Waiariki Today Issue 17

WAIARIKI

TODAY

Issue June2012 2012 Issue 1717• •June

from waiariki to london

PLUS: • Two Waiariki athletes competing in the Olympics www.waiariki.ac.nz • Training to rebuild Christchurch • New positions focus on business and iwi relationships • Charity House attracts more support • Another year of growth and success • New scholarship up for grabs • and more inside

WAIARIKI

TODAY

Kia Ora

Rotorua | Taupo | Tokoroa | Whakatane June 2012

Issue:

Keith Ikin Acting Chief Executive

17

Next Issue: October 2012 Acting Chief Executive: Keith Ikin Editor:

As I write this column, there are hundreds of high school students on Mokoia Campus, flitting from here to there as they participate and watch fellow competitors in the regional Ngā Manu Kōrero speech contest we are hosting.

Lyn Maner

Sub-editor: Craig Tiriana,

Communications Manager

They are filling to the brim both Tangatarua Marae and the nearly 200 seats in our newest lecture theatre and I can appreciate the nerves they must be feeling as they get set to speak in front of hundreds of their peers. Kia kaha to these young students who are setting excellent examples and striving to reach personal goals.

Contributing Writer: Dr Toby Curtis Photos:

Kris O’Driscoll

Designer:

Tracey Greene, Fuel Advertising

Printer:

APN Print

E-mail:

marketing@waiariki.ac.nz

As I look around, I know that I will see many of these young faces on campus again, only they will be without school uniforms and with a higher level of maturity and new goals.

Address: Marketing Department Waiariki Institute of Technology Private Bag 3028 Rotorua 3046

TODAY

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Missed an issue of Waiariki Today?

This is Issue 17 of our three-times-per-year publication bringing you the news, events and happenings of Waiariki Institute of Technology, its staff and students.

If you missed previous issues, you can view them online at www.waiariki.ac.nz or email marketing@waiariki.ac.nz and we’ll send the one/s you’re missing free of charge.

On the cover: Waiariki is proud to support two Waiariki Academy of Sport athletes who will compete in the London Olympics. Tune in to cheer on Luuka Jones and Mike Dawson as they compete in canoe slalom events starting on July 29 (London time) and ending August 2.

Enrol NOW For Semester 2!

Pick up Waiariki’s 2012 Prospectus and Career Guide from any Waiariki campus and see all the exciting new qualifications on offer, as well as the time-tested, high quality favourites for which the institute is known.

Certificates, diplomas, degrees and postgraduate qualifications – they’re all here!

Semester 2 begins July 16

ENROL TODAY!

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At the beginning of the year, Waiariki doubled its learner support team which now boasts of 13 friendly staff members available to assist anyone who comes across a road block to their successful studies. Our goal is to help our students reach theirs.

This atmosphere of vibrancy, caring and manaakitanga touches all of us, from the staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep the institute functioning, to the exceptional lecturers and school personnel whose dedication to improving our students’ lives is unwavering.

Even Waiariki’s Olympic hopefuls Luuka Jones and Mike Dawson are receiving some of the best support they can get while in London: they’ve just been joined by their former Waiariki academy coach and mentor Jane Borren who will be with them for the duration of their competition.

Good luck to everyone for Semester 2, challenge yourself to meet all of your chosen goals and stay well.

Iwi News

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I feel a sense of pride knowing the institute does much to ease our own students’ nerves. We know that many who join us in July for the start of Semester 2 will be first-time tertiary students or adults returning to tertiary study after a long time away. They may need additional

support to get started or even to keep going throughout each term in order to achieve what they’ve set out to do.

Wa i a r i k i To d a y

Dr Toby Curtis Chairperson, Te Arawa Lakes Trust It is frightening to think that we are half way through the year! On the iwi front, a number of events have occurred that leave many people throughout the country rather sad. I am referring to a few outstanding individuals who, before they passed away, did so much to make Aotearoa New Zealand a better place for everyone who call this country home.

• Archdeacon Rev Dr Kaa worked tirelessly to bring people of different religious, cultural, political and every other background imaginable to live together as a unified community. Over the past four years he became the chair and driving force to ensure that children, their families and homes were violent free.

As a broadcaster he did much to raise the level and quality of te reo on the airwaves and latterly, television.

Takoto mai ra te pou toki a Hikurangi, takoto.

• Another is our own Sir Dr Peter Tapsell. He excelled as a senior academic, a national sportsman, a medical specialist, an outstanding politician and a keen farmer who was always in tune with the land and nature.

Te Papa in Wellington, the return of our geysers in Rotorua and his appointment by the governing National Party – while his Labour Party was in opposition – to the esteemed position of Speaker of the House, are several of his life’s hallmarks. E taku makao taniwha, taku mapihi kahurangi, taku pounamu aroaro noa, okioki, moe mai ra.

• Recently another outstanding individual was laid to rest. He was Peter Smith OBE, an artist, educational change agent, excellent wordsmith, talented boat builder, cabinet maker, a quality negotiator at senior ministerial level, but more importantly a person who had that uncanny knack of turning a hostile setting into a caring, cooperative context. He was responsible for enabling art to become a degree subject at our universities. We were told at his funeral that it was he who wrote the curriculum some decades ago! He, along with a number of Māori and Pakeha artists, helped change the vision to enable New Zealand art to be part of the world scene. Te tohunga a Rehia, haere ki te putahi nui a Rehua. E koro, titaha, takoto, e moe.

State asset sales We are told repeatedly by government that the last election gave them the mandate to sell some of the country’s assets to help offset the huge debt the country has to reduce if we wish to maintain and enjoy the recent standard of living.

However, this line of argument begins to fade when one witnesses the active and vociferous calls from different sectors of the community to stop asset sales proceeding. The acquisition of the Crafar farms by Chinese investors does not strengthen the Crown’s position. Māori are fully aware, from similar past experiences, that this type of arrangement rarely enables them to emerge as satisfied beneficiaries!

Maketu waste water treatment In April the Maketu Waste Treatment Plant was launched.

Hon Tony Ryall represented government and congratulated the parties involved, which included Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Te Arawa Lakes Trust and the citizens of Maketu. The plant is a state-of-the-art facility. One would be forgiven for not knowing it was a sewerage plant. The event was well supported by the community.

Maketu walkway The next day the walkway constructed by local voluntary labour was launched and celebrated. The individuals were, without doubt, environmental enthusiasts who care about Maketu and want to see the area grow and prosper.

On behalf of the Te Arawa Lakes Trust it was indeed my privilege to represent the iwi along with Dolly and Gordon Pihema.

Marae court Tarewa Marae not only welcomed the judiciary team responsible for the country’s youth courts but it saw the first session of a youth court conference take place on a marae in Rotorua. According to the koeke and the youth offenders who appeared, they insisted that this participatory initiative must continue. They were appreciative of the opportunity to participate in a programme that achieves positive outcomes.

Fingers crossed!

Finally, I suspect that many of us associated with Waiariki Institute of Technology are waiting with abated breath in regards to the appointment of the new chief executive.

May the Council display true wisdom in choosing a person that will take the institute and the district forward to an exciting future.

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London calling for Waiariki Olympians

Luuka Jones Mike Dawson

Jane Borren

Lou Jull (fellow academy athlete), Jane Borren, Luuka Jones and Mike Dawson

Mike Dawson

A mixture of talent, professional training, hard work, competitions and keeping a sense of humour have provided the winning combination for Waiariki’s Olympics team Luuka Jones, Mike Dawson and Jane Borren.

The Olympics is the pinnacle of sport, whether you’re an athlete or, in Jane Borren’s case, right on the edge of the competition.

For the London Games 2012, Ms Borren will be water-side as Waiariki Academy of Sport athletes Luuka Jones and Mike Dawson pit their paddles against the best in the world.

“It is exciting being among the New Zealand team build-up and knowing I’m part of a huge world event that every athlete is peaking for, one that captivates most nations,” Ms Borren says from Brisbane just before leaving for Europe for two World Cup events with the canoe slalom team.

She is currently a contracted high performance consultant to Waiariki Academy of Sport and has responsibility with the New Zealand Canoe Slalom Olympic Campaign around funding,

logistics and performance. It will be her first official Olympics gig.

She has been involved with Luuka and Mike for four years, having established the Academy of Sport at Waiariki’s Mokoia Campus in Rotorua in 2007.

“I oversee and input to most areas of their campaigns,” explains Ms Borren.

“I know them both pretty well, perhaps inside and out, as people and as athletes – what makes them tick, how to get them into the best possible frame of mind for best performance.

“They’re great mates, we have a great team, but they are different characters.”

Part of Ms Borren’s role is to take the worry away from the athletes, tend to the logistics of getting the pair and their boats in the right condition at the right time and place, allowing them to focus on training and recovery.

“Keeping things as simple as possible for them, making sure they stick to their plans and being quickly reactive when things go off course,” is how she describes her role.

She also looks after Luuka’s training prescriptions as “part coach” while it’s a more of a support/checking role with Mike.

This will be Luuka’s second Olympics and Mike’s first.

There are high hopes for the Kiwis although the Europeans tend to dominate on the rapids at this level.

Ms Borren knows what her athletes are capable of accomplishing.

“Two medals would be awesome – got to gun for the best,” she says before adding clarification.

“The reality is they qualified at worlds last

year in 11th and 14th spots. The Olympics finals are top 10 and that would be fantastic, but the opposition is classy and tight.

“If they both paddle to the best they can be, they are capable of jumping up those spots to the final 10 and then it is game on in one run down that Olympics course.”

The Olympics open on July 27 (London time) and two days later Luuka and Mike will paddle for their lives among 175 athletes representing 30 nations at the Lee Valley White Water Centre.

