quite clear. The flexibility and suitability of their SIT2LRN course – and that they didn’t have to fly to New Zealand to study in a classroom – were obvious benefits for Sarah Tonorio and InaArii George when they sought a new qualification. They work for the Cook Islands Tertiary Training Institute (CITTI) – Sarah is the literacy and numeracy support/prison school tutor while Ina-Arii is the Head of Faculty (trades) and the electrical tutor – and have both lived on Rarotonga since 2011. Sarah married a Cook Islander she met while teaching there in 2003, while Ina-Arii is a New Zealand-born Cook Islander who worked in Canada for many years. They are studying towards the National Certificate in Adult Education and Training (Level 5), with the goal to help more Cook Islanders increase their knowledge and skills. Sarah is a trained high school science/horticulture and geography teacher but since the birth of her first
child in 2006 has mostly been relief teaching and is now a tutor. She was encouraged by CITTI to upskill and decided the course content and flexibility, and being able to juggle study with work made SIT2LRN a logical choice. “The facilitators have been great. At first the online aspect was difficult, but once you get the hang of it, it is a great way to study. The discussion board interactions are interesting and engaging and I am really enjoying the experience.” She has also been surprised at how relevant the course content has been. “I’m using it all the time. I thought “I know it all” but have definitely not found that,” she said. Several of her colleagues are undertaking remote study, including Ina-Arii. He started his working life in the welding trade but eventually moved into sound engineering. In 1994 he moved with his family to Canada and took on an electrical apprenticeship, which led to an extensive career in industrial construction in the oil, gas and mining sectors.
“Our family had always thought we would move to the islands one day, so in 2011 we made another life change and came to the Cook Islands.” He needed to gain the New Zealand equivalency qualification in his trade, so continued to work in Canada while studying. After obtaining the New Zealand qualification he secured the role of electrical tutor at CITTI. “This was when I began my distance studies through SIT2LRN since I needed a teaching qualification to become a tutor. I have continued my studies and have also since become the Head of Faculty at CITTI.” Ina-Arii had little teaching experience prior but has been impressed with how the course has helped him. “I find the skills training and learning are very relevant to what I do and being able to assess and moderate with a clear understanding of what’s required is right on point for me.” He’s found that every day he’s able to apply what he’s learning, which emphasises the course’s value. “I would absolutely recommend this course to anyone wanting to learn more about adult education.”
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FACILITATOR PROFILE
ANA MONTGOMERY-NEUTZE Diploma in Digital Film graduate
Emerging New Zealand film-maker Ana MontgomeryNeutze is a perfect example of how SIT2LRN pushes students to new heights. Graduating with a SIT2LRN Diploma in Digital Film in 2015, Ana was awarded a prestigious Fulbright scholarship in 2016 and has since begun studying a Master's degree in Social Documentary Film at The School of Visual Arts in New York.
I chose SIT2LRN because of the flexibility that the Diploma in Digital Film offered. It was the only filmmaking course in the country that would allow me to continue working fulltime while I studied.
“Having the opportunity to move to New York to study the one thing that I am most passionate about in the world, means everything to me,” she said. That opportunity would not have been an option had it not been for the flexibility of the SIT2LRN programme, without which she may have never taken the leap to follow her dreams. “I chose SIT2LRN because of the flexibility that the Diploma in Digital Film offered. It was the only filmmaking course in the country that would allow me to continue working full-time while I studied. “In addition to being able to study part-time and by distance, the fact that the course was fee-free was just incredible. If it weren’t for SIT2LRN, I would almost certainly not have studied film at the time.” On finishing her Master's in New York, Ana plans to bring the skills
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Being a passionate photographer for most of her life, Ana’s progression from documentary photography to documentary film-making was a natural transition, with help from experienced course facilitators. “I found all of my facilitators to be really responsive. They gave me good feedback on my assessments, and given it was a distance course, I really felt like they took the time to get to know me a little and invest in me.
she has acquired from the various institutions back to New Zealand.
“When I applied to film schools in New York, I used some of the material that I produced through the diploma in my portfolio. This was undoubtedly a factor in my being offered positions at all three of the schools I applied to.
“I want to become a filmmaker so that I can tell our stories for our people ... New Zealand is an incredibly innovative and creative country and I can’t imagine anywhere I’d rather be,” she said.
“I would absolutely recommend this course to budding film-makers. It will give them a solid foundation from which they can pursue further study, or perhaps even immediate work in the industry,” she said.
