One of the most prominent and progressive Private Training Establishments (PTEs) and Tertiary Education Providers has moved its Manukau Campus to a larger facility to enhance value of learning and teaching.
The new Manukau Campus is located at 621 Great South Road, Manukau. Occupying an area of 1000 Sq metres, it integrates the institution’s two Manukau campuses located at Puhinui Road and Lambie Drive to offer a state-of-the-art, modern facility. This would be the largest NZCC Campus.
It has four other campuses, one each at Auckland Central, Waitakere, Wellington and Christchurch, catering to the education needs of Maori, Pacific Island, Indian, European and other ethnicities.
Modern facilities
The new Manukau Campus incorporates a number of modern facilities and amenities, including a computer laboratory, eight class rooms, and offices.
NZCC Managing Director Feroz Ali said that the Campus currently accounts for 177 students and 11 staff, managed by National Operations Manager Monique Le Marque.
“Our on-going goal is to create a tertiary college that supports and serves its local community by providing students as young as 16 with qualifications resulting in genuine pathways to higher study or employment. Critical to this provision is a nurturing, inclusive learning environment, and a teaching delivery mode which is attractive to struggling or second chance learners from a multitude of ethnicities and people groups,” he said.
The institution is currently marking its tenth anniversary.
Changing decade
According to Mr Ali, tremendous changes in both the form and structure of the organisation have occurred during the first decade in response to continually evolving needs in the markets of focus.
“The student population has grown dramatically since the establishment of the College. The first campus was opened in Christchurch teaching Early Childhood Education (ECE) to an initial roll of 17 students. By 2012, the organisation comprised six campuses including Auckland Central, Waitakere, Manukau (Lambie Drive & Puhinui Rd), Wellington, and Christchurch. Today, the collective cohort of students served is aged from 16-64 years. At the graduation ceremony held on March 21 at Dorothy Winstone Centre (Auckland Girls Grammar School), 285 students graduated from our Auckland campuses alone (not as reported in our April 1 issue). Their subjects included Certificate in Health Care Support (Level 4), National Certificate in Early Childhood Education & Care (Level 3), Certificate in Early Childhood Education & Care (Level 3), Diploma in Early Childhood Education (Pasifika) (Level 5), and Certificate in Early Childhood Education & Out of School Care (Level 3).
Mr Ali said that the nature and form of the PTE sector, as a result of both government and market forces, has had a strong influence in the development of NZCC programmes.
“Whilst initially an ECE specialist educator, shifts in market dynamics have necessitated the broadening of offerings in recent years to include ECE (Level 3 and 5), Health (Level 4), Nanny Training (Level 3), Automotive Trades (Level 1 & 2), Business Management (Level 6), and Procurement & Supply (Level 7). The fluidity of regional issues and changing population demographics are also critical to ensuring that the programmes offered and the manner in which they are presented are closely aligned to student needs in the respective areas,” he said.
Mr Ali said that ECE, originally focused in Christchurch, was replaced by Automotive Trades due to an increasing demand for these skills since the earthquakes and aftershocks shook the city in September 2010 and October 2011.
“In further response to this situation, NZCC is at present developing a range of offerings in and around construction needs, such as a specialist driver training certificate and an electrical skills certificate for youth 16 years and over,” he said.
Optimising skills
As reported in our previous issue, Pacific Island Affairs Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-liga has underlined the major role played by PTEs in optimising the skills of the resident communities and preparing them for employment.
“Apart from offering appropriate courses and programmes, these education providers should be true partners in our quest for maximising employment opportunities for our people,” he said.
Stating that education is the key to employment and an undertaking to enable people to realise their full potential, Mr Lotu-liga said that providing better education to their children was the dream that prompted most migrants to New Zealand and institutions such as NZCC has helped them to realise their dreams.
“The Government is committed to maximising the benefits of education among all sections of the society,” he said.
Core business
NZCC Quality Assurance Manager Ruth Pettengell (wrongly reported as a student in our previous report) read the attestation (a short declaration that the graduation awards had been formally ratified by the Academic Board) at the Graduation ceremony.
“Although NZCC offerings are available to people of all ages, core business is focused on delivering the requirements of a key Education Ministry initiative – that of “second chance learning” – by transitioning youth over 16, from stagnated school careers or off WINZ benefits, into meaningful occupations by way of practical vocational training. Integral to all NZCC offers in this sector is the proprietary inclusion of literacy and numeracy skills often missing in a large percentage of this demographic,” he said.
Editor’s Note: New Zealand Career College is the Sponsor of the ‘Business Excellence in Export to India Business’ of the Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards for the fourth successive year.