Ms Borren will be there to help them and cheer them on, “driving their butts off and supporting them to be the best they can be.”

This sounds like a successful formula for all involved.

Priority training to rebuild a city and maintain a nation You can’t rebuild a city or maintain a country without qualified trades people.

And as part of New Zealand government’s focus on repelling the trades skills shortage and rebuilding Christchurch, Waiariki has taken on the challenge of providing the ongoing skilled workforce to meet the growing needs of New Zealand.

Waiariki’s director of the School of Trade Training, Kevin Uncles, is leading a charge to find approximately 220 to 250 additional trade trainees for the second semester which starts mid-July.

It has been reported that New Zealand will need 17,000 additional builders by 2014 as well as more plasterers, painters, brick and block layers, roofers, plumbers and drain layers plus the support for these trades people.

“This will tend to spread out the boom and busts [highs and lows] of building … If we’ve got this [need] it’s going to be a nice steady curve for the next 20 years or so:

builders can’t plan when they’re busy one year and have nothing the next,” says Mr Uncles.

“…we’re sitting here in the middle of one of the best forest areas in the country so we’ve got the resources we can contribute.”

“The trades are those identified by the Tertiary Education Commission, NZQA [New Zealand Qualifications Authority] and the government as priority trades for assisting Christchurch. They know that everyone won’t go to Christchurch but they anticipate that these [trainees] will fill the void created by those who do go to Christchurch.”

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Mr Uncles believes there are huge opportunities for this region.

“The Christchurch rebuild will use tonnes and tonnes of wood and we’re sitting here in the middle of one of the best forest areas in the country so we’ve got the resources we can contribute. It would be absolutely crazy to buy sawn timber back from China.”

As well as the normal Semester 2 placements at Waiariki, the institute is partnering with iwi groups in areas like Taumarunui and Opotiki to provide the opportunity for their people to train in the priority trades which includes electrical, engineering, fabrication, interior design, horticulture and turf management.

Training for priority trades will take place outside the Waiariki rohe, as well, and additional tutors would be employed to deliver the training where and when required.

Kevin Uncles, director, School of Trade Training.

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Preparing nurses for the future Ngaira Harker-Wilcox can see a future New Zealand where health care delivery by nurses will become more diverse and increasingly require an ability to manage health care within the community setting.

Staff profile Nadene McClay Industry Placement Coordinator The reason most people study is to get a job, right? And most often it’s easier to get a job when you have relevant experience, good references and know a few people too.

Waiariki helps students do just that by ensuring work experience and industry projects are built into a large number of their courses and getting the students out there into the workplace.

As student numbers at Waiariki are growing fast and more industry experiences are needed, a new position has been established at Waiariki to facilitate this and Nadene McClay has been appointed as industry placement coordinator.

Nadene will work with Waiariki’s academic staff, supporting and enhancing the systems already in place and interfacing with industry.

She joined the institute in May and she’s already been out in the community getting the word out about the win-win opportunities for local businesses and Waiariki students.

“Industry will realise what a great opportunity this is for them to get some work done for free, but it’s much more than that,” Nadene explains.

“Students can also bring fresh ideas and perspectives to the workplace, and it can be a chance for companies to try out potential future employees and help direct their learning.

Waiariki’s director of the School of Nursing and Health Studies believes health professional are listening to their communities and this has changed the delivery of health care. Examples of this are the new primary health care approaches where nurses and other health professionals work more collaboratively to support health needs.

Ms Harker-Wilcox believes the nurse’s role is a key in any health care team. The skills and knowledge they acquire in their training are broad, allowing them to have a base that can be built upon and lead to many possibilities in health care.

“Many of our nursing graduates are making a difference to families both in the hospital and community setting,” she says. “Our graduates have also continued with study and many completed specialist nursing papers which continue to develop their knowledge.”

Of particular interest to Ms HarkerWilcox is strengthening relationships with health providers in the region.

“It is vital we are cognisant of the ‘real world’ and understand that theory and reality are often quite different. As the director I encourage our staff to get to know our community health providers. It is important that we as a school work in partnership with our providers and get a sense of what they require within their workforce.”

Ms Harker-Wilcox knows a thing or two about grassroots health issues, having come from a hospital, district and practice nurse background on her way to her current role.

Born in Wairoa and trained in Napier

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Rotorua has largely been her home since, working in various roles, except for a working and studying jaunt in the USA. In 1995 she took up her first role tutoring at Waiariki and fell in love with the mix of nursing and education.

“I really loved that side of nursing,” she says. “I’ve got an interest in new up-andcoming nurses. There’s a lot of diversity in that … you’re always learning in education and keeping up with current research.

“My vision for our school is to provide excellent, high calibre, quality education

Growing up in Invercargill, Luke Rikiti started a slow migration north, stopping in Blenheim with the Royal New Zealand Air Force, serving in East Timor, then in Wellington at Victoria University, before eventually settling in Rotorua in 2006 to learn more about his Te Arawa heritage.

Hailing from Ngāti Pikiao (Ngāti Hinerangi, Ngāti Hinekiri), his background in commerce, Treaty settlements, peace keeping, land development, and fostering iwi and international relations has given him a range of experiences to establish and develop the inaugural position of iwi relationships coordinator for Waiariki that he started in January of this year.

Nadene worked for many years in Brussels in industry relations with the European Union bodies, and says that industry placements, projects and research by students is standard practice in Europe.

“It’s really a win-win – for students, for industry and for Waiariki!”

at Eastern Institute of Technology, she graduated in 1987 and then picked up her first job at Rotorua Hospital.

for students but also make them workforce ready and flexible with the skills to work in that future. They need transferable and generic skills because there are a lot of changes in the health system and they do need to move from different areas.”

Ms Harker-Wilcox has carried out much research and is very strong in understanding and advocating the needs around Māori health.

“Our school has a really great opportunity to install in every nurse that comes through this qualification an understanding of this community, and what’s involved in improving Māori health.”

A homecoming for iwi relationships coordinator

“Some of the students they build a relationship with during their work placements will go into other parts of the sector, increasing the company’s network of good contacts in their industry, which can also prove very useful.”

“We would sometimes have students with us who had done placements in a range of different sectors and so brought us up-to-date knowledge and experience of other areas that we would never have had access to otherwise.

Meet the team at the School of Nursing and Health Studies: (back row) Jane Lane, Sarah Bosher, Brighid McPherson, Christine Mercer; (front) Ngaira Harker-Wilcox, Denise Riini, Jonathon Hagger, Liz Pennington.

Luke Rikiti, iwi relationships coordinator, hopes to support iwi in identifying and promoting educational needs of Māori in the region.

Wa i a r i k i To d a y

“Our focus is iwi within the Waiariki region first and foremost,” Mr Rikiti says.

“We have four campuses and a number of satellite sites where Waiariki courses are delivered. Across all of these we have a number of iwi studying. An iwi stock take has been my first priority.”

By providing iwi snapshots directly to iwi organisations, Mr Rikiti hopes he can help them support their own tribal members.

“These snapshots can help iwi see where their members are studying and hopefully gear their investment, for example through scholarships, to support them.

“This information can assist iwi to see where their own capacity is, identify gaps and encourage study to areas relevant to their own needs.”

Talking to iwi, it is also fundamental toward building meaningful and working relationships with them throughout the region.

“Across our campuses staff already have relationships in place with iwi organisations.

I will be supporting these staff to enhance and support this engagement.”

Mr Rikiti also believes his role includes assisting iwi as they implement and develop their educational strategies. If they don’t have a strategy, he may be able to provide advice to help create one.

“Iwi within our rohe are at various levels of development. Some have the resource to invest in members, some don’t.

Through Waiariki, I can work to help iwi find solutions to achieve educational aspirations for their communities.”

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Charity House partnership for a better community Students will begin building a better community through the new Waiariki Institute of Technology Charity House Project.

Starting in 2013 and running for five years, one house per year will be built by trades students with the support of the business community and then auctioned off with the proceeds going to Rotorua charities.

Graduate profile

Waiariki launched the project recently, partnering with the Rotorua Chamber of Commerce to gain sponsorship and support from local suppliers, tradesmen and professionals.

Anzac Pikia National Certificate in Journalism

Mike Fogarty, section manager for construction training at Waiariki, says the project is exciting because it will benefit the students and the community in a big way.

“It’s a hands-on experience that will give them a good understanding of the dwelling,” he says. “They get to work on a real live project from start to finish – it’s a great foot in the door of the industry.”

The construction of the house will be headed by the pre-trade carpentry students and incorporate the pre-trade electrical students.

Several sponsors of Charity House have offered their products or services at no charge for the next five years.

PlaceMakers of Rotorua will supply the building plans and materials as well as some services, while ADT Armourguard has committed to providing and installing a basic alarm system and six months

Rotorua Lakes High School students Jordan Martin (left) and Shilo Cullen learn about insulation from Mike Fogarty, section manager for construction training.

of free alarm monitoring. MediaWorks Radio will advertise the initiative and Professionals McDowell Real Estate Ltd, one of the first local businesses to support the project, will market and auction the houses each November.

Additional sponsors are still needed.

Building of the first of five houses is expected to begin in February and be completed in October of the same year.

The site for the project is still to be determined but it’s bound to be a highly visible one around Rotorua. It’s expected the charity recipient or recipients will be selected some time this year for 2013.

The three-bedroom 114sq m house will feature a master bedroom with en suite, open-plan kitchen, bathroom, dining and lounge. It will be completely furnished, including drapes, carpet, heating, laundry whiteware and bedding.

Success through growth at Waiariki After a substantial lift in student success rates in 2011, Waiariki is confident the performance bar will rise further this year.

