Waiariki’s new options for healthcare students

When Cath O’Connell requested a course for local secondary school students, Waiariki said, “Yes.”

Cath works for the Tertiary Education Commission as a Gateway coordinator for secondary schools in the South Waikato. In this role she seeks opportunities for Year 12 and 13 students to combine vocational training with academic study as part of their total school time.

With the assistance of government funding, schools work in partnership with the community, offering structured workplace learning opportunities and training for the students. Students complete a work placement and have their learning assessed against standards on the National Qualifications Framework.

As there is very little in the way of pertinent unit standards for students interested in health sciences, Cath approached Waiariki’s School of Nursing and Health Studies to develop and teach a relevant, orientation-type course which might provide entry into jobs in the healthcare industry.

Waiariki suggested the unit called Act in a Culturally Sensitive Way in Health Care Contexts, and 13 students from Tokoroa High School, Forest View High School and Putaruru College joined Waiariki Tutor Don Lemieux on May 1st for the six-week course.

Elements from the unit standard included personal culture identity, cultural differences in a healthcare context and culturally sensitive health services. Upon successful completion, Don’s students earned five credits toward their NCEA and a tertiary qualification.

Maree Kendrick, Regional Development Manager of Waiariki’s Tokoroa campus, hopes this unit will become a regular option for Gateway students.

Gateway allows for students to choose from a wide range of subjects. The courses not only give students a taste of the type of work they are interested in, but they can build important industry contacts while they study.

High school students enjoy hands-on experience at Waiariki

One of the more fun and interesting ways secondary school students learn about Waiariki is by contacting our secondary school liaison, Neven Harland, and scheduling a taster course. Taster courses are set up to allow students to experience campus life at Waiariki and experience the kind of hands-on learning that takes place at an institute of technology.

Recently, 25 high school students from Rotorua visited Waiariki for a taste of the journalism industry. Th ey were shown diff erent elements of the print, radio and television industries by current Waiariki journalism students and lecturers to get an idea of what it’s like to work in the media.

Waiariki journalism student Miria Kaua took the students through the basics of writing a print news story. “We taught them that for news writing you have to put the most important information at the start of the story, whereas if you were writing a fi ctional novel you would reveal the climax in the last few pages,” she said.

Another journalism student, Jordan Sayer, and radio lecturer Max Christoff ersen showed the class some radio tricks then asked them to write a 60-word story to record a voice track. Jordan said most of the students started out a bit shy about recording their voices, but “one of the students displayed amazing dramatic fl air by presenting his story in the accent of Borat [Sacha Baron Cohen]. I think the students left with a sense of confi dence in the potential of their voices.”

Journalism student Michelle Foote said, “I took the class for TV and they seemed to respond well to the content. Th ey wrote a short news story and then presented it in front of the camera. Th ere were quite a few red faces as the footage was played back to the students. They were surprised at how they looked and sounded on TV,” she said.

Waiariki journalism coordinator Jack Schoeman hopes that the students will consider studying at Waiariki in future. The Diploma in Bicultural Journalism is an 18-month qualifi cation which starts in February every year.

Next generation visits campuses

If the students at Waiariki’s Mokoia Campus appear to be looking younger than ever, that’s because they are!

During the last three months of the year, Waiariki sees an infl ux of secondary and intermediate students touring the campuses to check out the courses and qualifi cations off ered, and see the campus classrooms, marae, café , even the bare bones of the new recreation centre being built.

Waiariki encourages school groups of all ages to arrange a visit to any of the institute’s fi ve campus locations to become familiar with the campuses and get the students thinking about their future education options.

“Waiariki is your local provider,” said Neven Harland, secondary school liaison at Waiariki.“It is the largest tertiary provider in the Waiariki rohe. Th e schools bring the students here so they know their options, the pathways they can follow, to give them a head-start on what they might want to be, no matter what age they are now.

“Th e visits are also a good way to remind students that they can stay home to study, they don’t have to go away, that we provide degrees and certifi cates right here.”

Neven pointed out that incorporating a taster course is a great way for students to get hands-on experience in classrooms with Waiariki lecturers. Th is creates a fun, memorable experience for students, plus it might reinforce a particular career desire and the study pathway he or she would follow at Waiariki. Taster courses are generally desirable for students in Years 10-13.

Campus tours can be tailored to suit the needs of the visitors. Th ey can be scheduled for just a couple hours, or for the day. Generally, the visit starts with a presentation about Waiariki, the institute’s six schools, support services
provided, and the Waiariki Academy of Sport.

If desired, Waiariki Kaumatua, Ken Kennedy, will present the history of Tangatarua Marae on Mokoia Campus.

From there, students can see the campus, join a classroom, and talk to lecturers about career options, study requirements, or any other questions they might have.