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STUDENT PROFILE
BEN FULFORD Diploma in Occupational Health & Safety student
All Ben Fulford wanted to do when he left school was to become an accountant. So he uprooted and moved from Hastings to spend five years in Wellington studying towards achieving his goal. He’s now a compliance officer, carrying out compliance and non-financial audits with one of his main focuses being health and safety. Now the 26-year-old has realised there is a “real world gap in the market for health and safety”, but rather than uproot again and return to fulltime study he’s upskilling by taking advantage of the remote learning flexibility offered by the SIT2LRN Diploma in Occupational Health & Safety. A friend who is a health and safety officer in their workplace recommended the SIT2LRN course to him and he quickly realised the benefits of continuing to work while studying towards a new qualification were significant.
“Full-time study was no longer a good option for me as I really wanted some real world experience and that’s the beauty of the SIT2LRN course – you continue your normal job but you juggle your studying to suit your life.” There has been a significant rise in demand for skilled health and safety graduates throughout New Zealand since new legislation, which places more onus on employers to give greater emphasis to the health and safety of workers, was introduced in April this year. While the introduction of that new legislation was not a direct factor in Ben choosing to study health and safety, he believes it has had a massive impact on workplace demand in trained staff, which will in turn create roles for graduates. “People in work consider health and safety as a major component of things they have to worry about ticking the boxes for. It helps to have someone like me take on some of the burden of maintaining a system of health and safety.” His educational goal is to attain the diploma in three years, which will help expand his career horizons. “I know a few people in similar roles so I know I can fit into a career space there.” Not surprisingly, given the nature of the subject matter, there’s
considerable work required in studying and completing assignments, he said. “It is a lot of work. Because the course is distance based and competency is assessed on the assignments you do, quite a lot of work has to go into those assignments.” But he’s found his facilitators are great at providing valuable feedback, which makes the whole studying experience extremely positive and helps with his learning experience. Ben has also found the study has provided immediate benefit to his current role, with the material he’s learning on the course “directly applicable” to what he’s doing in the work place. “I’ve been able to feed in a health and safety systems audit and review into our system at work through this course. It’s great to see what I’m learning is of great value straight away." He admits it’s a challenge to juggle study requirements with normal life but believes that only adds to the feeling of personal achievement when the results are returned. “You give up your free time to do the work you need to do, you plan, you prioritise and you deal with it. You just get into it and get it done – the benefits will far outweigh any shortterm inconvenience.”
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STUDENT PROFILE
TRINITY MILHAM Diploma in Occupational Health & Safety student
What does a Tauranga police officer with 17 years’ experience in keeping people safe do when she decides to leave the force? Enrol in a SIT2LRN course that will lead to an invaluable qualification that will enable her to continue to keep people out of harm’s way. Changes in the New Zealand health and safety legislation this year have placed greater responsibility on businesses to keep workers safe, and that is driving considerable interest in SIT2LRN occupational health and safety courses. Trinity Milham always wanted to be a police officer. It felt like a calling to her, a way of helping people, particularly in their time of need. But after 17 years of shift work and the challenging and often dangerous nature of the job, she decided it was time to try something different that would give her more flexibility with her two young children. Her best friend had also left the force, studied the same course and moved into the health and safety industry and encouraged her to consider it as an option. “I threw myself into it to give it the best go I could and ended up enrolling in the SIT2LRN Diploma in Occupational Health & Safety course, and working with my friend and now boss, Karen Lyttle from WorkSI, a health and safety consultancy she’d set up. “The course was recommended to me by Karen as a really practical way of getting experience.”
"I used the first two papers in semester one to help me start addressing the needs of our small rural school. The course was very beneficial for my role. It has opened my eyes and made me realise how much I still have left to do, plan, and implement … but there is a plan.” She’s now working, under Karen’s “strict guidance”, to help small businesses “on their health and safety journey”, getting their systems up and running, and providing training for staff. Her study is being enhanced by the on-the-job experience she’s gaining. Part of the attraction of the new career path was the type of work and the variety it offered, as well as being able to manage her own diary, which meant she had more time for her children. She’s also passionate about the sector and believes businesses have a long way to go before they get workplace health and safety right. “It really irks me that people who get themselves out of bed and go to work are uneducated in keeping themselves, their workers and people around them safe in New Zealand compared to the UK or Australia. Our stats are terrible but the new legislation is going someway to addressing that.”