The region’s tertiary educational institute, with campuses in Rotorua, Taupo, Tokoroa and Whakatane, achieved an average course success rate of 72 per cent in 2011 compared to 65 per cent (2010), 50 per cent (2009) and 48 per cent (2008).

It’s expected the lift in course success rates, coupled with Waiariki’s strong representation in government-targeted priority education areas for under-25 and Māori students, will have some impact when the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) issues its sector performance details in July.

Acting Waiariki chief executive Keith Ikin said the institute had invested in

considerable resources for the successful gains that saw more than 2,000 students graduate following study in 2011.

“Growth in student numbers has permitted investment in infrastructure, buildings, IT and other services in supporting the students to achieve their educational goals,” says Mr Ikin.

More than 20,000 students had attended Waiariki during the last five years.

Among the investment, and complementing the work of tutors, there has been an increased level in the learner support area with 13 advisors engaged in bolstering learning as the institute continues to aim higher.

“We can really assist our students’ success …

And it is our goal to get closer to an 80 per

cent success rate this year,” says Mr Ikin.

This year Waiariki was allocated the equivalent of 2,786 funded EFTS (enrolled full time students) by government, and there are currently 3,354 domestic and 840 international full- and part-time students enrolled.

These numbers indicate the institute has started the year well, with 82 per cent of allocated government funded 2012 domestic EFTS enrolled for Semester 1 courses which started in February.

“It’s a fantastic start to the year with strong domestic enrolments but that does mean it’s important for prospective students considering study in the second semester to enrol sooner than later to avoid missing out,” says Mr Ikin.

Te Karere senior reporter Anzac Pikia started his journey studying the National Certificate in Journalism at Waiariki in 2002. The transition from school to campus life, in a new town and leaving the support of his whānau and friends was a little intimidating for the student from Te Awamutu.

“It was a foreign town for me, no whānau or familiar places,” he says.

Now sitting at his desk in downtown Auckland offices, he originally had aspirations to become a secondary school teacher. “Yeah, my high school Māori teacher inspired me, but university was a tad daunting for me at the time. Just filling out the application forms were enough to confuse me!”

In his last year of school he thought he’d give journalism a try. During his school years he’d had a lot of fun mucking around with his mates, “... at kapa haka practise I would pretend to interview people. It was very funny at the time, we did interviews with what we called ‘natives’ on a dictaphone.”

Once he started tertiary study he got the bug and did additional courses to improve his qualifications, studying Ataarangi, an immersion te reo Māori course.

The journalism course at Waiariki gave him good grounding for his job prospects. “While the course focused on print journalism, the general news knowledge did prepare me for my job. I think also learning the ability to research well, articulate and write have all been useful for television, where we are required to present a story in a very small timeframe.”

Moving away from home was new for him and to a new town where he knew nobody was also scary. “Once I settled, it was fine. Plus having whānau drive down regularly to bring care packages of kai and money helped!”

Anzac happily recalls his course mates and the additional student support on campus. It was like an extended whānau.

For two consecutive years, Waiariki has successfully attracted a higher percentage of younger students.

Last year, 49 per cent more Waiariki students achieved success in their courses compared to those in 2010.

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Course success rates for Māori students also rose substantially with a 57 per cent increase over the previous year.

“Rotorua was great and I’ll always have a special place in my heart for the people and, of course, the people of other iwi who I studied with as well.”

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Stay fit this winter

Red socks out for Sir Peter Blake week

Just because Old Man Winter has arrived, don’t give up on staying active and keeping yourself healthy. Here are some great ideas to help you get you through this challenging time and will ensure you head into spring and summer feeling and looking great!

It’s time again to get out your red socks and help Waiariki – and the nation – celebrate the annual Sir Peter Blake Leadership Week.

• Maintaining a good attitude will have a major impact on everything you do, especially your health and fitness. Try to embrace this time of year. If you need a reminder about the joys to be had in winter, go watch a child jumping in a frozen puddle. Or do it yourself!

• Go buy a bit of new workout gear. This will lift your spirits, too, and keep you healthy and comfortable. Regardless of what activities you’re doing, try to wear several layers so you can easily adjust when you warm up and cool down. Polypropylene or merino fabrics are ideal as they breathe and remove sweat and moisture.

The Sir Peter Blake Trust created the Leadership Week to honour the adventurous sailor, explorer and champion for the environment who was known for his lucky red socks.

Leadership Week will be celebrated nationwide June 22 to 29, commencing Friday with the prestigious national Sir Peter Blake Leadership Awards and wrapping up the following Friday with the Red Socks Day. This year’s theme is “Dare to Dream” so the Trust invites New Zealanders to “Dare to Dream in your business, school and community by organising

and participating in events which celebrate and develop leadership.”

Waiariki will be honouring the New Zealand hero by hosting a Leadership Day on June 22.

Approximately 20 students from the region’s high schools have been selected to spend the day with Waiariki’s adventure tourism lecturer Nick Chater and Waiariki students of the Diploma in Adventure Tourism.

Mr Chater says the day’s activities aim to teach the students about positive and effective leadership skills and styles that will help them interact with groups and peers in various situations. There will be adventures in the forest, on a lake, along the mountain bike trails and in the Waiariki student training kitchens.

Working with the secondary students is important, says Mr Chater, because at this stage in life they are finding their independence and developing leadership skills. They’re moving into adulthood and the next level of work, education and life. It’s also about gaining self confidence.

“We are also trying to engage these students, helping them make the most of opportunities and realising that education in both secondary and tertiary are important stepping stones in life. Ultimately, I hope these students have a great day out and if Waiariki and my students can be a part of that, then all the better.”

For more information or how to get involved, please visit www.sirpeterblaketrust.org.

• Set a new goal to aim for to keep up your motivation. Visit www.activesmart.co.nz for free and customised training plans to help you reach your fitness goals. Whether you’re just starting out or building up for a big event, there’s a plan for everyone such as running, walking, cycling or multidiscipline options (including triathlon and duathlon) and are designed by fitness professionals. This fantastic online resource also offers advice on nutrition and warming up, weather updates and hints and tips on upcoming events.

• Why not explore the local area and make a day of it? Pack up the family and a picnic lunch and make the most of being outside in fresh air and hopefully getting some winter sunshine. Investigate these great walking areas within easy drive from Rotorua: Mt Ngongotaha Jubilee Track, Lake Okataina scenic reserve and Lake Tarawera outlet and falls. Visit www.doc.govt.nz for more information.

• If it’s blowing a southerly gale and raining, there is always the indoor exercise option.

The Waiariki Community Recreation Centre offers public memberships and a squash court and sports hall to hire for playing netball, basketball or volleyball with a group of friends. Contact Rebecca Smith on 07 346 8636 to find out more.

Written by Rebecca Smith Sports Coordinator Waiariki Community Recreation Centre Rotorua campus

Local high school students in a waka ama in last year’s Leadership Day with Waiariki adventure tourism staff and students.

Steady management promotes investment Waiariki’s place as New Zealand’s fastest growing polytechnic and ongoing prudent management are allowing significant reinvestment that directly impacts on students.

A $4.9 million surplus announced in the recently released 2011 Annual Report will go some way to assisting in the proposed new building for the School of Nursing and Health Studies expected to start in 2013.

Acting chief executive Keith Ikin said it was very satisfying the institute could reinvest in its capital plan on the back of a fourth straight year of surplus.

“For a long period of time Waiariki was unable to invest in capital – new buildings and infrastructure – to create a positive learning

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environment for our students,” says Mr Ikin.

“Over the last four years we’ve generated good surpluses which we’re investing back into our students by building classrooms and other facilities. They now have a state-ofthe-art space to learn in.”

Creating the surplus has come through better management with Mr Ikin saying Waiariki had a successful disciplined approach.

“We are a very prudent institution,” he says. “We are quite lean in our operational costs when compared with other learning institutions.

We’ve been able to increase our domestic enrolments as well as our internationals.”

While the obvious capital investment

comes in new buildings like forestry’s $1.7 million building fronting Old Taupo Road, the $1.1 million refurbished Waipa Campus, Mokoia’s $1.8 million recreation centre and the latest Te Wānanga a Ihenga building at $4.4 million, there have been some other investments which will enhance the student experience.

Waiariki has almost doubled its learner support staff which should further improve the rates of course completions and success.

“We now have a network [of support staff ] based in each school, as well as in the library learning centre,” says Mr Ikin. “Their role now is to connect with learners who most need support as early as they can so [students] can be successful.”

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The pressure cooker to national success

Te Reo Māori

Practice makes perfect and, when combined with perfect execution, a winning opportunity is possible.

That’s the mantra driving Waiariki representatives set to compete in this year’s Nestlé Toque d’Or competition.

During the next couple of months Rex Austria, Digraj Singh and Laura Adriano will be put through the griller by their tutors in Rotorua as they work to perfect their skills and get ready for the big day in Auckland on August 20.

“We’ll focus on developing our skills and be ready for any challenge,” said Rex of the prestigious national junior cooking competition. “This is a learning process and we get some more experience rather than just the classroom.”

There are some 320 additional hours of practice and perfecting the trio that tutors Bart Vosse and Jonathan Chemis (chefs) and Thomas George (hospitality) will undertake.

Rex and Digraj are in their final year of the Diploma in Culinary Arts while Laura is in her final year of the Diploma in Hospitality Management.

As well as their studies and practice, the students are working in local industry (Bistro 1284, Third Place Café, Skyline and Wai Ora Spa) which is part of the competition requirements.

Laura Adriano (centre) will lead the front of house activities in Toque d’Or while Rex Austria (left) and Digraj (“DJ”) Baghela will run the kitchen.

On the big day the students will have to make two entrees, two mains and two desserts, from scratch to delivery, in two and a half hours.

