Porirua will have its own community campus which will officially open in late April 2018. The key kaupapa is to work with, and for the community – involving students in community projects and working alongside the community to support pathways to higher education and employment.
Now taking enrolments, the new campus will offer Level 3 and 4 programmes in Early Childhood Education, Floristry and Computing.
Porirua Campus Head of Faculty and Early Childhood Education Tutor, Robynn Kopua says, “With 17 years’ tertiary education experience, it is my intention to involve students in community projects and work with, and alongside the community in building collaborative relationships with already existing education providers to ensure the best possible outcomes for the Porirua community.”
“We’re really community focused – that’s what I like, said Robynn. We’re here to make a difference.” Robynn has lived in the Porirua area for many years, as has the Campus Community Advisor and Tutor Anne Saolele-Lealiifano. Robynn and Anne are excited by the many benefits the campus will bring to their local community.
NZMA is a well-established and leading vocational school, and first offered programmes in Wellington in 2012, including a satellite classroom in Porirua from 2013.
Now NZMA is excited to be able to serve the Porirua community by offering a range of programmes to prepare people for meaningful careers and further tertiary studies. The entire focus of the campus will be to enable people to graduate with qualifications and skills which will make a real difference to their lifelong earning power and overall wellbeing.
Robynn adds, “Right now we’re excited to offer Youth Guarantee programmes in Early Childhood Education (ECE), which we know will be attractive to students 16-19 years of age. We can also offer fees-free training in Early Childhood Education, Floristry and Computing for eligible students. Our tutors are specialised in these areas of study, and will certainly engage students early to ensure they enjoy their programme. As our role grows, we will look at other programme offerings not currently available in Porirua, including higher levels, to provide additional options and pathways to higher education.”
The new campus will be situated at 1 Prosser Street, Porirua and is light-filled and purpose built for the programmes on offer. Students will enjoy modern equipped classrooms, first class resources and a student common area including study space and eating facilities.
With the recent government announcement of fees-free tertiary study, local students have a fantastic opportunity to gain free qualifications to launch their career. All New Zealand students who finish school in 2017, or will finish school during 2018, qualify for a year of free provider based tertiary education or industry training up to a cap of $12,000 per year.
The policy will also benefit those locals who aren’t school leavers but are keen to get some training. There are no age restrictions, and adults who have done half a full-time year of tertiary education or training may also qualify for fees-free.
Robynn continued, “Porirua Campus will pride itself on creating a culture that embraces the diverse needs of all learners. Our tutors are supportive and will deliver creative, innovative and relevant training. We believe this will engage and help build a strong community.”
