UCOL BLOG

This week’s Open Day at UCOL Wairarapa will have a focus on carpentry, as well as other vocational programmes available at the campus.

A kitset mini house will be amongst the activities on offer at Open Day which runs from 11 am to 1 pm on Wednesday 25 January. The materials for the five square metre house, donated to UCOL Wairarapa by timber company JNL, can be built and dismantled in less than a day and is used to teach Carpentry students.

Programme Leader Brett Tickner says anyone who wants to pick up a drill, a measuring tape or a hammer at the Open Day can lend a hand with the building.

Read More: “Building will be the biggie at UCOL Open Day”…

UCOL Certificate in Contemporary Music students will pour a large serving of Instant Brew – Volume Two at their end of year show. The show, at the Regent on Broadway on Saturday 19th November, is open to the public.

The title reflects the range of music genres and disciplines the graduating class has studied during the year, including Rock, Reggae, Blues, Pop, and Urban.

The 35 students taking part will perform their own original music, including lyrics, as well as some covers.  Programme Leader Kane Parsons says, “After a year of putting students in many different combos for different genres, they’ve progressed to producing high quality original songs and arrangements.”

The students have recorded and produced a CD of their original sounds for sale on concert night.

There’ll also be a DVD for sale, thanks to the Music students’ collaboration with students on UCOL’s Bachelor of Applied Visual Imaging programme (BAVI).  BAVI students studying film have created music videos of the Music students’ songs, while BAVI illustration students created a dynamic poster to promote the concert. Clips from the DVD will be posted on UCOL’s Facebook page and on YouTube.

Kane hopes to see Palmerston North taking a real pride in the achievements of the Contemporary Music students: “It’s been a very fruitful year, watching talent develop and begin to find their own feet. This concert will leave the public amazed at the musical prowess on offer in this city.”

Tickets for the show cost $5 for students and $10 + booking fee for the general public, available at TicketDirect at The Regent on Broadway.  CD’s and DVD’s are $10 on the night.

When: Doors open 7.30pm for 8pm show, Saturday 19th November.

Where: The Regent on Broadway.

Photo: Sam Nelson performs at last year’s Instant Brew concert.

With creative themes as diverse as murder, industrial shelving and the Vatican City, this years’ Whanganui UCOL Fashion extravaganza is set to surprise and enthrall.

Titled Skirt Chaser, the catwalk show features work by all of the fashion students, including Year one and two and Certificate students, as well as showcasing designs by graduating third years.

Each final year student will present a collection of at least five outfits, from their final major project and one Graduate Diploma student will show a three piece collection.

Third year student Chris Bridgland created his own character, murderess Mrs Deadly, as the theme for his collection. Steeped in 1930s glamour, in black, red and white, Chris has created nine garments for his five different looks.

Twenty five year old Chris first tried studying pure graphic design but felt it wasn’t him. “Someone suggested fashion design suited my style of drawing and illustration,” he says. “I gave it a go and I’ve really enjoyed it, although I’m better at designing, than I am at actually making what I design.”

Chris would like to have his own fashion label one day but admits he still has a lot to learn, especially in the area of garment construction. “I just want to keep learning and build on my knowledge of how different garments are made; it really helps with the design process.”

Read More: “Murder on the catwalk”…

A new nursing diploma is available for the first time at Whanganui UCOL starting on 1 August.  The fifteen month programme is for people who are interested in care giving but who may be unable to undertake the three year nursing degree.

Brian Gilchrist, Project manager, is managing the development of the Enrolled Nurse programme and Lesley Baylis is the Programme Leader and is responsible for the delivery in the Whanganui district. The programme is in the final stages of detailed planning for this new level 5 Enrolled Nurse Diploma.

The programme will prepare students for employment as enrolled nurses in all areas of practice including acute care, rehabilitation and mental health.

“It has received enthusiastic support from the Whanganui DHB, local rest home providers, and local iwi education organization Te Puna Matauranga.  This Enrolled Nurse Diploma is in addition to the popular Bachelor of Nursing programme already offered by UCOL.  We are thrilled to be able to increase the health qualifications on offer in Whanganui” says Lesley.

The first part of the programme includes papers that provide an excellent background into the knowledge and skills required to support the practice of nursing.  These cover topics such as the Discipline of Nursing; Structure and Function of the Human Body; Social Sciences for Enrolled Nurses; Clinical Skills for Enrolled Nurses and Foundations for Enrolled Nurse Practice.

The clinical skills paper introduces students to a wide variety of skills needed to care for patients in the clinical setting including: temperature pulse and respiration measurement, mobility, personal hygiene, wound care and the storage and dispensing of medications. The programme also includes 200 hours of simulated practice in the skills laboratory as part of the practical instruction. The level 4 clinical placement consists of 250 hours in a rest home placement.  “This is where the support of local rest homes is vital for UCOL’s students.  UCOL is very appreciative of the willingness shown to students so as they gain necessary experience in the Whanganui Region, they will be a valuable resource for the community.”

Level 5 papers include more industry placements in acute care, rehabilitation and mental health, and a further 150 hours of simulation in the laboratory.  “At the end of successfully completing this qualification, students will be able to take their place working in the local health care and supporting a very important part of the health sector,” says Lesley.

Students under 20 years of age wishing to undertake the programme should have 36 NCEA level 2 credits, 12 level 1 mathematics, and 12 level 1 English credits. Students over 20 with no formal qualification will need to provide evidence of an ability to study at this level.

For further details contact UCOL on 0800 46 8265, go to www.ucol.ac.nz or call in to the Whanganui campus information centre, Rutland Street.

Visionary work by Third Year Fashion students at Whanganui UCOL goes on show to the public this month.

The annual exhibition of work by Bachelor of Fashion third year students opens at the Federal Gallery on 24 May.

Student spokesperson Heather Kubiak says this year the focus is on the number 3. “The students are in their third year and the collections are a combination of three outfits.

“Inspiration for the garments is as varied as it is wearable and shows a growing vision, with attention to detail that epitomizes the quality of the Bachelor of Fashion programme. The themes range from ballet to dinosaurs, Greek goddesses to mustaches, futuristic work to suits of armour.”

Programme Leader Amanda Rayner says examples of the students’ work will also compete in a national competition. “They will each choose one of their garments to be entered in Fashion Quarterly’s Young Designer of the Year competition.

Amanda says the final year students have been extremely dedicated in the completion of their mini collections.  “The exhibition will be well worth seeing for the diverse vision and interpretation from each student.”

The exhibition will be held in the Federal Gallery on the corner of Taupo Quay and Drews Ave and is open to the public from Tuesday 24 May to Friday 27 May from 11am – 2pm. Entry is free.

Eight UCOL Performing Arts students have parts in this year’s Summer Shakespeare production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. 

The play is directed by Performing Arts Programme Leader, Jaime Dorner, as Palmerston North’s Visiting Artist for 2011. Film tutor for the Performing Arts Programme, Melissa Edmon, has also directed a short film which will be shown during the play.

The music for both the play and the film was composed by UCOL’s Contemporary Music Programme Leader Kane Parsons.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream opens this week and Jaime says all of his students have been working hard and doing very well. “Some of the parts are quite challenging and require a lot of energy and focus. The production is very physical and a little darker and more intense than traditional audiences might be used to. But it will be very beautiful.”

Read More: “Midsummer Night’s Dream roles for UCOL Performing Arts students”…