Trinity was able to implement what she learnt on the course almost immediately. Earlier this year she joined her children’s primary school Board of Trustees, taking on the health and safety portfolio. She has been able to use the school as her “business” for the purpose of the course. “I used the first two papers in semester one to help me start addressing the needs of our small rural school,” she said. “The course was very beneficial for my role. It has opened my eyes and made me realise how much I still have left to do, plan, and implement … but there is a plan.” Trinity has been delighted with the flexibility that the SIT2LRN course offered, particularly around working, studying and raising her 6 and 7 year olds. Now she’s focussed on finishing the course to help fulfil her goal of continuing to help people. “I want to be really good at what I do – it’s important to me.”
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STUDENT PROFILE
KIRSTY GRANT National Certificate in Adult Education and Training student
Kirsty Grant is sold on the value of distance learning and she should know - every qualification she's earned over the past eight years has been achieved that way.
She works for Wellington SPCA managing a team that looks after staff and volunteer recruitment, training and health and safety. It’s a busy role, as the SPCA has 60 staff and 1000 volunteers. Her role with the SPCA also means Kirsty tends to take her work home. “I am one of 250 fosterers that Wellington SPCA has that provide vital support and care to the SPCA in looking after orphaned kittens. This could be why I also have four cats of my own – all from litters of kittens that I have fostered over my 11 years doing this voluntary role” Kirsty’s background was in corporate administration, before she headed overseas to live in England for eight years. “When I returned to New Zealand, I decided that I wanted to get into animal welfare and retrained and worked as a vet nurse before moving to government to work at the Ministry for Primary Industries for six years, five of which were in the animal welfare team. From there I ended
up in my current role at Wellington SPCA.” Kirsty is currently studying towards the National Certificate in Adult Education and Training with SIT2LRN, and plans to complete the qualification next year. And she's studying for an Advanced Diploma in Feline Behaviour Management – also via distance learning – from an education provider in the United Kingdom. “Over the last eight years, all of my study has been distance learning. I like the opportunity to be able to gain a qualification while working and that’s relevant to my career and organisation.” She's about halfway through the certificate, and has found it extremely useful in her current role, which involves developing lesson plans and training programmes that enable her to look at ways to provide training options to staff and volunteers. “I was looking for a course that I could do that fitted around my work and that I could mainly complete
either in the evening or weekends and that would still give me the skills and knowledge that I could utilise in my role. “A selling point to me was the fact that this course does not have any ‘exams’ as such. I used to hate those at school and still do! “Also, gone are the old days of having to be in a classroom. My ‘classroom’ is virtual and my fellow colleagues are from all over New Zealand and also overseas. It’s great being able to interact with other people that are all looking to learn not only from the course and the facilitators, but also from fellow students.” She believes anyone considering distance learning should go for it. “It’s a great way to learn and to gain a qualification.” Further study is definitely on the cards, but Kirsty’s also hoping there might be some travel too. “I love to travel, whether it’s heading off to an island for some sun and relaxation or off to Africa to see some slightly larger animals.”
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STUDENT PROFILE
WINA ROBERTSON Certificate in Interior Decor graduate
The flexibility of distance learning has been ideal for a busy Wina Robertson. The Invercargill woman is studying towards her Certificate in Interior Decor, and distance learning gives her the flexibility needed to continue to do the other things that are important in her life.
She lives with her husband Tony, two boarders, a cat and a dog, and their family consists of four boys, two daughters-in-law and two girlfriends. Wina was born in Waipiro Bay on the East Coast of the North Island and is of Ngati Porou descent, but she has lived most of her life in Southland. “I love travelling to see our children living in various parts of the country and in Australia, supporting my husband in his sporting endeavours, working as his PA in our business, music, dancing, having coffee with friends, and helping out with teaching Te Reo and Kapa Haka at New River Primary School.”
important that was to me so it was a valuable time.” Wina says she's surprised at how much she enjoyed the interior décor course, despite it being quite intense. “I love the fact I have no classrooms, timetables etc. I really love studying alone with no distractions and having time to process the content. It gives me the flexibility to do other things that are a big part of my life. “The biggest highlight apart from getting good marks is the balance between the practical and
It's not the first time Wina has worked towards tertiary qualifications, either on campus or via distance learning. “I graduated in 2006 with a Contemporary Music Degree from SIT (Southern Institute of Technology). I loved the fact that they wanted me to succeed in my studies and gave me lots of opportunities that I might not have had otherwise. “I have done distance courses before but nothing like Interior Decor, and I had also previously been studying at Teachers College here in Invercargill but decided after 18 months that it wasn’t really what I was looking for. I did learn about being Maori and how
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“The biggest highlight apart from getting good marks is the balance between the practical and theoretical of the course. I could see the practical outcome of what I was learning theoretically. I am a ‘see and do’ person so this type of learning is great for me.”
