Issue 17 • June 2012 - Waiariki Institute of Technology

WAIARIKI 

TODAY 

fROm WAIARIKI 

TO lOnDOn 

Issue Issue 17 17 • 

• 

June 2012 

PLUS: • Two Waiariki athletes competing in the Olympics www.waiariki.ac.nz 

• Training to rebuild Christchurch • New positions focus on 

business and iwi relationships • Charity House attracts more support • Another year of 

growth and success • New scholarship up for grabs • and more inside

WAIARIKI 

TODAY 

Rotorua | Taupo | Tokoroa | Whakatane June 2012 

Issue: 17 

Next Issue: October 2012 

Acting Chief 

Executive: Keith Ikin 

Editor: Lyn Maner 

Sub-editor: Craig Tiriana, 

Communications Manager 

Contributing 

Writer: Dr Toby Curtis 

Photos: Kris O’Driscoll 

Designer: Tracey Greene, Fuel Advertising 

Printer: APN Print 

E-mail: marketing@waiariki.ac.nz 

Address: Marketing Department 

Waiariki Institute of Technology 

Private Bag 3028 

Rotorua 3046 

TODAY 

WAIARIKI 

PERMANENT 

ART EXHIBIT 

INSTALLED AT WAIARIKI 

Issue 16 • February 2012 

www.waiariki.ac.nz 

PLUS: Two Waiariki academy athletes heading to the Olympics 

New wānanga opens • 2012 looking great • Overseas travel and exchange 

programmes for students • Training for Christchurch builders • New art exhibit 

features renowned artists • and more inside! 

Missed an issue of Waiariki Today? 

This is Issue 17 of our three-times-per-year 

publication bringing you the news, events and 

happenings of Waiariki Institute of Technology, 

its staff and students. 

If you missed previous issues, you can view 

them online at www.waiariki.ac.nz or email 

marketing@waiariki.ac.nz and we’ll send the 

one/s you’re missing free of charge. 

On the cover: 

Waiariki is proud to support two Waiariki Academy 

of Sport athletes who will compete in the London 

Olympics. Tune in to cheer on Luuka Jones and 

Mike Dawson as they compete in canoe slalom 

events starting on July 29 (London time) and 

ending August 2. 

Enrol NOW For Semester 2! 

Pick up Waiariki’s 2012 Prospectus 

and Career Guide from any 

Waiariki campus and see all the 

exciting new qualifications on offer, 

as well as the time-tested, high 

quality favourites for which the 

institute is known. 

Certificates, 

diplomas, degrees 

and postgraduate 

qualifications – 

they’re all here! 

Semester 2 

begins July 16 

ENROL 

TODAY! 

PAGE 2 | 

ToDAY 

WAiARiKi 

the end of 

an era 

for Chief 

exeCutive 

Pim Borren, Phd 

LeAving 

on A high 

PLuS: Waiariki meeting TEC priorities • Two Olympians and a World Champ 

among sports academy athletes • Campus redevelopment update • Aria 

sponsorship and competitors • Scholarships for Rotorua residents • New 

qualifications for 2012 • Becoming environmentally sustainable • and more inside! 

Issue 15 October 2011 

www.waiariki.ac.nz 

Kia Ora 

Keith Ikin 

Acting Chief Executive 

As I write this column, there are hundreds of high school 

students on Mokoia Campus, flitting from here to there 

as they participate and watch fellow competitors in the 

regional Ngā Manu Kōrero speech contest we are hosting. 

They are filling to the brim both Tangatarua Marae and 

the nearly 200 seats in our newest lecture theatre and I 

can appreciate the nerves they must be feeling as they 

get set to speak in front of hundreds of their peers. Kia 

kaha to these young students who are setting excellent 

examples and striving to reach personal goals. 

As I look around, I know that I will see many of these 

young faces on campus again, only they will be without 

school uniforms and with a higher level of maturity and 

new goals. 

I feel a sense of pride knowing the institute does much 

to ease our own students’ nerves. We know that many 

who join us in July for the start of Semester 2 will be 

first-time tertiary students or adults returning to tertiary 

study after a long time away. They may need additional 

Iwi News 

Dr Toby Curtis 

Chairperson, Te Arawa Lakes Trust 

It is frightening to think 

that we are half way 

through the year! On 

the iwi front, a number 

of events have occurred 

that leave many people throughout the country rather 

sad. I am referring to a few outstanding individuals who, 

before they passed away, did so much to make Aotearoa 

New Zealand a better place for everyone who call this 

country home. 

• Archdeacon Rev Dr Kaa worked tirelessly to bring 

people of different religious, cultural, political and 

every other background imaginable to live together 

as a unified community. Over the past four years he 

became the chair and driving force to ensure that 

children, their families and homes were violent free. 

As a broadcaster he did much to raise the level and 

quality of te reo on the airwaves and latterly, television. 

Takoto mai ra te pou toki a Hikurangi, takoto. 

• Another is our own Sir Dr Peter Tapsell. He excelled 

as a senior academic, a national sportsman, a medical 

specialist, an outstanding politician and a keen farmer 

who was always in tune with the land and nature. 

Te Papa in Wellington, the return of our geysers 

in Rotorua and his appointment by the governing 

National Party – while his Labour Party was in 

opposition – to the esteemed position of Speaker of 

the House, are several of his life’s hallmarks. E taku 

makao taniwha, taku mapihi kahurangi, taku pounamu 

aroaro noa, okioki, moe mai ra. 

• Recently another outstanding individual was laid to 

rest. He was Peter Smith OBE, an artist, educational 

change agent, excellent wordsmith, talented boat 

builder, cabinet maker, a quality negotiator at senior 

ministerial level, but more importantly a person who 

had that uncanny knack of turning a hostile setting 

into a caring, cooperative context. He was responsible 

for enabling art to become a degree subject at our 

universities. We were told at his funeral that it was 

he who wrote the curriculum some decades ago! He, 

along with a number of Māori and Pakeha artists, 

helped change the vision to enable New Zealand art to 

be part of the world scene. Te tohunga a Rehia, haere 

ki te putahi nui a Rehua. E koro, titaha, takoto, e moe. 

support to get started or even to keep going throughout 

each term in order to achieve what they’ve set out to do. 

At the beginning of the year, Waiariki doubled its learner 

support team which now boasts of 13 friendly staff 

members available to assist anyone who comes across a 

road block to their successful studies. Our goal is to help 

our students reach theirs. 

This atmosphere of vibrancy, caring and manaakitanga 

touches all of us, from the staff who work tirelessly 

behind the scenes to keep the institute functioning, to 

the exceptional lecturers and school personnel whose 

dedication to improving our students’ lives is unwavering. 

Even Waiariki’s Olympic hopefuls Luuka Jones and Mike 

Dawson are receiving some of the best support they can get 

while in London: they’ve just been joined by their former 

Waiariki academy coach and mentor Jane Borren who will 

be with them for the duration of their competition. 

