Taranaki educational institutions are celebrating with the arrival of over 70 international students in region as New
Zealand’s borders reopen for offshore education in time for schools’ third term and universities’ second semester.
Tertiary institutions the Pacific International Hotel Management School (PIHMS) and Western Institute of Technology at
Taranaki (WITT), along with schools Spotswood College, New Plymouth Boys High School, Green School, and Francis Douglas
Memorial College have all welcomed new international students.
Venture Taranaki Talent Advisor Rachael Berndt says welcoming offshore students back to Taranaki presents a wealth of
additional social and cultural benefits via the students, who also represent a significant opportunity to help boost the
regional economy.
“The early August milestone was a starting point to revitalising the international education sector, although we still
have a way to go. It’s exciting to have most of the students already landed, and we look forward to welcoming back even
more students to Taranaki.”
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Taranaki welcomed over 1,000 international students to the region and international
education supported 330 jobs, and contributed around $50 million to the Taranaki economy.
“With international students now able to enrol to study in New Zealand, we’ll continue to position Taranaki as a
desirable place to undertake study and prepare students for the future; with a like no other lifestyle to match,” Berndt
says.
“With our diverse range of education providers around the maunga catering to international students, we hope to see
student numbers increase year after year, getting back to pre-Covid levels that directly support a significant
proportion of the community through job creation and contribution to GDP.”
Mayor South Taranaki District and Chair of the Taranaki Mayoral Forum Phil Nixon says while international students
provide enormous benefit to Taranaki, they also gain so much from the experiences.
"It will come as no surprise as to what attracts international students to learn in Taranaki – our friendly people,
affordable living, quality tertiary institutions like WITT and PIHMS, pathways to employment in our major sectors, our
cultural heritage and, of course, our position as New Zealand’s sunniest region.”
As part of the intake of offshore students, WIIT had the region’s largest intake with 17 full-time international
students, and an additional 31 nurses on the Competency Assessment Programme - a qualification to gain New Zealand
nursing registration. Study pathways include programmes in IT, business, engineering and cookery.
PIHMS welcomed 14 students from India, Vietnam, Indonesia and Germany. The students have begun arriving in the country
where they will go on to gain qualifications in the hospitality sector, an industry crying out for additional staff.
“PIHMS welcomes news of the border openings and can now move ahead with more certainty in recruitment activities with
its international partners,” PIHMs CEO Bill McCallum says.
“Recovering to pre-COVID numbers, will take several years, however, at least there is some light at the end of an
extremely challenging 2.5-year tunnel.”