Waiariki And Northland Polytechnic Explore Educational Opportunities
The Waiariki Institute of Technology and Northland Polytechnic are currently discussing the possibility of
collaborating to provide improved educational opportunities for New Zealand students - in particular Northland students.
The first to benefit will be students in the forestry and wood processing sector. In the longer term, it's likely there
will be collaboration across a wider range of programmes and courses.
Currently, Waiariki's School of Forestry and Wood Processing competes with Northland Polytechnic in the delivery of
courses in forestry and wood processing practical skills programmes. Both parties agree it makes sense to co-operate to
eliminate duplication.
The two institutions have co-operated informally in the past, but the new initiative will place co-operation on a higher
level.
Northland Polytechnic's general manager of Education Delivery, Ron Abdinor, says both institutions are close to
finalising combined programmes for forestry and wood processing students.
"Waiariki's Level 1 and 2 courses are likely to be available to students at Northland Polytechnic in 2004," he says.
"This will include the forestry and wood processing practical skills courses."
Abdinor points out that Northland Polytechnic already has its own Level 1 and 2 courses in place. He says the delivery
of Waiariki's Level 1 and 2 courses will enhance existing programmes.
Waiariki CEO, Dr Reynold Macpherson, says the proposed level of co-operation with Northland Polytechnic will benefit
Waiariki by avoiding duplication of programmes.
"We need to focus our energies and scarce resources on delivering the capital intensive Level 3 and 4 technical skills
programmes and the advanced Level 5 and 6 programmes for industry team and plant leadership," he says. "This initiative
will benefit Northland students by giving them more course and study options close to home as well as serving local
forestry and wood processing industries."
Macpherson says discussions are continuing over the running of Waiariki's 16-week practical logging courses in
Northland.
"Units of the National Diploma in Forestry could also be conducted there in the future, and there's the possibility the
National Certificate in First Line Management - a Levels 3 and 4 management programme - could also be taught at
Northland Polytechnic."
Access to the Levels 5 and 6 National Diploma in Wood Manufacturing is also being considered for 2004/2005. Macpherson
says this could involve Northland students attending classes at Northland Polytechnic as well as participating in block
courses each year at Waiariki.
"Another innovation that could flow from this agreement is that many more Levels 1 and 2 courses in wood processing
could be offered in secondary schools to help students make the transition into the industry in a planned and supported
way, rather than have them drift into unemployment."