Good luck to everyone for Semester 2, challenge yourself 

to meet all of your chosen goals and stay well. 

State asset sales 

We are told repeatedly by government that the last election 

gave them the mandate to sell some of the country’s assets 

to help offset the huge debt the country has to reduce if we 

wish to maintain and enjoy the recent standard of living. 

However, this line of argument begins to fade when one 

witnesses the active and vociferous calls from different 

sectors of the community to stop asset sales proceeding. The 

acquisition of the Crafar farms by Chinese investors does 

not strengthen the Crown’s position. Māori are fully aware, 

from similar past experiences, that this type of arrangement 

rarely enables them to emerge as satisfied beneficiaries! 

Maketu waste water treatment 

In April the Maketu Waste Treatment Plant was launched. 

Hon Tony Ryall represented government and congratulated 

the parties involved, which included Western Bay of Plenty 

District Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Te 

Arawa Lakes Trust and the citizens of Maketu. The plant 

is a state-of-the-art facility. One would be forgiven for 

not knowing it was a sewerage plant. The event was well 

supported by the community. 

Maketu walkway 

The next day the walkway constructed by local voluntary 

labour was launched and celebrated. The individuals 

were, without doubt, environmental enthusiasts who care 

about Maketu and want to see the area grow and prosper. 

On behalf of the Te Arawa Lakes Trust it was indeed 

my privilege to represent the iwi along with Dolly and 

Gordon Pihema. 

Marae court 

Tarewa Marae not only welcomed the judiciary team 

responsible for the country’s youth courts but it saw the first 

session of a youth court conference take place on a marae in 

Rotorua. According to the koeke and the youth offenders 

who appeared, they insisted that this participatory initiative 

must continue. They were appreciative of the opportunity to 

participate in a programme that achieves positive outcomes. 

Fingers crossed! 

Finally, I suspect that many of us associated with Waiariki 

Institute of Technology are waiting with abated breath 

in regards to the appointment of the new chief executive. 

May the Council display true wisdom in choosing a person 

that will take the institute and the district forward to an 

exciting future. 

Waiariki Today www.waiariki.ac.nz

London calling for Waiariki Olympians 

Luuka Jones 

A mixture of talent, professional training, hard work, competitions and keeping a sense of humour have provided the winning combination for Waiariki’s Olympics team Luuka 

Jones, Mike Dawson and Jane Borren. 

The Olympics is the pinnacle of sport, 

whether you’re an athlete or, in Jane Borren’s 

case, right on the edge of the competition. 

For the London Games 2012, Ms Borren 

will be water-side as Waiariki Academy 

of Sport athletes Luuka Jones and Mike 

Dawson pit their paddles against the best in 

the world. 

“It is exciting being among the New 

Zealand team build-up and knowing I’m 

part of a huge world event that every athlete 

is peaking for, one that captivates most 

nations,” Ms Borren says from Brisbane just 

before leaving for Europe for two World 

Cup events with the canoe slalom team. 

She is currently a contracted high 

performance consultant to Waiariki 

Academy of Sport and has responsibility 

with the New Zealand Canoe Slalom 

Olympic Campaign around funding, 

logistics and performance. It will be her first 

official Olympics gig. 

She has been involved with Luuka and 

Mike for four years, having established the 

Academy of Sport at Waiariki’s Mokoia 

Campus in Rotorua in 2007. 

“I oversee and input to most areas of their 

campaigns,” explains Ms Borren. 

“I know them both pretty well, perhaps inside 

and out, as people and as athletes – what 

makes them tick, how to get them into the best 

possible frame of mind for best performance. 

“They’re great mates, we have a great team, 

but they are different characters.” 

Part of Ms Borren’s role is to take the worry 

away from the athletes, tend to the logistics 

of getting the pair and their boats in the right 

condition at the right time and place, allowing 

them to focus on training and recovery. 

Priority training to rebuild a city and maintain a nation 

You can’t rebuild a city or maintain a 

country without qualified trades people. 

And as part of New Zealand government’s 

focus on repelling the trades skills shortage 

and rebuilding Christchurch, Waiariki 

has taken on the challenge of providing 

the ongoing skilled workforce to meet the 

growing needs of New Zealand. 

Waiariki’s director of the School of Trade 

Training, Kevin Uncles, is leading a charge 

to find approximately 220 to 250 additional 

trade trainees for the second semester which 

starts mid-July. 

It has been reported that New Zealand will 

need 17,000 additional builders by 2014 as 

well as more plasterers, painters, brick and 

block layers, roofers, plumbers and drain layers 

plus the support for these trades people. 

“This will tend to spread out the boom and 

busts [highs and lows] of building … If 

we’ve got this [need] it’s going to be a nice 

steady curve for the next 20 years or so: 

builders can’t plan when they’re busy one 

year and have nothing the next,” says 

Mr Uncles. 

“…we’re sitting here in 

the middle of one of 

the best forest areas in 

the country so we’ve 

got the resources we 

can contribute.” 

“The trades are those identified by the 

Tertiary Education Commission, NZQA 

[New Zealand Qualifications Authority] 

and the government as priority trades for 

assisting Christchurch. They know that 

everyone won’t go to Christchurch but 

they anticipate that these [trainees] will 

fill the void created by those who do go 

to Christchurch.” 

“Keeping things as simple as possible for 

them, making sure they stick to their plans 

and being quickly reactive when things go 

off course,” is how she describes her role. 

She also looks after Luuka’s training 

prescriptions as “part coach” while it’s a 

more of a support/checking role with Mike. 

This will be Luuka’s second Olympics and 

Mike’s first. 

There are high hopes for the Kiwis although 

the Europeans tend to dominate on the 

rapids at this level. 

Ms Borren knows what her athletes are 

capable of accomplishing. 

“Two medals would be awesome – got 

to gun for the best,” she says before 

adding clarification. 

“The reality is they qualified at worlds last 

Mr Uncles believes there are huge 

opportunities for this region. 

“The Christchurch rebuild will use tonnes 

and tonnes of wood and we’re sitting here 

in the middle of one of the best forest areas 

in the country so we’ve got the resources we 

can contribute. It would be absolutely crazy 

to buy sawn timber back from China.” 

As well as the normal Semester 2 

placements at Waiariki, the institute is 

partnering with iwi groups in areas like 

Taumarunui and Opotiki to provide the 

opportunity for their people to train in the 

priority trades which includes electrical, 

engineering, fabrication, interior design, 

horticulture and turf management. 

Training for priority trades will take place 

outside the Waiariki rohe, as well, and 

additional tutors would be employed to 

deliver the training where and when required. 

Mike Dawson 

Jane Borren Lou Jull (fellow academy athlete), Jane Borren, Luuka Jones and Mike Dawson Mike Dawson 

year in 11th and 14th spots. The Olympics 

finals are top 10 and that would be fantastic, 

but the opposition is classy and tight. 