theoretical of the course. I could see the practical outcome of what I was learning theoretically. I am a ‘see and do’ person so this type of learning is great for me.” Distance learning can be a good option for people who need flexibility, and aren't so keen on the classroom environment, she said. She's already got her eye on a project to put her new skills into practice. “At the moment our time is split between Queenstown and Invercargill where we have just finished building a house. After I finish the course, I want to redecorate our house in Invercargill with the hope of selling it. I really want to put what I have learnt into practice before I unleash it on the rest of the world! "I would love to carry on with interior décor; it has given me options and it is certainly an avenue I want to keep developing and exploring. “If I can find the right course to study that complements what I have already learnt, I will definitely keep studying. If the opportunity presents itself for me to open my own business then I would be open to that too.”
STUDENT PROFILE
PIETER BURGER Graduate Certificate in Applied Management graduate
Pieter Burger’s studies through SIT2LRN have already had a significant impact on his workplace. He has recently completed a Graduate Certificate in Applied Management, a qualification that is more than just another significant inclusion on his CV. “I work as a review manager at ACC. Reviews take place when ACC have made a decision about which a client is not happy,” Burger said. “It is a rather complex legal process. I used my newly gained skills and my management dissertation to write a paper on how to make the process simpler and more accessible to clients. "My paper is part of the material being considered as part of the current strategic management planning around reviews in ACC.” The Level 7 Graduate Certificate in Applied Management course takes six months to complete full-time, or up to three years part-time and each intake is 17 weeks long. The aim of the Certificate is to provide students who already have
a degree, or extensive applicable experience, with theoretical and applied knowledge in Applied Management. Students learn how to analyse strategic issues facing organisations, understand costing and financial management processes, and develop and implement appropriate policies in operations and general management. High importance is placed on the development of ‘soft’ skills for management - such as communication, business writing, presenting, interpersonal and problem solving skills - in addition to the development of specific business knowledge and skills. Students who have completed a Graduate Certificate in Applied Management can critically analyse issues facing organisations, develop and implement policy in the areas of operations and general management, and understand costing and financial management processes.
A keen mountain-climber and rugby referee in his spare time, Burger has completed a law degree and a Graduate Certificate in Dispute Resolution before completing the Applied Management course through SIT2LRN. “I wanted to get a formal qualification in applied (strategic) management as I am always involved in it in work context,” he said. “I have learned a lot about the theory and practice of strategic management and I find that my recommendations now carry more weight because I have a qualification to back it up.” Burger said the defence of his management dissertation was a great challenge, something he enjoyed very much and he’s not shy about singing the praises of studying through SIT2LRN. “I have recommended SIT2LRN to so many people, I have lost count. It is so much better studying this way. The facilitators are great and helpful.”
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STUDENT PROFILE
ANGE ROBINSON Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management student
Completing a Diploma in Professional Coaching hasn’t just boosted Ange Robinson’s career, it’s also made a big difference to her life. Ange began working in her current career as a Contact Centre Manager after returning home from a teaching stint in China early in the new millennium.
Ange completed the coaching diploma this year and has also started a Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management through SIT2LRN.
“I needed a job and thought, 'hey, I can talk to people' - and yes I can!” she said.
“People and HR have always interested me and it seemed like the next logical step following my Diploma in Professional Coaching studies. I’m keen to get a more detailed understanding and knowledge of organisational behaviour and HR nitty gritty as it’s part of my current job and really important for organisational development.”
“I have a background in contact centre and debt collection and management which lends itself to enjoying client contact and training others so I’m in my element.” Having worked as a leader and manager for various organisations Ange realised that her niche was working with people to unlock their potential. “When I read about the SIT2LRN Diploma in Professional Coaching it made sense to choose that as a course of study,” she said. “Not only has it assisted with my current career but with life in general. I think I was a reasonable communicator before, however the skills I learned through the Diploma in Professional Coaching have really equipped me for being a real listener, picking up verbal and nonverbal cues and questioning. "In my current career this means I’m now the quiet enquirer and I’ve found that I’m far better equipped for dealing with all types of communication situations, particularly challenging ones. It’s also given me that extra boost of confidence to know myself that I can pursue challenges and achieve."
