UCOL BLOG

UCOL’s biggest community initiative to date, the UCOL Hospice Home, has been a resounding success for all involved.

Not only has Palmerston North’s Arohanui Hospice just received a cheque for $40,000 as its share from the sale of the house, but more than 30 UCOL Carpentry students gained an invaluable learning experience on a real life building site.

An excited group gathered this morning (Thursday) to see the UCOL Hospice Home jacked up in preparation for its final journey to its new owner’s property on the outskirts of Feilding.

The 112 square metre house, designed by E3 Architects, was built by students, under the supervision of their tutors, on a site adjacent to the UCOL Trades facility on Amesbury Street.

Read More: “UCOL Hospice Home on the move”…

Thirty UCOL Hairdressing students presented styles from the fifties to the Victorian era and from Egypt to Japan in their annual pre-apprentice competition this week.

Eleven students from the UCOL Wairarapa and seven from Whanganui UCOL joined twelve Palmerston North students to compete for prizes for Best Style on the Day and the Best Overall History project.

It is the first time students from the Whanganui hairdressing programme have competed in the annual UCOL History of Hair event.

As part of their programme, the Certificate in Hairdressing students were required to research a culture or era of their choice and depict it in a hair style.

The students had one hour to recreate the style they had practiced dozens of times on their mannequins.

The competition was held amidst the busy lunchtime buzz in UCOL’s Learning Hub and attracted plenty of interest from onlookers.

The styles and research portfolios were judged by local senior stylists Rebekah Hoskin (The Hair Company) and Bessie Quigley (Beauty Electric).

UCOL Hairdressing Lecturer Gillian Gosper says the competition is the culmination of months of research and practice by the students. She was particularly excited to host the Whanganui UCOL contingent for the first time. “It has been great to have all three campuses represented,” says Gillian.

UCOL’s Certificate in Hairdressing (Salon Support) Level 3 is a one year, full time programme and is the equivalent of the first year of a hairdressing apprenticeship.

Best Style on the Day: 1^st Jean Sturn (PN), 2^nd Sherie Hudson (Whanganui), 3^rd Sarah Lewis (PN).

Best Project: Jean Sturn (PN).

Thirty 16 and 17 year olds were recognized at a scholarship award ceremony at UCOL on Wednesday, receiving certificates in front of proud family members and UCOL teaching and support staff.

These young people are part of the government’s Youth Guarantee Scheme, which gives them an opportunity to improve their educational achievements funded by the Ministry of Education which UCOL administers as a scholarship. Youth Guarantee scholarships are for 16 and 17 year olds who are ready for a new educational challenge, have made a start towards NCEA, want to enrol in full time tertiary study, and want to learn practical skills.

UCOL has fifty five youth guarantee students, the students receiving these certificates are the second semester intake. Students are studying towards certificates in Hairdressing, Electrical and Related Trades, Science and Health, Panel and Paint, Motorsport, Tourism, Travel, Professional Cookery, Hospitality, Trade Skills, Tertiary Study Skills, Fashion and Beauty, and National Certificates in Motor Industry, Early Childhood Education, Mechanical Engineering, and Welding.

Bonnie Dewart, UCOL’s Deputy Chief Executive (Academic) said that the students receiving youth guarantee scholarships are a motivated group of young people who are great to have on campus. “The Youth Guarantee Scheme is important to UCOL because we are passionate about providing opportunities for the young people in our region to succeed, and be given a chance to study in a supportive, tertiary environment. It’s essentially a scholarship, it’s an opportunity that not everyone is given. We only have 55 youth guarantee places here at UCOL. Students have the opportunity to participate in tertiary education without accumulating debt. We want them to be successful and go on to enrol in the next programme up on their journey towards employment”.

“Youth Guarantee is a partnership – the government provides funding, UCOL provides support and the programmes, and students put in the effort, turn up to class, involve themselves in their studies, succeed in gaining a tertiary qualification and the opportunity to go onto further study and the job that they want” says Bonnie.

For the first time, Wairarapa people have the opportunity to get a degree qualification in early childhood education with local support.

In a partnership between UCOL Wairarapa and the Open Polytechnic, the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education) will be available via distance learning, with an on-campus component. Campus Principal Angela Hewitt says this will give students valuable face-to-face learning from an experienced and qualified lecturer as well as access to all UCOL Wairarapa support services.

Angela Hewitt says the mixed mode delivery gives students the best of both worlds. “It’s especially valuable for people already in early childhood education who want to upskill and improve their knowledge, salary and career prospects. This means they can complete the degree while they are still working, with the benefit of on-campus support.

Read More: “UCOL partnership contributes to quality of early childhood education in Wairarapa”…

Secondary school students and in Manawatu, Whanganui and Wairarapa will benefit from a new Trades Academy being set up for next year.

UCOL has welcomed the announcement by Education Minister Anne Tolley of a new Trades Academy based at UCOL. Dean of Trades and Technology Kelly Gay says the academy will help young people to make a start on trades training while still at secondary school and is also expected to help meet trades shortages in UCOL regions, and in other parts of New Zealand.

The Academy will have hubs in Palmerston North, Masterton and Whanganui.

Read More: “Wairarapa gains from new Trades Academy”…

Secondary school students in Whanganui, Manawatu and Wairarapa will benefit from a new Trades Academy being set up for next year.

UCOL has welcomed the announcement by Education Minister Anne Tolley of a new Trades Academy based at UCOL. Dean of Trades and Technology Kelly Gay says the academy will help young people to make a start on trades training while still at secondary school and is also expected to help meet trades shortages in UCOL regions, and in other parts of New Zealand.

The UCOL-based Academy will have hubs in Palmerston North, Masterton and Whanganui.

Read More: “Whanganui Region gains from UCOL-based Trades Academy”…