“If they both paddle to the best they can be, 

they are capable of jumping up those spots 

to the final 10 and then it is game on in one 

run down that Olympics course.” 

The Olympics open on July 27 (London 

time) and two days later Luuka and Mike 

will paddle for their lives among 175 

athletes representing 30 nations at the Lee 

Valley White Water Centre. 

Ms Borren will be there to help them and 

cheer them on, “driving their butts off and 

supporting them to be the best they can be.” 

This sounds like a successful formula for 

all involved. 

Kevin Uncles, director, School of Trade 

Training. 

0800 924 274 Waiariki Today | 

PAGE 3

Staff profile 

Nadene McClay 

Industry Placement 

Coordinator 

The reason most people study is to get 

a job, right? And most often it’s easier 

to get a job when you have relevant 

experience, good references and know 

a few people too. 

Waiariki helps students do just that by 

ensuring work experience and industry 

projects are built into a large number 

of their courses and getting the 

students out there into the workplace. 

As student numbers at Waiariki are 

growing fast and more industry 

experiences are needed, a new 

position has been established at 

Waiariki to facilitate this and Nadene 

McClay has been appointed as industry 

placement coordinator. 

Nadene will work with Waiariki’s 

academic staff, supporting and 

enhancing the systems already in 

place and interfacing with industry. 

She joined the institute in May 

and she’s already been out in the 

community getting the word out about 

the win-win opportunities for local 

businesses and Waiariki students. 

“Industry will realise what a great 

opportunity this is for them to get 

some work done for free, but it’s much 

more than that,” Nadene explains. 

“Students can also bring fresh ideas 

and perspectives to the workplace, 

and it can be a chance for companies 

to try out potential future employees 

and help direct their learning. 

“Some of the students they build a 

relationship with during their work 

placements will go into other parts of the 

sector, increasing the company’s network 

of good contacts in their industry, which 

can also prove very useful.” 

Nadene worked for many years in 

Brussels in industry relations with 

the European Union bodies, and says 

that industry placements, projects 

and research by students is standard 

practice in Europe. 

“We would sometimes have students 

with us who had done placements in 

a range of different sectors and so 

brought us up-to-date knowledge and 

experience of other areas that we 

would never have had access 

to otherwise. 

“It’s really a win-win – for students, 

for industry and for Waiariki!” 

PAGE 4 | 

Preparing nurses for the future 

Ngaira Harker-Wilcox can see a future 

New Zealand where health care delivery 

by nurses will become more diverse and 

increasingly require an ability to manage 

health care within the community setting. 

Waiariki’s director of the School of 

Nursing and Health Studies believes 

health professional are listening to their 

communities and this has changed the 

delivery of health care. Examples of 

this are the new primary health care 

approaches where nurses and other health 

professionals work more collaboratively to 

support health needs. 

Ms Harker-Wilcox believes the nurse’s 

role is a key in any health care team. The 

skills and knowledge they acquire in their 

training are broad, allowing them to have 

a base that can be built upon and lead to 

many possibilities in health care. 

“Many of our nursing graduates are 

making a difference to families both in 

the hospital and community setting,” she 

says. “Our graduates have also continued 

with study and many completed specialist 

nursing papers which continue to develop 

their knowledge.” 

Of particular interest to Ms Harker- 

Wilcox is strengthening relationships with 

health providers in the region. 

“It is vital we are cognisant of the ‘real world’ 

and understand that theory and reality 

are often quite different. As the director 

I encourage our staff to get to know our 

community health providers. It is important 

that we as a school work in partnership with 

our providers and get a sense of what they 

require within their workforce.” 

Ms Harker-Wilcox knows a thing or two 

about grassroots health issues, having 

come from a hospital, district and practice 

nurse background on her way to her 

current role. 

Born in Wairoa and trained in Napier 

Meet the team at the School of Nursing and Health Studies: (back row) Jane Lane, 

Sarah Bosher, Brighid McPherson, Christine Mercer; (front) Ngaira Harker-Wilcox, 

Denise Riini, Jonathon Hagger, Liz Pennington. 

at Eastern Institute of Technology, she 

graduated in 1987 and then picked up her 

first job at Rotorua Hospital. 

Rotorua has largely been her home since, 

working in various roles, except for a 

working and studying jaunt in the USA. 

In 1995 she took up her first role tutoring 

at Waiariki and fell in love with the mix of 

nursing and education. 

“I really loved that side of nursing,” she 

says. “I’ve got an interest in new up-andcoming 

nurses. There’s a lot of diversity in 

that … you’re always learning in education 

and keeping up with current research. 

“My vision for our school is to provide 

excellent, high calibre, quality education 

Growing up in Invercargill, Luke Rikiti 

started a slow migration north, stopping 

in Blenheim with the Royal New Zealand 

Air Force, serving in East Timor, then in 

Wellington at Victoria University, before 

eventually settling in Rotorua in 2006 to 

learn more about his Te Arawa heritage. 

Hailing from Ngāti Pikiao (Ngāti 

Hinerangi, Ngāti Hinekiri), his 

background in commerce, Treaty 

settlements, peace keeping, land 

development, and fostering iwi and 

international relations has given him 

a range of experiences to establish and 

develop the inaugural position of iwi 

relationships coordinator for Waiariki that 

he started in January of this year. 

“Our focus is iwi within the Waiariki 

region first and foremost,” Mr Rikiti says. 

“We have four campuses and a number of 

satellite sites where Waiariki courses are 

delivered. Across all of these we have a 

number of iwi studying. An iwi stock take 

has been my first priority.” 

By providing iwi snapshots directly to iwi 

organisations, Mr Rikiti hopes he can help 

them support their own tribal members. 

for students but also make them 

workforce ready and flexible with the 

skills to work in that future. They need 

transferable and generic skills because 

there are a lot of changes in the health 

system and they do need to move from 

different areas.” 

Ms Harker-Wilcox has carried out 

much research and is very strong in 

understanding and advocating the needs 

around Māori health. 

“Our school has a really great opportunity 

to install in every nurse that comes through 

this qualification an understanding of 

this community, and what’s involved in 

improving Māori health.” 

A homecoming for iwi relationships coordinator 

Luke Rikiti, iwi relationships 

coordinator, hopes to support iwi in 

identifying and promoting educational 

needs of Māori in the region. 

“These snapshots can help iwi see where 

their members are studying and hopefully 

gear their investment, for example 

through scholarships, to support them. 

“This information can assist iwi to see 

where their own capacity is, identify gaps 

and encourage study to areas relevant to 

their own needs.” 

Talking to iwi, it is also fundamental 

toward building meaningful and 

working relationships with them 

throughout the region. 

“Across our campuses staff already have 

relationships in place with iwi organisations. 

I will be supporting these staff to enhance 

and support this engagement.” 

Mr Rikiti also believes his role includes 

assisting iwi as they implement and 

develop their educational strategies. If 

they don’t have a strategy, he may be able 

to provide advice to help create one. 