It is an absolute pressure cooker environment and the national finals are super competitive. Not only is the team striving to better last year’s Waiariki team results – a gold by the chefs and a bronze in hospitality – but Christchurch Polytechnic is traditionally the team to beat.

To make the Waiariki team, the students had to survive an intensive series of cook-offs with their Diploma in Hospitality Management

classmates. The brief was to see who could handle pressure and how they performed under it.

All three were spectators in Auckland last year and returned home knowing they wanted in on the action this year.

Like any team, they will rely on each other with the chefs looking after the cooking and food component of their created menu while Laura tends to front of house, selects the matching wines and provides silver service to the judges.

Everything the three teammates do must be timed to perfection and they will be judged on how they move, hygiene, professionalism and wastage.

Dame Malvina provides inspiration

Kei te kaha te puta o te kōrero me whakamahi te katoa o te motu kia ako i te reo Māori. Ānei tāku ki tērā kōrero, “Mātua whakapai i tōu Marae ka whakapai ai tō te tangata.” Arā, kia mōhio pea ko te Āo Māori ki tōna anō reo ka tahuri ai ki te whakaako i ētahi kē atu. He aha nei te tino hua o te whakaako i te marea atu i te nui ake o ngā tāngata ka mōhio ki te kōrero Māori? He take anō kei tua kē atu i tērā?

There is a school of thought emerging that advocates compulsory Māori for all. Here is my response to that idea: “Charity begins at home.” That is, the Māori world needs to know its language first before teaching others.

What benefits will accrue from teaching the entire population apart from an increase in the number of speakers? Is there any reason other than that?

Written by Ken Kennedy Kaumatua Te Arawa, Te Whare Takiura o Waiariki

It’s cool to korero Each edition of Waiariki Today will have an easy and useful korero column that you can use at home or in the workplace. The theme for this edition is encouragement and praise.

Ka pai!

That’s good, well done, good idea.

Next time your child or work colleague does something good or that you like use this expression to show your appreciation and praise.

In the home: Child: “Look at my picture I drew, Mum.” You: “Wow! Ka pai, that’s awesome!”

Richard Anaru (standing toward left with arms crossed) and Waiariki Academy of Singing and Music students performed at the year’s Lakeside concert in Rotorua.

Waiariki Academy of Singing and Music was launched in early February 2011. When the students are not out performing in the community, they are putting much time and effort into both their musical abilities and their scholarly aspirations at Waiariki’s Mokoia Campus in Rotorua.

The academy was set up to nurture the incredible musical talent in the region.

“We had a very successful inaugural year and so far this year, we’ve been incredibly productive performancewise, highlighted by a well-received hour-long show at Lakeside Concert in March,” says academy director Richard Anaru.

The academy operates on a tiered scholarship-based programme offering

three levels of support to the scholars.

“The flexible and quality programme has been developed to enable students to gain a qualification at Waiariki while focusing on their music at the same time. Mentoring, workshops, individual and group tuition are included, and operate outside of the regular curriculum which doesn’t interfere with teaching hours.”

This year the academy boasts a kapa haka team, choir ensemble and band, as well as solo performers.

In early March, Waiariki proudly announced the addition of a new patron, Dame Malvina Major.

“To have the support of someone in such standing as Dame Malvina is an

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honour and, well, nothing short of a coup,” Mr Anaru says.

She has already invited the academy to participate in reciprocal events on her campus at Waikato University where she is Senior Fellow of Music.

Having her involved with the academy and Waiariki augers well for the future and with her support the academy can add yet another plateau to which its talented students can aspire.

The academy is always on the lookout for up-and-coming talent in the region. If you have talent that you’d like to take further, email music@waiariki.ac.nz and tell us a little about yourself and what you do.

You can also find more information at www.waiariki.ac.nz/about/schools.asp.

In the workplace: Colleague: “I’ve been thinking of bringing in some plants to work to brighten up the place.

What do you think?”

You: “Kai pai, I think that’s a great idea.” or You: “Kai pai, good on you.”

Kia kaha Be strong, good luck, you can do it!

You can say this when you are supporting someone, to let them know that you are there for them.

In the home: Child: “Dad, I don’t want to play rugby this weekend. I’m not very good and I get teased.”

You: “Just do your best, kia kaha, I know you can do it.”

In the workplace: Colleague: “Arghhh, this work is driving me mad. And that customer was really rude!”

You: “It’s nearly the end of the day, kia kaha, not much longer.”

Written by Huia Lloyd Projects Manager Rotorua campus

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Gardening in winter As the old tongue twister goes, prior preparation prevents poor performance.

This applies to gardening and winter is the best time to begin your preparations for a bountiful spring and summer garden.

• Experienced gardeners know that healthy soil is the key to healthy plants and now is the best time to prepare your soil.

• Assess the amount of sun reaching your garden, as most plants grow best in semi-shady or sunny locations.

Remove or prune any trees or shrubs blocking sunlight. Watch for where the early morning sun lands and where the last rays shine in the evening.

• Wet soil creates many problems so avoid gardening in low areas that naturally collect water, areas next to roof down pipes, at bottoms of slopes.

• High traffic areas with compacted soils will have had most of the air removed.

Digging or tilling the ground will help add more air.

• Weed removal is important. Avoid digging weeds under the soil or using a rotary hoe to hide them. In most cases you will increase the number of weeds like kikuyu and dock by breaking the plants in to smaller pieces – they haven’t been killed, will grow back and compete with young plants and become far more difficult to remove without damage to your new plantings.

• Small gardens are best weeded by hand using a garden fork. Start with the grasses, lever each plant up, give them a good shake to preserve your precious soil, and put them on the compost heap or dig a large hole for trench composting. Do the same to permanent weeds like dock and dandelion. The aim is to remove all roots and is best done plant by plant, not by cutting up the weed.

Timberlands scholarship provides “icing on the cake” for father of three Jody Tonga laughs now at his previous assumptions that you need to be young or heading off to university to get certain scholarships.

While he’s certainly not Waiariki’s oldest student, the 37-year-old has worked out that he’s the second oldest in his forestry management courses, so the news that he won a full scholarship came as a very welcome surprise.

“That was probably one of the best phone calls ever, especially at my age.

I didn’t count on getting this one, I wasn’t 100 per cent confident. It was my impression they give them to those going to varsity.”

Jody, who is Ngati Tuwharetoa, Ngati Maniapoto, Te Arawa and hails from Te Aute College, Hawke’s Bay, has been working in the forestry sector for 17 years. He’s covered the practical side, he says, and wants a new challenge: to get into forestry management, broaden his knowledge, and “maybe to one day manage the resources that were handed down by our tipuna.”

It’s not Jody’s first scholarship but now the husband and father of three can relax about his finances a little, knowing his tuition fees are fully paid for the two-year Diploma in Forest Management thanks to the Kaingaroa Timberlands’ Kaitiaki O Te Ngahere Scholarship.

If a job doesn’t come up after he finishes his diploma, he says he’ll continue his studies toward a degree.

He says now his only costs are his books and commuting daily from Taupo to Rotorua, the latter which he does with a classmate, allowing them both to save on petrol and review their lecture notes during their travels.

“Getting the education is icing on the cake in terms of where I want to go.

Where I’m heading is the next level, it’s about climbing the ladder.”

David Balfour, director of Timberlands Ltd., says, “In selecting for the scholarship we are looking for people who have the aptitude to complete the course and have the potential to become a forest manager. Academic record is important but also maturity of character plays a key part in selection.

“Student loans, that was the boat that I was going to end up in,” he says. But

Research Waiariki

It is fantastic to be back in my hometown and to have the opportunity to contribute to the development of Waiariki into a world-class vocational training and research institute. To that end, I invite anyone with an interest in research to come and chat with me.

Whether you’re a fresh-faced beginner or a battle-scarred, experienced campaigner, the research office can help advance your research activities.

• If you prefer to spray weeds then do this on a calm, windless day and wait at least 10 days before digging and fertilising the soil.

Written by Shane O’Leary Horticulture Lecturer Whakatane campus

Dr Clarke Raymond is Waiariki’s newly appointed director of research.

Having just taken up the position of director of research at Waiariki, this is probably a good opportunity to briefly introduce myself. I grew up in Rotorua and am a former Head Boy of Rotorua Boys’ High School. I did my tertiary training at Otago University, graduating with a PhD in neuroscience.

I have spent the past 12 years at the John Curtin School of Medical Research at the Australian National University in Canberra. During this time I was head of a research laboratory investigating the biological basis of learning and memory in the brain. So, as you can imagine, my current role at Waiariki is quite a change for me, but

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Forestry student Jody Tonga’s attempt to find scholarships has paid off.

Critical is that they are from the central North Island area and good iwi connections are a bonus.”

No doubt Jody has the aptitude and potential to reach his goals, but it also looks like his experience and age were on his side too.

By Clarke Raymond, PhD

an extremely exciting one.

• After all weeds have been removed, dig the soil over and add your favourite fertiliser.

• Another way to get rid of weeds – or a lawn which is to become garden space – smother the area with several layers of newspaper, or plywood, old carpet, mill felt, corrugated iron, blue tarpaulin, basically anything that will block light. Remove these about six weeks later and then dig the area over.

Jody is not only determined to upskill, “to experience the other side of forestry”, he was also dead-set on preventing student debt. So, he took a proactive stance and searched the internet for scholarships for which he qualified.

The plan for these updates is to keep everyone informed about research at Waiariki. We will be profiling various projects, highlighting new opportunities and celebrating successes. So to begin, here is a quick summary of research activities that have passed through the research office in the last several weeks since I started.