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Ange is excited about the career potential that she has created through her studies, although the extra choice has also made it difficult to choose what path she is going to take. “I tend to swing between wanting to go out on my own as a coach or Contact Centre consultant, to having a lifestyle block and growing veges and hanging out with my pets, to jumping back onto the corporate ladder and using the skills I’m developing through my study,” she said. “I’m really passionate about staff development and creating healthy workplace cultures so watch this space and I’ll let you know when I know.” Studying through SIT2LRN suited her lifestyle perfectly and the sense of achievement when her diploma arrived in the mail had been tremendous, she said.
SITUATION SITUAT UATION ION Novemb November 2016
"When I read about the SIT2LRN Diploma in Professional Coaching it made sense to choose that as a course of study. Not only has it assisted with my current career but with life in general. I think I was a reasonable communicator before, however the skills I learned through the Diploma in Professional Coaching have really equipped me for being a real listener, picking up verbal and non-verbal cues and questioning." “I have enjoyed my study from the get-go. I love the flexibility and how I can work it in with my work and home life. I can study on the go, from anywhere. "I would recommend SIT2LRN to anyone who wants to take the next leap and do some study.”
STUDENT PROFILE
PAUL COSSEY Diploma in Professional Coaching graduate
Members and leaders of a Darfield church are reaping the benefits of Paul Cossey’s studies with SIT2LRN.
“I found the knowledge I gained enabled me to have conversations with some of our congregation and volunteer leaders that has helped them know I am developing them as people, rather than just for what I need their help and support in.”
Paul has completed his Diploma in Professional Coaching, and is now bringing the skills he's learned to his role as Pastor of Darfield Baptist Church. He's been Pastor in the small township, 45 kilometres west of Christchurch, for the past five years, previously holding pastoral roles in Manurewa (nine years) and Riccarton (11 years). His current role involves him working with a full-time youth pastor, four part-time workers connected to the church’s Two Rivers Community Trust, and a congregation of about 200 adults, teenagers and children.
Paul has a BTheol (Theology) and as a part of his registration and professional development, wanted to get some skills in “coaching” and equipping other staff and volunteer leaders. “A key to a growing church is multiplying and releasing leadership. I want to be an enabler and so decided to do the Diploma in Professional Coaching as it focused on developing and growing people. I did a Google search and came across the SIT2LRN course, which appealed to me as it was part-time and could be completed at distance - both of which were important to me.”
Parents to three adult children, Paul and his wife Angela live on a 10-acre lifestyle block, and grow all their own meat – beef, mutton, chicken and pork. They've established a large home orchard and have more than 120 square metres in vegetable gardens.
Paul said he really enjoyed the course. While some of the introductory papers reinforced some things he was already aware of, it also offered a lot of good practical exercises which he could use in his context, and particularly developed his listening skills.
While that keeps them busy, the couple also enjoy opportunities to get away in their caravan.
While not all the papers were entirely relevant to Paul’s current role, he feels he now has a qualification that
gives him other options down the track. “I found the knowledge I gained enabled me to have conversations with some of our congregation and volunteer leaders that has helped them know I am developing them as people, rather than just for what I need their help and support in.” Some of the skills Paul has gained from his study will be put to good use in the short term, as the church goes through some changes. “We will have a changing staff in 2017, so I will need to use the coaching skills to get to know the new people and establish our team based on strengths. “I don’t see myself in a different role in the next while, but I know I have skills that will be useful in a broader context if required. I am not planning any further study immediately, but I keep an eye out for relevant courses that assist my registration and professional development.”
SITUATION November 2016
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STAR PROFILE
STAR/ GATEWAY SIT STAR Team Leader Alex Irwin (left) and STAR/Gateway Facilitator Andrea Cole
Word is getting out about SIT2LRN’s STAR/Gateway programme, with enrolments growing by 60 per cent in just three years.