“Iwi within our rohe are at various 

levels of development. Some have the 

resource to invest in members, some don’t. 

Through Waiariki, I can work to help 

iwi find solutions to achieve educational 

aspirations for their communities.” 


Charity House partnership for a better community 

Students will begin building a better 

community through the new Waiariki 

Institute of Technology Charity 

House Project. 

Starting in 2013 and running for five years, 

one house per year will be built by trades 

students with the support of the business 

community and then auctioned off with 

the proceeds going to Rotorua charities. 

Waiariki launched the project recently, 

partnering with the Rotorua Chamber 

of Commerce to gain sponsorship and 

support from local suppliers, tradesmen 

and professionals. 

Mike Fogarty, section manager for 

construction training at Waiariki, says the 

project is exciting because it will benefit the 

students and the community in a big way. 

“It’s a hands-on experience that will 

give them a good understanding of the 

dwelling,” he says. “They get to work on a 

real live project from start to finish – it’s a 

great foot in the door of the industry.” 

The construction of the house will 

be headed by the pre-trade carpentry 

students and incorporate the pre-trade 

electrical students. 

Several sponsors of Charity House 

have offered their products or services 

at no charge for the next five years. 

PlaceMakers of Rotorua will supply the 

building plans and materials as well as 

some services, while ADT Armourguard 

has committed to providing and installing 

a basic alarm system and six months 

of free alarm monitoring. MediaWorks 

Radio will advertise the initiative and 

Professionals McDowell Real Estate Ltd, 

one of the first local businesses to support 

the project, will market and auction the 

houses each November. 

Additional sponsors are still needed. 

Building of the first of five houses is 

expected to begin in February and be 

completed in October of the same year. 

Success through growth at Waiariki 

After a substantial lift in student success 

rates in 2011, Waiariki is confident the 

performance bar will rise further this year. 

The region’s tertiary educational institute, 

with campuses in Rotorua, Taupo, 

Tokoroa and Whakatane, achieved an 

average course success rate of 72 per cent 

in 2011 compared to 65 per cent (2010), 

50 per cent (2009) and 48 per cent (2008). 

It’s expected the lift in course success 

rates, coupled with Waiariki’s strong 

representation in government-targeted 

priority education areas for under-25 and 

Māori students, will have some impact 

when the Tertiary Education Commission 

(TEC) issues its sector performance 

details in July. 

Acting Waiariki chief executive Keith 

Ikin said the institute had invested in 

For two consecutive years, Waiariki 

has successfully attracted a higher 

percentage of younger students. 

Rotorua Lakes High School students Jordan Martin (left) and Shilo Cullen learn 

about insulation from Mike Fogarty, section manager for construction training. 

considerable resources for the successful 

gains that saw more than 2,000 students 

graduate following study in 2011. 

“Growth in student numbers has 

permitted investment in infrastructure, 

buildings, IT and other services in 

supporting the students to achieve their 

educational goals,” says Mr Ikin. 

More than 20,000 students had attended 

Waiariki during the last five years. 

Among the investment, and 

complementing the work of tutors, there 

has been an increased level in the learner 

support area with 13 advisors engaged 

in bolstering learning as the institute 

continues to aim higher. 

“We can really assist our students’ success … 

And it is our goal to get closer to an 80 per 

Last year, 49 per cent more Waiariki 

students achieved success in their 

courses compared to those in 2010. 

The site for the project is still to be 

determined but it’s bound to be a highly 

visible one around Rotorua. It’s expected 

the charity recipient or recipients will be 

selected some time this year for 2013. 

The three-bedroom 114sq m house will 

feature a master bedroom with en suite, 

open-plan kitchen, bathroom, dining and 

lounge. It will be completely furnished, 

including drapes, carpet, heating, laundry 

whiteware and bedding. 

cent success rate this year,” says Mr Ikin. 

This year Waiariki was allocated the 

equivalent of 2,786 funded EFTS 

(enrolled full time students) by 

government, and there are currently 3,354 

domestic and 840 international full- and 

part-time students enrolled. 

These numbers indicate the institute has 

started the year well, with 82 per cent 

of allocated government funded 2012 

domestic EFTS enrolled for Semester 1 

courses which started in February. 

“It’s a fantastic start to the year with 

strong domestic enrolments but that 

does mean it’s important for prospective 

students considering study in the second 

semester to enrol sooner than later to 

avoid missing out,” says Mr Ikin. 

Course success rates for Māori students 

also rose substantially with a 57 per 

cent increase over the previous year. 

Graduate profile 

Anzac Pikia 

National Certificate in 

Journalism 

Te Karere senior reporter Anzac Pikia 

started his journey studying the 

National Certificate in Journalism at 

Waiariki in 2002. The transition from 

school to campus life, in a new town 

and leaving the support of his whānau 

and friends was a little intimidating for 

the student from Te Awamutu. 

“It was a foreign town for me, no 

whānau or familiar places,” he says. 

Now sitting at his desk in downtown 

Auckland offices, he originally had 

aspirations to become a secondary 

school teacher. “Yeah, my high 

school Māori teacher inspired me, 

but university was a tad daunting for 

me at the time. Just filling out the 

application forms were enough to 

confuse me!” 

In his last year of school he thought 

he’d give journalism a try. During 

his school years he’d had a lot of fun 

mucking around with his mates, “... at 

kapa haka practise I would pretend to 

interview people. It was very funny at 

the time, we did interviews with what 

we called ‘natives’ on a dictaphone.” 

Once he started tertiary study he 

got the bug and did additional 

courses to improve his qualifications, 

studying Ataarangi, an immersion 

te reo Māori course. 

The journalism course at Waiariki 

gave him good grounding for his job 

prospects. “While the course focused 

on print journalism, the general news 

knowledge did prepare me for my 

job. I think also learning the ability 

to research well, articulate and write 

have all been useful for television, 

where we are required to present a 

story in a very small timeframe.” 

Moving away from home was new for 

him and to a new town where he knew 

nobody was also scary. “Once I settled, 

it was fine. Plus having whānau drive 

down regularly to bring care packages 

of kai and money helped!” 

Anzac happily recalls his course 

mates and the additional student 

support on campus. It was like an 

extended whānau. 

“Rotorua was great and I’ll always 

have a special place in my heart for 

the people and, of course, the people 

of other iwi who I studied with as well.” 


PAGE 5

Stay fit this winter 

Just because Old Man Winter has arrived, don’t 

give up on staying active and keeping yourself 

healthy. Here are some great ideas to help you 

get you through this challenging time and will 

ensure you head into spring and summer feeling 

and looking great! 

• Maintaining a good attitude will have a major 

impact on everything you do, especially your 

health and fitness. Try to embrace this time of 

year. If you need a reminder about the joys to 

be had in winter, go watch a child jumping in 

a frozen puddle. Or do it yourself! 