• Dr Lynne Chepulis and Evelyn Francis from the School of Nursing and Health Studies have investigated how rapidly blood-sugar levels rise (glycaemic index) when we eat manuka honey in comparison with normal sugar. They have discovered that manuka honey displays a low-moderate glycaemic index despite being more than 80 per cent sugar. This research leads to future work developing safe products of benefit to people requiring a low sugar diet (e.g., diabetics).

• Allan Fowler from the School of Computing, Technology and Communications is analysing what and how much learning takes place by participants in the Global Game Jam (GGJ), an annual computer

game development event that occurs simultaneously in more than 200 sites around the world. The results of this research could provide a rationale for using the GGJ as a legitimate learning experience for students of game development.

• The research office and the social sciences department are in the early stages of developing a research project on employment issues in Rotorua, in partnership with the Ministry of Social Development, Rotorua District Council, and Rotorua Chamber of Commerce.

• Several of our colleagues have or will be representing Waiariki and Aotearoa, presenting the results of their research at conferences on the international stage: o Allan Fowler – 30th Conference on Computer-Human Interfacing, May 5-10, Austin, Texas, USA o Hinemaua Rikirangi – 7th Research into Organisation and Sustainable Development Conference, May 2125, Nantes, France o Malin Quintern and Erina Ata – 7th International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, June 24-27, Barcelona, Spain o Paula Cown and Joanne Hayes – 13th Pacific Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference, July 20-22, Singapore We congratulate them all on their fantastic research achievements and hope they return full of inspiration and motivation for future research endeavours.

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Sustain Waiariki

New scholarship promotes creativity

By Steve Chadwick

Steve Chadwick, former MP for Rotorua who also held the position of Minister of Conservation, is a member of the advisory committee for the Waiariki Centre of Excellence in Environmental Sustainability. She introduces the Sustain Waiariki group, its purpose and aims.

When I was approached to write about the Waiariki Centre of Excellence in Environmental Sustainability, I had to remind myself what our advisory committee is all about and what we want to achieve on the campus.

The centre’s name doesn’t speak to me as to what we are about and wordy approaches will wash over most students’ and tutors’ heads unless we make this centre result in a change of thinking and generate an excitement about how we live our daily lives at home and at work.

Too often we get bogged down in academic challenges about the lofty issues such as climate change, the availability of oil to generate transport and produce food, and water as a precious resource, and we forget that there are small changes we can commit to as individuals that will make a difference.

So we called ourselves Sustain Waiariki and the website will keep those interested informed. I am excited about the skills of those on this new advisory committee as we represent community and regional thinking and have the potential to make Waiariki be seen as a sustainable institution leading the sector with new ways of teaching, challenging economic thinking and living the sustainable dream. Advisory committee members will all contribute to this column over the next year.

So what is sustainability?

We have had a few good discussions since we started last November. We

Participants of the popular Rotorua Wearable Creationz will have a chance to win one year of fees-free study toward a creative qualification at Waiariki.

have stuck with the definition that “Sustainability is the practice of living in a manner which does not compromise future generations.” We want Waiariki to be there in the long term as education is vital, especially in a recession, especially in the regions. Why should we have to leave our home to continue lifelong learning?

That’s the easy bit really and we then had to find where this long-term thinking fits into the long-term strategic direction for Waiariki. Sustainability is well and truly stated in four of Waiariki’s goals in the strategic plan and that shows a commitment from leadership at the board and academic levels.

So what are we pushing to have happen?

We want to make sure that all courses consider sustainability in a way that is relevant to their subject and then help both tutors and students start to understand what this commitment really means and how it can be measured and shown. That is called setting a sustainability index.

I see a campus that tells a visual story of conserving energy and resources, buildings that feel great to work in, and a curriculum that attracts students in how they want to live a meaningful life that adds value to our environment and economy. I want students to be able to come and learn those subjects that give them actual skills to live their dream; skills such as conservation, horticulture, forestry management, food technology, healthy living, tourism that protects and

Travel, accommodation, cruises and cash are among the typical stable of prizes for winners of Wearable Creationz, with the Supreme Award having been valued at more than $20,000.

Steve Chadwick hopes Waiariki will be viewed as a leader in sustainability training in our region.

values the environment, and the reo to express themselves as Kiwis who know our strengths.

When we know what we want then other plans for expenditure on campus will fall into place. Fewer cars and more buses and cycle ways, walking paths that are well lit for safety, waste management that produces energy and reuses resources, and buildings that are a beacon of design to conserve energy and are built in wood. This is very exciting stuff.

Think of how you can make a difference and challenge your tutors if you come up with a bright idea.

You may even see me cycling to Waiariki if only I felt safe enough to ride to meetings from home. We will live the dream and then inspire others to build a healthy community.

As a sponsor of the event’s Youth section for the past several years, Waiariki aims to promote the creativity of the community’s youth and invest in their confidence and self-esteem.

The new Waiariki scholarship, provided by the School of Computing, Technology and Communications, will be awarded to the winner of the Culture category. It can be used to cover the fees of one year of full-time study in 2013 of a certificate, diploma or advanced diploma in art, fashion or interior design.

Providing the scholarship, valued at up to $5,000, is just another way for Waiariki to continue to support the event.

Many of Waiariki’s creative qualifications provide direct pathways to continued study at prestigious institutes such as Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design in Auckland, Whitehouse Institute of Design in Australia, and Istituto di Moda Burgo in Milan.

Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster for Rotorua’s most colourful, fanciful annual event with shows on August 16, 17 and 18.

Visit our website sustain.waiariki.ac.nz.

MasterChef fan working The Master’s Table If he was eligible to compete in New Zealand MasterChef, one of his favourite competitions, Nathan Arnell might have given it a go.

However, because he has a formal tertiary education, this Waiariki graduate of two culinary qualifications is not allowed to compete. Instead, he must settle for working alongside a MasterChef contestant, the much-loved Cameron Petley from the 2011 TV series. For Nathan, this is anything but “settling”.

“It’s really great,” Nathan says. “He’s a real friendly guy, has a good sense of humour. I’m learning heaps from him.”

Nathan, who’s from Tokoroa, says a phone call from Tracy Thompson in Putaruru led to this unexpected and possibly rare opportunity.

Tracy and her husband Steve lease the Putaruru Hotel. The Thompsons’ plan was to get the restaurant back in service after several years of inaction. They successfully wooed Mr Petley into the head chef position but then needed to find a sous chef. What followed was the classic friend-of-a-friend scenario where someone heard about Nathan

from Waiariki chef lecturer and former restaurateur Peter Skelton.

“The Skeltons [Peter and wife Lorna] said that he stood out in the course,” explains Ms Thompson, “and if they had to pick someone from the course that they thought would do well, that he would be their first pick.”

He’s only 21, but Nathan already had four years of professional cooking under his belt, having worked in the Skeltons’ restaurant while studying full time at Waiariki. Nathan recalls the day Ms Thompson rang.

“She invited me over to the hotel for an interview. Then I found out Cameron was going to be the head chef here. I was thinking what a great opportunity. I used to watch that show every week.”

Working each dinner shift at The Master’s Table, Nathan is learning new techniques and appreciates Mr Petley’s style of cooking and how he uses honest, readily available ingredients.

He says they also get to “play around” in the kitchen, creating new dishes for the menu.

Ms Thompson is very pleased with her sous chef ’s work.

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“Nate’s brilliant, he’s just great. He’s very easy to get along with, he works hard, he’s great at what he does. When Cameron’s away with promotional work now and then, Nate just steps right into his position.”

Recently Nathan accompanied Mr Petley to Auckland for a week to help him with his new cookbook. The pair had to prepare 60 recipes and carefully plate them for the camera crew.

“When I got back from doing Cameron’s cookbook, I was thinking that I never thought I’d have the chance to do that. How many people get an opportunity to do something like that?”

Mr Skelton is confident Nathan will have a successful career as a chef.

“He was a very good student and very good in the kitchen. He picks up things really quickly, you rarely have to show him something more than once. His dexterity with what he’s doing is what makes me think he’s going to go far.

He’s got a real passion for food, which is good as well.”

Waiariki graduate Nathan Arnell enjoys working in the kitchen at The Master’s Table at the Putaruru Hotel.

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Paying it forward from Ireland become a chef. Back home in England she was expected to attend university, not a technical college, due to her good grades.

“If I hadn’t moved to New Zealand, I wouldn’t be doing this now. I would have been in England studying science or something.”

Moroccan Hot Pot Ingredients 500g lamb mince 4 cloves garlic, crushed 1 Tbsp oil 1 medium (150g) onion, diced 3 tsp ground cumin 3 tsp ground coriander 2 tsp turmeric 200g kumara, diced into 1cm pieces 1 cup (250mL) chicken stock 2 medium (240g) zucchini, diced Bunch fresh coriander to garnish 400g chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1 Tbsp corn flour In a large bowl, combine mince, garlic, cumin, turmeric and ground coriander; mix well and roll mixture into large balls.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over high heat; cook meatballs and onion until browned on all sides.

Add kumara and stock and bring to the boil; reduce heat, cover and cook five minutes or until kumara is tender; stir in zucchini and chickpeas.

Combine corn flour with a little water, stir into hot pot until thickened; cook, uncovered, a further two minutes.

Serve over warm couscous or rice, and garnish with lashings of fresh coriander.

Written by Bart Vosse Chef Lecturer Rotorua campus

Did you know?

The Olympic Games in London is not the only major competition taking place this year.

In October, the 23rd International Exhibition of Culinary Art, dubbed by some as the Culinary Olympics, will take place in Erfurt, Germany.

Also a quadrennial event, the first competition was held in Frankfurt in 1900 with four nations participating.

It is now said to be among the world’s biggest culinary exhibitions, and in 2008, approximately 1,600 chefs from 53 nations competed. The top honours went to Norway, Germany and Switzerland.

