Wintec Annual Report 2009

HIGHLIGHTS
MEETING THE NEEDS OF
EMPLOYERS AND THE REGION
PARTNERSHIPS WITH EMPLOYERS
REAP REWARDS
The effectiveness of our re-invigorated
employer partnership groups (EPGs) was
acknowledged this year when we won the
‘relevant learning award’ at the annual ITPNZ
excellence awards. This award recognises
excellence in improving the relevance
of learning to the community and industry.
We now have around 30 EPGs with more
than 300 representatives from each of
the main industry sectors in the Waikato
including large organisations, such as
Fonterra, Waikato District Health Board,
AgResearch and Gallagher Group, and
some of the 48,000 small to medium
enterprises in the region.
The groups meet regularly to consider key
industry trends, issues and direction to make
sure that the training and education we are
offering our students meets the needs of
businesses and organisations in our region.
CREATIVE BUSINESS INCUBATOR
NO FIZZER
SODA Inc., our creative industries business
incubator in partnership with the Hamilton
City Council, won the ITPNZ award for
innovative support services.
Fizzing with new ideas, the aptly named
business incubator was opened in October
2008 to attract and retain young creative talent
in Hamilton, and to help create a destination
for the city’s entrepreneurial graduates.
PARTNERS IN AN ORDINARY LIFE
Based on the success of our long-standing
partnership with Habitat for Humanity -
particularly in terms of staff development
opportunities, community relations and
enhanced profi le - we chose an additional nonprofi
t organisation to partner with this year.
Community Living Trust has been providing
support for people with intellectual disabilities
and their families for twenty years. Their goal
is to help people lead ordinary, quality lives in
the community.
There are a number of opportunities and
benefi ts of this partnership for all staff and
students, but particularly for those in our
School of Social Development (for example
internships) as well as our trades staff
and students (for example, designing and
constructing sustainable housing for its clients).
Wintec Annual Report 2009 _ 19