• Go buy a bit of new workout gear. This will lift 

your spirits, too, and keep you healthy and 

comfortable. Regardless of what activities 

you’re doing, try to wear several layers so 

you can easily adjust when you warm up and 

cool down. Polypropylene or merino fabrics 

are ideal as they breathe and remove sweat 

and moisture. 

• Set a new goal to aim for to keep up your 

motivation. Visit www.activesmart.co.nz 

for free and customised training plans to 

help you reach your fitness goals. Whether 

you’re just starting out or building up for a 

big event, there’s a plan for everyone such 

as running, walking, cycling or multidiscipline 

options (including triathlon and duathlon) and 

are designed by fitness professionals. This 

fantastic online resource also offers advice on 

nutrition and warming up, weather updates 

and hints and tips on upcoming events. 

• Why not explore the local area and make 

a day of it? Pack up the family and a picnic 

lunch and make the most of being outside in 

fresh air and hopefully getting some winter 

sunshine. Investigate these great walking 

areas within easy drive from Rotorua: Mt 

Ngongotaha Jubilee Track, Lake Okataina 

scenic reserve and Lake Tarawera outlet 

and falls. Visit www.doc.govt.nz for 

more information. 

• If it’s blowing a southerly gale and raining, 

there is always the indoor exercise option. 

The Waiariki Community Recreation Centre 

offers public memberships and a squash 

court and sports hall to hire for playing 

netball, basketball or volleyball with a 

group of friends. Contact Rebecca Smith 

on 07 346 8636 to find out more. 

Written by Rebecca Smith 

Sports Coordinator 

Waiariki Community Recreation Centre 

Rotorua campus 

PAGE 6 | 

Red socks out for Sir Peter Blake week 

It’s time again to get out your red 

socks and help Waiariki – and the 

nation – celebrate the annual Sir 

Peter Blake Leadership Week. 

The Sir Peter Blake Trust created 

the Leadership Week to honour 

the adventurous sailor, explorer and 

champion for the environment who 

was known for his lucky red socks. 

Leadership Week will be 

celebrated nationwide June 22 to 

29, commencing Friday with the 

prestigious national Sir Peter Blake 

Leadership Awards and wrapping up 

the following Friday with the Red 

Socks Day. 

This year’s theme is “Dare to Dream” 

so the Trust invites New Zealanders 

to “Dare to Dream in your business, 

school and community by organising 

and participating in events which 

celebrate and develop leadership.” 

Waiariki will be honouring the 

New Zealand hero by hosting 

a Leadership Day on June 22. 

Approximately 20 students from 

the region’s high schools have been 

selected to spend the day with 

Waiariki’s adventure tourism lecturer 

Nick Chater and Waiariki students of 

the Diploma in Adventure Tourism. 

Mr Chater says the day’s activities 

aim to teach the students about 

positive and effective leadership skills 

and styles that will help them interact 

with groups and peers in various 

situations. There will be adventures 

in the forest, on a lake, along the 

mountain bike trails and in the 

Waiariki student training kitchens. 

Working with the secondary students 

is important, says Mr Chater, because 

at this stage in life they are finding 

their independence and developing 

leadership skills. They’re moving into 

adulthood and the next level of work, 

education and life. It’s also about 

gaining self confidence. 

“We are also trying to engage these 

students, helping them make the 

most of opportunities and realising 

that education in both secondary 

and tertiary are important stepping 

stones in life. Ultimately, I hope these 

students have a great day out and if 

Waiariki and my students can be a 

part of that, then all the better.” 

For more information or how to 

get involved, please visit 

www.sirpeterblaketrust.org. 

Local high school students in a waka ama in last year’s Leadership Day with Waiariki adventure tourism staff 

and students. 

Steady management promotes investment 

Waiariki’s place as New Zealand’s 

fastest growing polytechnic and 

ongoing prudent management are 

allowing significant reinvestment 

that directly impacts on students. 

A $4.9 million surplus announced 

in the recently released 2011 Annual 

Report will go some way to assisting 

in the proposed new building for 

the School of Nursing and Health 

Studies expected to start in 2013. 

Acting chief executive Keith Ikin 

said it was very satisfying the 

institute could reinvest in its capital 

plan on the back of a fourth straight 

year of surplus. 

“For a long period of time Waiariki 

was unable to invest in capital – 

new buildings and infrastructure 

– to create a positive learning 

environment for our students,” says 

Mr Ikin. 

“Over the last four years we’ve 

generated good surpluses which we’re 

investing back into our students 

by building classrooms and other 

facilities. They now have a state-ofthe-art 

space to learn in.” 

Creating the surplus has come 

through better management with Mr 

Ikin saying Waiariki had a successful 

disciplined approach. 

“We are a very prudent institution,” 

he says. “We are quite lean in our 

operational costs when compared 

with other learning institutions. 

We’ve been able to increase our 

domestic enrolments as well as 

our internationals.” 

While the obvious capital investment 

comes in new buildings like forestry’s 

$1.7 million building fronting 

Old Taupo Road, the $1.1 million 

refurbished Waipa Campus, Mokoia’s 

$1.8 million recreation centre and the 

latest Te Wānanga a Ihenga building 

at $4.4 million, there have been some 

other investments which will enhance 

the student experience. 

Waiariki has almost doubled its 

learner support staff which should 

further improve the rates of course 

completions and success. 

“We now have a network [of support 

staff ] based in each school, as well 

as in the library learning centre,” 

says Mr Ikin. “Their role now is to 

connect with learners who most 

need support as early as they can so 

[students] can be successful.” 


The pressure cooker to national success 

Practice makes perfect and, when 

combined with perfect execution, a 

winning opportunity is possible. 

That’s the mantra driving Waiariki 

representatives set to compete in this 

year’s Nestlé Toque d’Or competition. 

During the next couple of months 

Rex Austria, Digraj Singh and Laura 

Adriano will be put through the griller 

by their tutors in Rotorua as they work 

to perfect their skills and get ready for 

the big day in Auckland on August 20. 

“We’ll focus on developing our skills and 

be ready for any challenge,” said Rex of 

the prestigious national junior cooking 

competition. “This is a learning process 

and we get some more experience rather 

than just the classroom.” 

There are some 320 additional hours 

of practice and perfecting the trio 

that tutors Bart Vosse and Jonathan 

Chemis (chefs) and Thomas George 

(hospitality) will undertake. 

Rex and Digraj are in their final year 

of the Diploma in Culinary Arts 

while Laura is in her final year of the 

Diploma in Hospitality Management. 

As well as their studies and practice, the 

students are working in local industry 

(Bistro 1284, Third Place Café, Skyline 

and Wai Ora Spa) which is part of the 

competition requirements. 

Waiariki Academy of Singing and 

Music was launched in early February 

2011. When the students are not out 

performing in the community, they 

are putting much time and effort into 

both their musical abilities and their 

scholarly aspirations at Waiariki’s 

Mokoia Campus in Rotorua. 