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Even though her father was already in New Zealand and her mum was getting ready to join him, Josie could have stayed in England as she was 19 at the time and finished with high school. She says her decision to emigrate was very last minute.

Josie Tubb has just a few more days in the training kitchen at Waiariki before she heads off to Ireland for a three-month work programme.

Although she’s being sent away to work, Josie Tubb is counting down the days until she boards that plane and heads to Ireland.

Josie, who is in her second year of the two-year Diploma in Culinary Arts at Waiariki, is the first recipient of the Waiariki Institute of Technology Jamie Peaker Ireland Scholarship which will see her working for Mr Peaker in his award winning café Builín Blasta (Irish for “the tasty loaf ”) for three months.

The scholarship is valued at $2,500 and includes her return flights, accommodation and a weekly living allowance.

For Mr Peaker the opportunity to host a Waiariki student is his chance to pay it forward.

“It’s my way of giving back to the industry, an industry I have gained so

much from, and to Waiariki where I completed my training,” he says.

Mr Peaker originates from Whakatane.

He worked as a young chef at Rotorua’s Freos with Reg Hawthorne who is currently a chef lecturer at Waiariki. The two chefs have remained friends over the years even as Mr Peaker’s travels took him around the world, working in places like Africa, Switzerland and London. He settled in Ireland in 2008.

Josie will no doubt learn much from Mr Peaker and she expects to work hard and put in some long hours at his café. She says she’s looking forward to the adventure, to summer in the Northern Hemisphere, and of course the opportunity to hone her kitchen craft.

“I’ve always cooked and I’ve always enjoyed cooking.”

Josie never thought she was destined to

“Because I decided to come to another country, and decided to [study] something different, I thought I’d do something I knew I’d enjoy.

“I knew I could finish the diploma in two years. I hadn’t considered it as a career option, I don’t think anyone had suggested it as a serious career option either, but I really love it and this is definitely what I want to do.”

Working for the past six months as a commis chef at Wai Ora Lakeside Spa Resort, the 21-year-old says, has really cemented her future.

“Doing the study and working in Wai Ora definitely has made me 100 per cent sure of what I want to do. Coming here was a chance to do something really different. It all just happened by chance and it turns out it was a good thing.”

Josie will return to New Zealand for the start of Semester 1 in 2013 to finish her diploma.

International visitors to Waiariki Dr Ruchi Singh has been enjoying the sights of Rotorua and New Zealand but more importantly catching up with some of her former students.

“The boys have changed so much …

We can see their bright future here,” Dr Singh said during her recent visit from India.

Some of her first students to New Zealand in 2008 are now working locally in tourism and hospitality businesses like Ibis, Distinction Rotorua Hotel and Wai Ora Lakeside Spa Resort.

While in New Zealand Dr Singh and her husband were hosted by Waiariki staff.

She also familiarised herself with other educational offerings in New Zealand as well as the immigration policy.

While Waiariki is uniquely bicultural, it embraces multiculturalism in producing students who are able to carry out business across the world through global education.

Other recent international visitors were representatives of the Beijing Vocational

College of Finance and Commerce who signed a memorandum of understanding with Waiariki. The principal objectives of the agreement with BCFC involve cooperation between both parties in teaching and student and staff exchanges.

Also visiting Waiariki recently was the Philippine ambassador Virginia Benavidez who caught up with international students around mobile consular services and overseas absentee voting registration.

A staff member from the BN Institute of International Studies in Rajasthan, Dr Singh teaches tourism. Some of her students choose to head to New Zealand, or more specifically Rotorua, the heartbeat of cultural tourism, to further their education.

“Every day we are getting an experience of what Rotorua is offering and it will allow us to promote [New Zealand and Rotorua] when I’m advising students,” says Dr Singh.

India is also a big supplier of cultural tourism and Dr Singh said attractions like the “Palace on Wheels” train tour were very popular and many big accommodation chains were investing in India.

Dr Ruchi Singh teaches tourism in India and promotes Waiariki’s qualifications to her students if they are seeking international experience while studying toward a high quality diploma or degree.

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Waiariki provides doctors to Rotorua studying toward that goal through professional development.

Dr Kennedy received his honorary doctorate in philosophy from the Research Institute of World’s Ancient Traditions, Cultures and Heritage (RIWATCH), USA, at an international conference held at the University of Dev Sanskriti Vishwa Vidyalaya in India.

Ken Kennedy was recently awarded an honorary doctorate in philosophy from an American institute.

Yes there is a doctor in the house.

In fact, there are quite a few holders of PhDs employed at Waiariki and two more have earned the distinction in the last few months: Waiariki’s Kaumatua Keneti (Ken) Kennedy, and Qilong Zhang.

That brings the tally to eight staff with doctorates and several more are

His was one of five honorary doctorates awarded for distinguished leadership and outstanding social service to their respective traditions and cultures.

Dr Zhang, who works in the Te Wānanga a Ihenga education team, passed his oral examination for his doctorate with Auckland University and will have a formal graduation later this year.

Waiariki staff currently with doctorates: Chris Asby PhD, Agricultural/Veterinary

Economics, University of Reading, UK, 1976 Suwaree Ashton PhD, Hotel Management, University of Queensland, Australia, 2010 Lynne Chepulis PhD, Health Science, University of Waikato, 2008 Ken Kennedy Honorary PhD, Philosophy, RIWATCH, 2012 Christine Mercer PhD, Nursing, Massey University, 2006 Craig Morley PhD, Zoology/Ecology, University of Canterbury, 2000 Clarke Raymond PhD, Neuroscience, University of Otago, NZ, 1999 Qilong Zhang EdD, University of Auckland, 2012

From gang member to successful tutor and role model Just before he turned 50, Don enrolled on the Certificate in Agriculture and Farm Maintenance at Waiariki in Tokoroa. He had closed down his mechanics shop and was looking for a useful trade to learn.

His biggest motivation, however, was something much closer to his heart.

After making the decision to enrol at Waiariki, things changed rather quickly for the Tahere family. In fact, Don wasn’t the only one filling out Waiariki enrolment forms.

“I’ve got this thing with my kids: when they leave school they are not allowed to go on the benefit. They have to get a job or go to school.

That’s always been my rule.”

The oldest five – Roi, Jessica, Werehana, Joseph and Blaze – joined their father in agriculture training. Four of them completed the qualification. Roi is now an apprentice at SWPE (South Waikato Precision Engineering Ltd) in Tokoroa, and Jess has gone to Tauranga to earn her bartending license (she wants to run a nightclub).

Bachelor of Nursing Babies and nursing seem to be the central theme in Laura Keys’ young life.

For the moment, however, she’s focusing on the latter, working her way toward earning the Bachelor of Nursing from Waiariki.

“My mum was a nurse, and I’ve got an aunty who is a nurse, and another aunty who’s training to be a nurse as well. We started [training] at the same time. It’s a coincidence, each of us didn’t know the other was applying.”

Laura laughs and says she had different career ambitions earlier in life.

“When I was younger, a family friend had twins who ended up in SCBU because they were quite small. I was about 10 or something. I had [written] in my diary that I wanted to be a singer or dancer but I can’t sing or dance so [becoming a nurse] was the sensible thing to do, really.”

“What changed me was my kids. I saw them going down the same track as me. I had to make the change and that’s why I’m doing what I do now.

I’ve got to be their big role model.”

“I’m not very proud of it. I’m done with it now. Even my kids, they’re all done with it. We threw it all away to make better lives.”

Laura Keys

Incidentally, Laura’s 18-year-old sister is studying at Waiariki, as well, toward the Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood Education).

Don Tahere is proof it’s never too late to turn your life around.

That undesirable track was gang related. Don and wife Debbie have nine children. The last thing he wanted was to watch their children, who range in age from 6 to 23, to follow in his footsteps.

Student profile

Don Tahere, flanked by sons Joseph (left) and Werehana.

Werehana and Joseph have continued their study at Waiariki in construction and engineering respectively. Blaze didn’t quite finish the qualification, but she is working now and hopes to return to study to become a vet.

Even mum Debbie is keen to get on board this family education mission.

She’d like to study chef training but will wait until their grandchild starts school.

Don’s attitude toward education and his commitment to studies were infectious. Unwittingly, he quickly became a role model to his classmates and caught the eye of agriculture tutor Wayne Tonks. Toward the end of the year, Wayne pulled him aside and suggested he apply for a position as tutorial assistant for Waiariki, which he did, albeit with some hesitation.

“To tell you the truth,” Don says, “when Wayne told me to apply for the job, I honestly didn’t think I’d get it. I’m glad I did apply for it.”

Wayne said he could see Don’s strong work ethic and, perhaps more

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importantly, his ability to connect with the students. Don says he’s just being himself.

“I can really see myself in a lot of the kids around here.”

It seems the study bug has bitten. Don is now studying social science courses online with another provider while still assistant teaching with Waiariki.

“I’m trying to further myself. With that degree I’ll be able to help people or children at risk. I was one of those naughty kids once upon a time. I want to be able to give back to the community I took so much from.

“It’s been tough because I still have mates around here that can’t believe what I’m doing. They’ve said that I’ve changed. But, like I tell my mates, the only thing I represent now is Waiariki. Because I’m a casual tutor now, I see that as a lot of responsibility, you can’t go around doing the things I used to do.

“I really wish I did this when I was younger.”

Since that defining moment, Laura knew she wanted to become a nurse and specialise in working with babies in a hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU).

She’d like to stay in Rotorua, but will go where the jobs are, she says.

She will finish her degree in November.

She says studying has been a bit stressful at times but she deals with it by reducing her work schedule (she has a part time job at McDonald’s), running (“not so much in winter, though”), taking one day at a time, and giving in to the occasional chocolate cravings.

