UCOL BLOG

UCOL is once again hosting the Kia Maia Careers Expo for 2012.   

In its third year, the annual event is a cooperative initiative, involving Te Wananga -o -Aotearoa, Te Wananga-o-Raukawa, Massey University, START Youth Transition Services, and UCOL, designed especially for Maori learning choices.

The Expo has a number of unique features. Although four training organisations will take part, material is presented according to career and programme topics.

UCOL’s Community Liaison Officer Gloria Evans says the Kia Maia Expo is the only careers event to do this. “The displays are divided into programme topics, such as business, science and health, rather than displays for each institution,” she says. “Visitors can then go to an area of study they are interested in, and compare each provider’s programmes.

Read More: “City’s tertiary educators team up for Maori careers expo”…

UCOL says it’s great news for the region that more than half of those in the finals for Innovate Manawatu awards are aged under 25.

Entries for the competition also included 80 from UCOL students and 80 from Massey University students.

UCOL’s Deputy Chief Executive Strategy Clare Crawley says this early stage creativity confirms the region’s strength as an excellent environment for young, entrepreneurial talent, supported by the presence of two leading tertiary education institutions.  “It’s a strength that allows us to take a very positive view of the future of Manawatu, as these young people add to growth and progress,” she says.

Innovate Manawatu announce the Top Ten finalists at a special event in Palmerston North tonight (Thursday).

Read More: “Young entrepreneurial talent shows through”…

​Film-making will be more frantic than ever for UCOL Bachelor of Applied Visual Imaging and video diploma students this weekend.

In a record for UCOL, four teams will take part in the V48 Hour Film Festival. New Zealand’s largest film-making contest starts at 7.00pm on Friday night and ends exactly 48 hours later on Sunday evening.

UCOL Video lecturer in the Bachelor of Applied Visual Imaging (BAVI) programme Mel Edmon says, “This year the V48 Hour is huge for us. We have three second year student teams entered and one third year student team,” she says. “The second years are required to participate as part of their course work. The third years just couldn’t help themselves, and are doing it because they loved the experience so much last year.” Read More: “UCOL students prepare for fast and furious film-making”…

UCOL student Larissa Rzoska has been named as one of the country’s Top 9 apprentice bakers.

She is one of nine finalists in the annual Weston Milling competition to find the best apprentice bakers in New Zealand. The competition is supported by the Baking Industry Association of New Zealand.

Larissa will join the eight other finalists at a two day training course with baking professionals at Heavens Training Facility in Napier before going on to the final bake-off at the Fine Food Show in Auckland on 18 and 19 June.

The training course will include an event in Napier on Tuesday 15 May organised by the Baking Industry Association to allow employers and training providers to meet the Top 9. Read More: “Larissa one of Top 9 apprentice bakers”…

Eighteen year old Mike Babbington says UCOL Wairarapa’s Certificate in Contemporary Music Performance is “awesome”.

Mike is one of 19 students studying towards the music qualification that was launched earlier this year at the Masterton campus to complement the lively local music scene.

Big on live performance, the programme is designed to prepare graduates for the industry whether as a singer, songwriter or musician, or on to further studies in specialised areas such as audio engineering or band management. Read More: “UCOL music students tune up for live gigs”…

More than 80 people who have completed industry training qualifications will celebrate at the Regent on Broadway this Friday during the ninth annual Trades Graduation.

The event recognises the achievements of those in the Palmerston North, Manawatu, Rangitikei and Tararua regions who have gained their qualifications in 2011.

UCOL’s Executive Dean of Trades and Technology Kelly Gay says, as a big player in trades training in the region, UCOL is delighted to support and sponsor the event. Read More: “UCOL celebrates with trades graduates”…