The academy was set up to nurture the 

incredible musical talent in the region. 

“We had a very successful inaugural 

year and so far this year, we’ve been 

incredibly productive performancewise, 

highlighted by a well-received 

hour-long show at Lakeside Concert 

in March,” says academy director 

Richard Anaru. 

The academy operates on a tiered 

scholarship-based programme offering 

Laura Adriano (centre) will lead the front of house activities in Toque d’Or 

while Rex Austria (left) and Digraj (“DJ”) Baghela will run the kitchen. 

On the big day the students will have 

to make two entrees, two mains and 

two desserts, from scratch to delivery, 

in two and a half hours. 

It is an absolute pressure cooker 

environment and the national finals 

are super competitive. Not only is 

the team striving to better last year’s 

Waiariki team results – a gold by 

the chefs and a bronze in hospitality 

– but Christchurch Polytechnic is 

traditionally the team to beat. 

To make the Waiariki team, the 

students had to survive an intensive 

series of cook-offs with their 

Diploma in Hospitality Management 

Dame Malvina provides inspiration 

three levels of support to the scholars. 

“The flexible and quality programme 

has been developed to enable students 

to gain a qualification at Waiariki 

while focusing on their music at the 

same time. Mentoring, workshops, 

individual and group tuition are 

included, and operate outside of the 

regular curriculum which doesn’t 

interfere with teaching hours.” 

This year the academy boasts a kapa 

haka team, choir ensemble and band, 

as well as solo performers. 

In early March, Waiariki proudly 

announced the addition of a new 

patron, Dame Malvina Major. 

“To have the support of someone in 

such standing as Dame Malvina is an 

classmates. The brief was to see who 

could handle pressure and how they 

performed under it. 

All three were spectators in Auckland 

last year and returned home knowing 

they wanted in on the action this year. 

Like any team, they will rely on each 

other with the chefs looking after the 

cooking and food component of their 

created menu while Laura tends to front 

of house, selects the matching wines and 

provides silver service to the judges. 

Everything the three teammates do 

must be timed to perfection and they 

will be judged on how they move, 

hygiene, professionalism and wastage. 

Richard Anaru (standing toward left with arms crossed) and Waiariki Academy of Singing and Music students 

performed at the year’s Lakeside concert in Rotorua. 

honour and, well, nothing short of a 

coup,” Mr Anaru says. 

She has already invited the academy 

to participate in reciprocal events on 

her campus at Waikato University 

where she is Senior Fellow of Music. 

Having her involved with the academy 

and Waiariki augers well for the future 

and with her support the academy can 

add yet another plateau to which its 

talented students can aspire. 

The academy is always on the lookout 

for up-and-coming talent in the 

region. If you have talent that you’d 

like to take further, email 

music@waiariki.ac.nz and tell us a 

little about yourself and what you do. 

You can also find more information at 

www.waiariki.ac.nz/about/schools.asp. 

Te Reo Māori 

Kei te kaha te puta o te kōrero me whakamahi 

te katoa o te motu kia ako i te reo Māori. Ānei 

tāku ki tērā kōrero, “Mātua whakapai i tōu 

Marae ka whakapai ai tō te tangata.” Arā, kia 

mōhio pea ko te Āo Māori ki tōna anō reo ka 

tahuri ai ki te whakaako i ētahi kē atu. He aha 

nei te tino hua o te whakaako i te marea atu i 

te nui ake o ngā tāngata ka mōhio ki te kōrero 

Māori? He take anō kei tua kē atu i tērā? 

There is a school of thought emerging that 

advocates compulsory Māori for all. Here is 

my response to that idea: “Charity begins 

at home.” That is, the Māori world needs to 

know its language first before teaching others. 

What benefits will accrue from teaching the 

entire population apart from an increase in 

the number of speakers? Is there any reason 

other than that? 

Written by Ken Kennedy 

Kaumatua Te Arawa, Te Whare Takiura o 

Waiariki 

It’s cool to korero 

Each edition of Waiariki Today will have an 

easy and useful korero column that you can 

use at home or in the workplace. The theme 

for this edition is encouragement and praise. 

Ka pai! 

That’s good, well done, good idea. 

Next time your child or work colleague 

does something good or that you like use 

this expression to show your appreciation 

and praise. 

In the home: 

Child: “Look at my picture I drew, Mum.” 

You: “Wow! Ka pai, that’s awesome!” 

In the workplace: 

Colleague: “I’ve been thinking of bringing in 

some plants to work to brighten up the place. 

What do you think?” 

You: “Kai pai, I think that’s a great idea.” or 

You: “Kai pai, good on you.” 

Kia kaha 

Be strong, good luck, you can do it! 

You can say this when you are supporting 

someone, to let them know that you are there 

for them. 

In the home: 

Child: “Dad, I don’t want to play rugby this 

weekend. I’m not very good and I get teased.” 

You: “Just do your best, kia kaha, I know you 

can do it.” 

In the workplace: 

Colleague: “Arghhh, this work is driving me 

mad. And that customer was really rude!” 

You: “It’s nearly the end of the day, kia kaha, 

not much longer.” 

Written by Huia Lloyd 

Projects Manager 



PAGE 7

Gardening in 

winter 

As the old tongue twister goes, prior 

preparation prevents poor performance. 

This applies to gardening and winter is the 

best time to begin your preparations for a 

bountiful spring and summer garden. 

• Experienced gardeners know that healthy 

soil is the key to healthy plants and now 

is the best time to prepare your soil. 

• Assess the amount of sun reaching 

your garden, as most plants grow 

best in semi-shady or sunny locations. 

Remove or prune any trees or shrubs 

blocking sunlight. Watch for where the 

early morning sun lands and where the 

last rays shine in the evening. 

• Wet soil creates many problems so 

avoid gardening in low areas that 

naturally collect water, areas next to 

roof down pipes, at bottoms of slopes. 

• High traffic areas with compacted soils 

will have had most of the air removed. 

Digging or tilling the ground will help 

add more air. 

• Weed removal is important. Avoid 

digging weeds under the soil or using 

a rotary hoe to hide them. In most 

cases you will increase the number of 

weeds like kikuyu and dock by breaking 

the plants in to smaller pieces – they 

haven’t been killed, will grow back and 

compete with young plants and become 

far more difficult to remove without 

damage to your new plantings. 

• Small gardens are best weeded by 

hand using a garden fork. Start with 

the grasses, lever each plant up, 

give them a good shake to preserve 

your precious soil, and put them on 

the compost heap or dig a large hole 

for trench composting. Do the same 

to permanent weeds like dock and 

dandelion. The aim is to remove all 

roots and is best done plant by plant, 

not by cutting up the weed. 

• After all weeds have been removed, 

dig the soil over and add your 

favourite fertiliser. 