Having skipped Year 13 at Rotorua Girls’ High School so she could start her tertiary study early, she says, “I didn’t enjoy school, I was very keen to escape.”

Laura will be the youngest in the nursing school to graduate in November and she will just beat the age cut-off by two months to sit the nursing registration exams (graduates must be 20 to sit the exam).

She’s looking forward to getting the muchneeded nursing experience in hospital before she can apply to work in SCBU. “I just love babies, I really love babies.”

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Farm ownership in graduate’s future

World famous in New Zealand

A Waiariki graduate has taken home two prestigious New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards.

For the past fours years Waiariki’s carpentry students and their tutor James Putoko have been filmed by Māori Television while they help restore or rebuild marae around the rohe.

The footage is used in the TV show AIA Marae DIY with the most recent project at Motiti Marae where they guys built a new waharoa (entrance). These projects give students of the Certificate in Carpentry (Pre-trade) (Level 4) excellent hands-on experience while they assist local communities.

John Butterworth was named Central Plateau 2012 Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year in April, and in May followed that with second place in the national awards, plus went home with two merit awards: the Honda Farm Safety and Health Award and DairyNZ Interview Award.

John says the prizes, including a ride-on lawn mower and cash, are great but they are not the reason for entering the annual competition.

The reward for him is showing that his business plans are well conceived and robust, and that he not only has a good track record with his business finances but also in areas such as management and animal health.

The work that went into the application was rigorous but as a result of his efforts, the 25-year-old can now forecast that one of his longtime goals should be reached in just seven years.

Pictured: (back row) Steve Durkin (Tokoroa), Tama Rewiti (Rotorua), Dylan Ryan (Rotorua), Richard Pulma-Hicks (Rotorua), Tama Taupawa (Rotorua); (front row) James Putoko (tutor, Tokoroa), Chandu Grant (Rotorua), Levi Aki (Tokoroa)

Photo courtesy of New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards

News Snippets

“Generally, there are some parts of your business where you might not plan or go into in-depth, but this process makes you, so you’ve really got to get into it. That’s the best part that I liked.

John Butterworth with his Central Plateau 2012 Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year Award.

Agribusiness Management in 2009.

He recalls knowing his future career path while still quite young, following in his father’s footsteps.

receive 50 per cent of the milk cheque.

“I can remember being around 8 or 9, in school, doing a poster and it had everything about owning my own farm. It’s natural, I was always going to be a farmer.”

John says owning his own farm “would be the pinnacle of my career.” He looks forward to making decisions without having to consult with partners, and to taking on the responsibilities and challenges that having sole charge of the business would present.

He continues to live in Mamaku where he grew up and sharemilks 550 cows on 179 effective hectares in Mamaku for his parents, farm owners Jack and Shelley Butterworth. What this means is that John owns the cows and machinery and manages the farm. He has two employees, one of which is also a Waiariki graduate. The farm owners and John equally share the operational costs of the farm and

Another bonus, he says, will be a bigger income. “The WHOLE milk cheque, not half !!!”

• Semester 2 dates*: Term 3 runs July 16 to September 28; Term 4 runs October 15 to November 9 (*some courses start earlier, contact Waiariki to confirm).

“Now I have a plan laid out for the future. It’s given me a huge amount of confidence and something to aim for: farm ownership. Because I’ve done that work, the budgets are now looking like 2019 is the dream, so it gives me something to look forward to. All the work I’m doing now, all the long hours, it’s going to pay off.

It’s awesome.”

• Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week): July 23-29. “Arohatia te Reo”, or cherish the language, is the theme this year, encouraging everyone to show their love for one of New Zealand’s official languages. Visit www.korero.maori.nz for more info.

Holiday park adds to student opportunity

• Waiariki campus was abuzz with approximately 300 high school students competing in the regional section of the Ngā Manu Kōrero speech contest on June 13.

• Open Day is Friday, August 10, 9am to 2pm at Mokoia Campus, a chance for high school students and advisors to learn more about Waiariki in a fun, casual atmosphere. Free transport is available.

• Tickets are on sale now (Ticketmaster) for the Rotorua Wearable Creationz held at the Energy Events Centre, Rotorua. Shows run from August 16 through 18, times vary.

John began his studies through AgITO at Waiariki when he was 19, earning the National Diploma in

Waiariki has given students more reason to study locally following the purchase of the neighbouring Rotorua Thermal Holiday Park business.

Waiariki’s acting chief executive Keith Ikin said the tertiary institute had been interested in providing an opportunity for quality affordable student accommodation for some time.

“Having our own hostel is hard to value. As a regional polytechnic our ability to serve our region as a whole has significantly increased with students from Tokoroa, Whakatane or Taupo now able to move to Mokoia to continue their studies,” Mr Ikin said.

roughly 12ha, currently has a range of accommodation in the form of cabins, flats and two-storey lodge with around 300 beds.

Rotorua Thermal Holiday Park, at

It is believed the accommodation option so near to the main campus with relatively easy access to Rotorua central business district and increased campus green space will enhance the learning environment for all students.

• Friday, September 14: Cheer on the Bay of Plenty Steamers as they take on the Auckland Blues. Kick off is at 6.05pm, and tickets are available at the door ($20 for adults and $5 for children under 15).

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The handover date was May 15 and the site is immediately adjacent to Waiariki’s Mokoia Campus on Old Taupo Road.

While the business and operational model is still to be formalised, Mr Ikin said the site had a large land area and some good facilities and supporting amenities (including swimming pool and accommodation blocks) which made it a very attractive site.

• It’s not too early to put the Waiariki Institute of Technology New Zealand Aria Finals Night, on your calendar. Tickets are on sale now (Ticketmaster) for this amazing event on Sunday, October 28, at the Civic Theatre, Rotorua.

• Waiariki is hosting the annual New Zealand Association of Language Teachers conference July 1-4 and a French conference on July 5.

He told AgITO, “Learning to deal with the issues that arise within a farming business would keep me challenged. All that I have learnt during my sharemilking years I can put into practice as an individual rather than having to answer to a second party.”

Waiariki held a barbeque lunch and meet-and-greet for the institute’s newest colleagues at the neighbouring motor camp staff.

“We will be looking to invest in upgrading the site but we want to take our time and ensure that we get the best benefit from it,” Mr Ikin said.

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New technology for journalism students

Night with a Dame a chance of a lifetime When Dame Kiri Te Kanawa returned to the stage at Rotorua Convention Centre and thanked the crowd with her signature song Pokarekare Ana, a once-in-a-lifetime occasion for many was complete.

Rotorua Boys’ High School students thought Waiariki’s new journalism equipment was a real hit at the recent Rotorua Careers Expo.

More than $50,000 has been spent on new equipment that will give Waiariki’s journalism students hands-on experience with the current technology used in the industry.

While the curriculum for this new equipment is yet to be finalised, students are already getting familiar with the set up, use and take down of the cameras, lights, microphones, green screen and the myriad cords that link it all to a system (software and hardware) that records whatever they’re working on.

“It’s essentially a portable studio, it takes what would take up three rooms’ worth of filming and editing equipment and put it into a large box,” says Leon Thomas, contract lecturer at Waiariki and multimedia designer.

“The new studio equipment will provide the practical experience students need. Previously, there was

no practical experience, just theory, as all equipment was basic but not industry standard. Now they’ll be up to speed technologically.”

The NewTek TriCaster is the system that records the interviews or newscasts that students set up. It also has an editing program, Premiere, that can be used for edits on the go.

“It’s definitely becoming the norm now,” Mr Thomas says. “In the last four years systems like this are coming out. This one is primarily made for schools.”

Mr Thomas has been contracting for Waiariki for the past three years, teaching 3-D, computer-aided design (CAD) and digital photography.

He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the classroom, has an extensive background in the film industry and has worked in Wellington with Peter Jackson on

several movies.

“Now we can teach work flow and techniques that students can apply in a real-world situation. This is a massive step forward for the polytech and especially the journalism students.

“The three rooms that are contained in this box represent what the students will be doing on the job. The big thing here is that this is the studio part, the live broadcast side of television. As far as this system goes, we can do both – live recording and transmitting – we could create a production live, a realworld work flow that is relevant to what they’ll do on the job.”

While the curriculum is being developed, Waiariki is also looking to create a recording studio for permanent set up of some of the equipment, similar to the live radio studio already on campus.

More than 25 years teaching English from 1992 to 2001. Ada Chen, now a Waiariki employee interim directing the International Centre, was top student 2001.

In 1994, the Certificate in English was introduced at Waiariki and started with one tutor and three Japanese students. There were also groups of Japanese students joining the programme for two to three weeks each year during the first years.

Noeline Lewis (centre, in blue) with a class of international students studying English.

For more than a quarter of a century, Waiariki has been the go-to institute for people who want to learn English if English is not their first language.

To date, more than 3,500 students have come from at least 50 countries to learn or improve their English speaking, pronunciation, listening and writing skills.

Waiariki’s first overseas student was Nicole Oschger, who came from South Africa in 1986 and studied English before enrolling on a hotel

reception course.

A year later, the next international student arrived. This one came from Japan and, interestingly, she enrolled on a Japanese course in order to meet New Zealanders who were interested in Japanese.

This was Noeline Lewis’ second year teaching at Waiariki and she recalls, “It was the best thing for me as I got used to having experts in my class while I was teaching!”

A full-time Japanese programme ran

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Dame Kiri performed her one-off New Zealand concert with New Zealand tenor Ben Makisi and pianist Terence Dennis and it was an evening of glitz and glamour as Rotorua locals and people from further afield turned out for the black tie event.

Among the audience were Waiariki and The Daily Post competition winners, mother and daughter Pauline and Olive Bushett.