Word is getting out about SIT2LRN’s STAR/Gateway programme, with enrolments growing by 60 per cent in just three years. STAR/Gateway programmes are designed to offer secondary school students an opportunity to align with tertiary programmes, and achieve vocational credits alongside their school qualifications. The programmes attracted more than 2200 enrolments/units this year, from 1054 students – or more than 65 full-time equivalents. That's part of a pattern of steady growth – 850 enrolments in 2013 to 1400 in 2014, and 1700 last year. This year more schools than ever from around New Zealand came on board to use SIT2LRN’s STAR/Gateway distance learning
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SITUATION November mber 2016 201 2 0 6
programmes, and now more than 160 are involved, giving their students the opportunity to study 12 different programmes – the most popular being Health Science, Sports Training and Animal Care. Facilitator and STAR team leader Alex Irwin, and STAR/Gateway facilitator Andrea Cole said there has been an obvious increase in the volume of units (individual enrolments) ordered per school as schools see SIT2LRN as a consistent education source providing great service. They say their aim to provide excellent product knowledge in order to recommend the best units for individual students’ pathways has seen a large increase in repeat student enrolments of more than one unit completed.
STAR PROFILE
WHAT TEACHERS SAY ABOUT SIT2LRN STAR PROGRAMMES Te Tari Ako Matua Taiohi
range, especially in vocational subjects.
"To date we have had a 100 per cent success rate with students completing and achieving work from SIT2LRN. The distance learning programme allows The centre has used the girls to work at their SIT2LRN’s STAR own pace and to develop programmes for the past independent work habits five years and according to and be self-managing. This manager and teacher Sue is especially useful if a Crighton, has achieved a 100 student is away for a period per cent success rate. of time with a sick child as they can complete work at Sue said they have home.” developed an excellent relationship with the co“Many of our students ordinators and have found have vocational pathways the resources provided of in the nursing and social excellent quality and user- services sector and the friendly, with marking and work provided by SIT2LRN feedback both prompt and is excellent preparation useful. for this. We have also had students complete work in While she and fellow Tourism and Small Animal teacher Kylie Torkington Carter are both experienced Care. is a teen parent education centre based in Kawerau which provides education to all teen parents in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.
secondary school teachers, she said they find it useful to use outside providers to extend the curriculum
Marlborough Girls’ College has been involved with SIT2LRN’s STAR programme for more than 10 years, with up to 16 students enrolled at any one time. Curriculum Leader for Careers, Cheryl West, said distance learning worked well, especially for those students with specific learning requirements
“I would recommend SIT2LRN to other educational providers and we will continue to use their resources in the future.”
such as Health Science or Animal Care. A past student who studied Animal Care through SIT2LRN’s STAR programme went on to qualify in vet nursing. Cheryl said she would recommend the programme to other schools. “Our expectations of the programme are met, and there are very clear lines of communication from SIT2LRN.
The range of units available through SIT2LRN’s STAR programme makes it a good option for
students to study a subject not in the mainstream subjects offered by the school.
Cambridge High School
“Students have found the STAR programme offers a good variation of individual self learning options, and self learning has made students aware they need to stay focused and be responsible for their own learning and time management.”
students. Careers/Star/Gateway Administrator Kathy Curtin said 42 students were enrolled with SIT2LRN this year – approximately a third of the school’s Pathway students. “SIT2LRN offer a good range of units, which is why this suits so many students, and I have personally found SIT2LRN very good with their online ordering and they are very prompt with delivery of the units, which means the students are able to quickly get on with the work.” Cambridge High School students are able to take Pathways as a subject option, which allows
New Plymouth Girls’ High School has been offering SIT2LRN’s STAR health science, sport/recreation and animal units to students for several years. Teacher Dale Lofton-Brook said over the past three years, about 50 students had been enrolled with SIT2LRN. The health science units were excellent for students going on to nursing, providing them with the basics of anatomy. Teacher Dianne Young said motivated students soon learned that by setting short-term goals, they were able to complete a great deal of work during the year.
The school has had a number of success stories, with two students this year who want to work in the health sector using the units they completed through SIT2LRN to successfully enrol in their chosen courses. “I have found that SIT2LRN is very good to deal with and would highly recommend them to other schools. The ordering is very easy and we generally have a 48-72 hour turnaround from ordering to delivery.”
“Using this method of learning and assessment also teaches students to read and research for information, use a range of sources of information, and students also develop good time management skills, providing they are pushed to complete work within a reasonable time frame.” She believed having a certificate to show completion of the unit standard (rather than the entire course), was of real value to show success. “I was also really pleased this year, to see that some of my students have passed the unit standards without any resubmission required; pretty good for Year 13 and Year 12 students working at a higher level of achievement than their education level.”
SITUATION November 2016
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