• Another way to get rid of weeds – or 

a lawn which is to become garden 

space – smother the area with several 

layers of newspaper, or plywood, old 

carpet, mill felt, corrugated iron, blue 

tarpaulin, basically anything that will 

block light. Remove these about six 

weeks later and then dig the area over. 

• If you prefer to spray weeds then do 

this on a calm, windless day and wait 

at least 10 days before digging and 

fertilising the soil. 

Written by Shane O’Leary 

Horticulture Lecturer 

Whakatane campus 

PAGE 8 | 

Timberlands scholarship provides “icing on the 

cake” for father of three 

Jody Tonga laughs now at his previous 

assumptions that you need to be young 

or heading off to university to get 

certain scholarships. 

While he’s certainly not Waiariki’s 

oldest student, the 37-year-old has 

worked out that he’s the second oldest 

in his forestry management courses, so 

the news that he won a full scholarship 

came as a very welcome surprise. 

“That was probably one of the best 

phone calls ever, especially at my age. 

I didn’t count on getting this one, I 

wasn’t 100 per cent confident. It was 

my impression they give them to those 

going to varsity.” 

It’s not Jody’s first scholarship but now 

the husband and father of three can relax 

about his finances a little, knowing his 

tuition fees are fully paid for the two-year 

Diploma in Forest Management thanks 

to the Kaingaroa Timberlands’ Kaitiaki 

O Te Ngahere Scholarship. 

He says now his only costs are his books 

and commuting daily from Taupo to 

Rotorua, the latter which he does with 

a classmate, allowing them both to save 

on petrol and review their lecture notes 

during their travels. 

“Student loans, that was the boat that 

I was going to end up in,” he says. But 

Having just taken up the position of 

director of research at Waiariki, this is 

probably a good opportunity to briefly 

introduce myself. I grew up in Rotorua 

and am a former Head Boy of Rotorua 

Boys’ High School. I did my tertiary 

training at Otago University, graduating 

with a PhD in neuroscience. 

I have spent the past 12 years at 

the John Curtin School of Medical 

Research at the Australian National 

University in Canberra. During this 

time I was head of a research laboratory 

investigating the biological basis of 

learning and memory in the brain. So, 

as you can imagine, my current role at 

Waiariki is quite a change for me, but 

Jody is not only determined to upskill, 

“to experience the other side of forestry”, 

he was also dead-set on preventing 

student debt. So, he took a proactive 

stance and searched the internet for 

scholarships for which he qualified. 

Jody, who is Ngati Tuwharetoa, Ngati 

Maniapoto, Te Arawa and hails from 

Te Aute College, Hawke’s Bay, has been 

working in the forestry sector for 17 

years. He’s covered the practical side, 

he says, and wants a new challenge: to 

get into forestry management, broaden 

his knowledge, and “maybe to one day 

manage the resources that were handed 

down by our tipuna.” 

If a job doesn’t come up after he 

finishes his diploma, he says he’ll 

continue his studies toward a degree. 

“Getting the education is icing on the 

cake in terms of where I want to go. 

Where I’m heading is the next level, it’s 

about climbing the ladder.” 

David Balfour, director of Timberlands 

Ltd., says, “In selecting for the 

scholarship we are looking for people 

who have the aptitude to complete 

the course and have the potential to 

become a forest manager. Academic 

record is important but also maturity of 

character plays a key part in selection. 

Research Waiariki By Clarke Raymond, PhD 

Dr Clarke Raymond is Waiariki’s 

newly appointed director of research. 

an extremely exciting one. 

It is fantastic to be back in my 

hometown and to have the opportunity 

to contribute to the development of 

Waiariki into a world-class vocational 

training and research institute. To that 

end, I invite anyone with an interest 

in research to come and chat with me. 

Whether you’re a fresh-faced beginner 

or a battle-scarred, experienced 

campaigner, the research office can help 

advance your research activities. 

The plan for these updates is to keep 

everyone informed about research at 

Waiariki. We will be profiling various 

projects, highlighting new opportunities 

and celebrating successes. So to begin, 

here is a quick summary of research 

activities that have passed through the 

research office in the last several weeks 

since I started. 

• Dr Lynne Chepulis and Evelyn Francis 

from the School of Nursing and Health 

Studies have investigated how rapidly 

blood-sugar levels rise (glycaemic 

index) when we eat manuka honey in 

comparison with normal sugar. They 

have discovered that manuka honey 

displays a low-moderate glycaemic 

index despite being more than 80 

per cent sugar. This research leads to 

future work developing safe products of 

benefit to people requiring a low sugar 

diet (e.g., diabetics). 

• Allan Fowler from the School 

of Computing, Technology and 

Communications is analysing what 

and how much learning takes place 

by participants in the Global Game 

Jam (GGJ), an annual computer 

Forestry student Jody Tonga’s attempt 

to find scholarships has paid off. 

Critical is that they are from the 

central North Island area and good iwi 

connections are a bonus.” 

No doubt Jody has the aptitude and 

potential to reach his goals, but it also 

looks like his experience and age were 

on his side too. 

game development event that occurs 

simultaneously in more than 200 sites 

around the world. The results of this 

research could provide a rationale 

for using the GGJ as a legitimate 

learning experience for students of 

game development. 

• The research office and the social 

sciences department are in the early 

stages of developing a research project 

on employment issues in Rotorua, in 

partnership with the Ministry of Social 

Development, Rotorua District Council, 

and Rotorua Chamber of Commerce. 

• Several of our colleagues have or 

will be representing Waiariki and 

Aotearoa, presenting the results of 

their research at conferences on the 

international stage: 

o Allan Fowler – 30th Conference 

on Computer-Human Interfacing, 

May 5-10, Austin, Texas, USA 

o Hinemaua Rikirangi – 7th Research 

into Organisation and Sustainable 

Development Conference, May 21- 

25, Nantes, France 

o Malin Quintern and Erina Ata – 

7th International Conference on 

Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, 

June 24-27, Barcelona, Spain 

o Paula Cown and Joanne Hayes – 13th 

Pacific Early Childhood Education 

Research Association Annual 

Conference, July 20-22, Singapore 

We congratulate them all on their 

fantastic research achievements and 

hope they return full of inspiration and 

motivation for future research endeavours. 


Sustain Waiariki By Steve Chadwick 

Steve Chadwick, former MP for Rotorua who also held the position of Minister 

of Conservation, is a member of the advisory committee for the Waiariki 

Centre of Excellence in Environmental Sustainability. She introduces the 

Sustain Waiariki group, its purpose and aims. 

When I was approached to write about 

the Waiariki Centre of Excellence in 

Environmental Sustainability, I had 

to remind myself what our advisory 

committee is all about and what we 

want to achieve on the campus. 

The centre’s name doesn’t speak to me 

as to what we are about and wordy 

approaches will wash over most students’ 

and tutors’ heads unless we make this 

centre result in a change of thinking and 

generate an excitement about how we 

live our daily lives at home and at work. 