“I really loved the last song – and I want her dress!” 16-year-old Olive told The Daily Post on the night.

Olive is an aspiring singer who sang Pokarekare Ana at her uncle’s wedding when she was just eight years old.

Pauline had hoped the opportunity would renew Olive’s interest in singing following the death of her brother Tima in January.

Olive sings classical and other styles and performs in two choirs at her high school, Western Heights.

She’s also been involved in other musical ventures at the school but hadn’t been singing since her brother’s death.

Dame Kiri certainly seems to have sparked something with Olive, one of many Rotorua hopefuls who turned out for the New Zealand’s Got Talent Rotorua auditions in late May. Waiariki Academy of Music and Singing students also took part in the auditions.

The programme, hosted by broadcaster Tamati Coffey, will air later in the year. We will then find out just how far any Rotorua talent goes up against the rest of New Zealand.

As part of further sponsorship, Waiariki Academy of Music and Singing manager Richard Anaru will offer an appropriate academy scholarship to Rotorua’s best-performing hopeful.

Student numbers – and the countries represented – have continued to grow ever since and the Waiariki campus has welcomed people from China, Thailand, Philippines, Korea, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Chile, Fiji, Samoa, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, various African countries, and so many more.

Wanting to provide more services to our international students, Waiariki became an official International English Language Testing System (IELTS) site in the late 1990s.

Students’ level of English proficiency is tested upon arrival to determine at which level to begin their studies.

They can also use the test to provide proof of proficiency to meet study requirements for mainstream qualifications at Waiariki and other tertiary providers.

Pauline Bushett (right) was the lucky winner of two tickets to Dame Kiri Te Kanawa’s recent concert sponsored by Waiariki. Ms Bushett brought along her daughter Olive, who is an avid singer.

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Stepping Stones

Working in partnership for youth

Waiariki Expo Hundreds of secondary students flocked to the Rotorua Careers Expo in May to learn more about their tertiary study options.

Waiariki commits to closer working with Bay of Plenty principals

Trades academy for Rotorua

A new senior student curriculum and other initiatives could result as Waiariki works more closely with secondary schools.

A trades academy for Rotorua is a must according to Waiariki acting chief executive Keith Ikin.

Waiariki is now a gold sponsor of the Bay of Plenty Principals Association (BOPPA), opening up the opportunity for both secondary and tertiary education providers to focus on best practices for the students’ sake with regards to their education pathways.

The association includes principals from all secondary schools in the Bay of Plenty region, as well as those from Matamata, Waihi, Gisborne, Tokoroa and Putaruru who attend the four networking and professional development conferences that occur annually.

The aim of the sponsorship is to create an environment that enables the development of new secondary and tertiary alignment initiatives throughout the region.

Waiariki acting chief executive Keith Ikin spoke at the association’s conference in Rotorua recently.

Mr Ikin said it was in the interest of the wider community that secondary schools and tertiary providers work closer together for student success and a seamless transition from secondary to tertiary.

Waiariki has already worked in partnership with secondary schools to establish a trades academy in the Eastern Bay of Plenty and is currently in talks for a similar venture in Rotorua.

Rosemary Johnson is the Waiariki trades academy development manager who is driving these initiatives.

“It’s ensuring the students are engaged in education and learning,” she says, “and that we are all contributing to senior student achievement.

“We also see this sponsorship as providing the opportunity for partnering on the alignment of our curriculum, possibly creating a senior student curriculum and linking the trades academy from the secondary school so we don’t have conflicts in what the students are learning, or gaps that may exist between the two levels of study.”

Waiariki also plans to establish an advisory committee with representative principals from Taupo, Tokoroa, Whakatane and Rotorua who will discuss these topics as well as responses to government policy and additional opportunities to ensure ongoing engagement and success.

“It’s a no brainer, really. Meeting the needs of youth transitioning from school and ensuring they have the opportunities sits in behind our bid to have a trades academy in Rotorua,” he says.

Based on the institute’s hugely successful model operating in Whakatane, Waiariki is keen to partner with Rotorua secondary schools ahead of 2013 for an academy offering locally.

Rosemary Johnson, former manager of Waiariki’s Whakatane campus, has been seconded to work with stakeholders, partners and government on the proposal for the new academy.

Waiariki would work in partnership with schools and take a win-win approach says Mr Ikin.

“We work with the schools to agree who from within the schools becomes an academy member. There are also clear expectations around the behaviour of academy students.”

Mr Ikin believes the reason the Whakatane academy has been successful is simple.

“For some of these kids they just needed a change of environment. The change from a school environment to a tertiary environment is enough to kick-start their learning.

“Waiariki’s relationships with the schools are critical for success of the academy,” he says. “I believe a trades academy based here in Rotorua will have a significant impact on youth and their transition from school to tertiary learning.

Friday, August 10 Join us for OPEN DAY at Waiariki 9.00am – 2.00pm Waiariki Institute of Technology Mokoia Campus, Rotorua

Impo rtan Date! t

A day for high school students, teachers and career advisors to learn more about Waiariki

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“If we can get young people into tertiary learning sooner after secondary school then they benefit from those qualifications for a much longer period of time.”

Many employers in the trades sector have an aging workforce. Pairing that situation with the planned rebuild of Christchurch, it is predicted there will be significant work opportunities for trades people in the future.

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Waiariki Academy of Sport Flying the Waiariki flag in London Waiariki will have three representatives at this year’s Olympic Games in London.

Both Mike Dawson and Luuka Jones are foundation athletes of the Waiariki Academy of Sport and will represent New Zealand in canoe slalom.

Academy founder Jane Borren has also recently had her Olympic accreditation signed off by the New Zealand Olympic Committee to support Luuka and Mike.

This is just reward for the initiative, drive and total commitment Ms Borren had in establishing a first class academy.

We are immensely proud of their achievement and hope that you get in

Highlights to date • In the Teva Extreme Mountain Games Steep Creek Championship in Colorado, Mike Dawson took out the race (his second year running) with Sam Sutton in third. Lou Jull was runner up in the women’s race. Kiwi-Waiariki domination at its best

behind them with plenty of support as they fly the Waiariki flag on the ultimate sporting stage!

The canoe slalom competition will run from July 29 to August 2 (London time) on the Lee Valley White Water Centre located 30km north of the Olympic Park. The centre has two separate courses: a 300m Olympic-standard competition course with a 5.5m descent, and a 160m intermediate/ training course with a 1.6m descent.

In between times Luuka and Mike will contest World Cup events in France and Spain respectively and if their recent form at the Slovak Cup in Bratislava is anything

to go by they are both on track to perform with distinction.

Follow Luuka and Mike’s progress on their websites and the academy’s Facebook page: • www.mikedawson.co.nz • www.luukajones.com

• http://www.facebook.com/WAOS.NZL Also check out the London Olympics website for more competition details: • http://www.london2012.com

The International Canoe Federation’s website has more details about canoe slalom: • http://www.canoeicf.com

Luuka Jones and Mike Dawson

Maintaining the form and results from 2011, Waiariki athletes are performing with distinction both on and off shore.

dangerous section of whitewater in California that has never been paddled before (hence the name) • Golfers William Brown and Landyn Edwards finished first and second in the Rarotongan International Golf Open, with William winning by an amazing 12 shots

finish in the fourth round of the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in France, backing up her 4th place at the Novo Mestro Mountain Bike World Cup (U23 Womens Cross Country) in the Czech Republic in May

Birmingham, England • Chantelle Cassidy, as part of the New Zealand Women’s Golf Team, placed 2nd in the Queen Sirikit Tournament in Singapore

• Samara Sheppard achieved a podium

• Matthew Tew competed at the UCI BMX World Championships in

• Chantelle has been selected to the New Zealand Golf Academy and is now the third ranked amatuer golfer in the country

Iori Morley, archery

Chantelle Cassidy, golfer

Carl Jones, mountain biker

• Erena Mikaere and the Waikato/BOP Magic will compete in the ANZ Netball Championship

We have been doing some work with our branding as well as upgrading equipment in our soon-to-be-rededicated performance centre. This will further enhance our profile and ability to deliver world-class support to Waiariki and local athletes.

• Plus much more – stayed tuned to our Facebook page

We also very proud to annouce that Red Stag will continue to sponsor our mountain

bike squad for another 12 months, enabling us to take our programme to the next level with the introduction of SRM powermeters. Our programme is commited to remaining at the forefront on mountain biking in New Zealand and to consolidate Rotorua as the home of high performance mountain biking. We couldn’t get to the required level without Red Stag’s support.

Training Peaks has also come aboard to support our athletes with online training programmes and monitoring. This is the pre-eminent piece of training software which enables us to streamline our services, and being web based enables us to provide support to our athletes where ever they are in the world.

• Extreme kayaker Sam Sutton recently paddled the Untouchables, an extremely

Sloan Cox, rally driver

On the radar • The brother and sister team, Sloan and Tarryn Cox, will contest the New Zealand Rally Championships

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NEW ZEALAND

NEEDS YOU!

The huge rebuild in Canterbury will lead to heaps of well-paid jobs across the country.

Get ready now for these jobs that will be available in 2014.

Get your ticket from Waiariki to make the big money.

YOUr STORY BEGINS HERE HURRY! Semester 2 begins JULY 16

Begin your story with Waiariki and study toward a highly recognised and sought after qualification. More than 120 qualifications are available, many with online and distance study options. Upskill or gain new skills when you study toward a certificate, diploma, degree or postgraduate qualification.

Places are limited, enrol today.

FREE FEES FOR SCHOOL LEAVERS! (Conditions apply)

TAKE THE FIRST STEP... ENROL NOW

0800 924 274 www.waiariki.ac.nz