Too often we get bogged down in 

academic challenges about the lofty issues 

such as climate change, the availability 

of oil to generate transport and produce 

food, and water as a precious resource, 

and we forget that there are small changes 

we can commit to as individuals that will 

make a difference. 

So we called ourselves Sustain Waiariki 

and the website will keep those 

interested informed. I am excited about 

the skills of those on this new advisory 

committee as we represent community 

and regional thinking and have the 

potential to make Waiariki be seen as a 

sustainable institution leading the sector 

with new ways of teaching, challenging 

economic thinking and living the 

sustainable dream. Advisory committee 

members will all contribute to this 

column over the next year. 

So what is sustainability? 

We have had a few good discussions 

since we started last November. We 

If he was eligible to compete in New 

Zealand MasterChef, one of his 

favourite competitions, Nathan Arnell 

might have given it a go. 

However, because he has a formal 

tertiary education, this Waiariki 

graduate of two culinary qualifications 

is not allowed to compete. Instead, he 

must settle for working alongside a 

MasterChef contestant, the much-loved 

Cameron Petley from the 2011 TV 

series. For Nathan, this is anything 

but “settling”. 

“It’s really great,” Nathan says. “He’s a 

real friendly guy, has a good sense of 

humour. I’m learning heaps from him.” 

Nathan, who’s from Tokoroa, says a 

phone call from Tracy Thompson in 

Putaruru led to this unexpected and 

possibly rare opportunity. 

Tracy and her husband Steve lease the 

Putaruru Hotel. The Thompsons’ plan 

was to get the restaurant back in service 

after several years of inaction. They 

successfully wooed Mr Petley into the 

head chef position but then needed to 

find a sous chef. What followed was 

the classic friend-of-a-friend scenario 

where someone heard about Nathan 

have stuck with the definition that 

“Sustainability is the practice of living 

in a manner which does not compromise 

future generations.” We want Waiariki 

to be there in the long term as education 

is vital, especially in a recession, 

especially in the regions. Why should 

we have to leave our home to continue 

lifelong learning? 

That’s the easy bit really and we then had 

to find where this long-term thinking 

fits into the long-term strategic direction 

for Waiariki. Sustainability is well and 

truly stated in four of Waiariki’s goals 

in the strategic plan and that shows a 

commitment from leadership at the 

board and academic levels. 

So what are we pushing to have happen? 

We want to make sure that all courses 

consider sustainability in a way that 

is relevant to their subject and then 

help both tutors and students start to 

understand what this commitment really 

means and how it can be measured 

and shown. That is called setting a 

sustainability index. 

I see a campus that tells a visual story 

of conserving energy and resources, 

buildings that feel great to work in, and 

a curriculum that attracts students in 

how they want to live a meaningful life 

that adds value to our environment and 

economy. I want students to be able to 

come and learn those subjects that give 

them actual skills to live their dream; 

skills such as conservation, horticulture, 

forestry management, food technology, 

healthy living, tourism that protects and 

from Waiariki chef lecturer and former 

restaurateur Peter Skelton. 

“The Skeltons [Peter and wife Lorna] 

said that he stood out in the course,” 

explains Ms Thompson, “and if they had 

to pick someone from the course that 

they thought would do well, that he 

would be their first pick.” 

He’s only 21, but Nathan already had 

four years of professional cooking under 

his belt, having worked in the Skeltons’ 

restaurant while studying full time at 

Waiariki. Nathan recalls the day Ms 

Thompson rang. 

“She invited me over to the hotel for an 

interview. Then I found out Cameron 

was going to be the head chef here. I 

was thinking what a great opportunity. I 

used to watch that show every week.” 

Working each dinner shift at The 

Master’s Table, Nathan is learning new 

techniques and appreciates Mr Petley’s 

style of cooking and how he uses 

honest, readily available ingredients. 

He says they also get to “play around” 

in the kitchen, creating new dishes for 

the menu. 

Ms Thompson is very pleased with her 

sous chef ’s work. 

Steve Chadwick hopes Waiariki will 

be viewed as a leader in sustainability 

training in our region. 

values the environment, and the reo to 

express themselves as Kiwis who know 

our strengths. 

When we know what we want then 

other plans for expenditure on campus 

will fall into place. Fewer cars and more 

buses and cycle ways, walking paths that 

are well lit for safety, waste management 

that produces energy and reuses 

resources, and buildings that are a beacon 

of design to conserve energy and are 

built in wood. This is very exciting stuff. 

Think of how you can make a difference 

and challenge your tutors if you come 

up with a bright idea. 

You may even see me cycling to 

Waiariki if only I felt safe enough to 

ride to meetings from home. We will 

live the dream and then inspire others 

to build a healthy community. 

Visit our website sustain.waiariki.ac.nz. 

MasterChef fan working The Master’s Table 

“Nate’s brilliant, he’s just great. He’s 

very easy to get along with, he works 

hard, he’s great at what he does. When 

Cameron’s away with promotional work 

now and then, Nate just steps right into 

his position.” 

Recently Nathan accompanied Mr 

Petley to Auckland for a week to help 

him with his new cookbook. The pair 

had to prepare 60 recipes and carefully 

plate them for the camera crew. 

“When I got back from doing 

Cameron’s cookbook, I was thinking 

that I never thought I’d have the chance 

to do that. How many people get an 

opportunity to do something like that?” 

Mr Skelton is confident Nathan will 

have a successful career as a chef. 

“He was a very good student and very 

good in the kitchen. He picks up things 

really quickly, you rarely have to show 

him something more than once. His 

dexterity with what he’s doing is what 

makes me think he’s going to go far. 

He’s got a real passion for food, which 

is good as well.” 

New scholarship 

promotes creativity 

Participants of the popular Rotorua 

Wearable Creationz will have a chance to 

win one year of fees-free study toward a 

creative qualification at Waiariki. 

Travel, accommodation, cruises and cash 

are among the typical stable of prizes for 

winners of Wearable Creationz, with the 

Supreme Award having been valued at 

more than $20,000. 

As a sponsor of the event’s Youth section 

for the past several years, Waiariki 

aims to promote the creativity of the 

community’s youth and invest in their 

confidence and self-esteem. 

The new Waiariki scholarship, provided 

by the School of Computing, Technology 

and Communications, will be awarded to 

the winner of the Culture category. It can 

be used to cover the fees of one year of 

full-time study in 2013 of a certificate, 

diploma or advanced diploma in art, 

fashion or interior design. 

Providing the scholarship, valued at up to 

$5,000, is just another way for Waiariki to 

continue to support the event. 

Many of Waiariki’s creative qualifications 

provide direct pathways to continued study 

at prestigious institutes such as Whitecliffe 

College of Arts and Design in Auckland, 

Whitehouse Institute of Design in Australia, 

and Istituto di Moda Burgo in Milan. 

Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster 

for Rotorua’s most colourful, fanciful 

annual event with shows on August 16, 

17 and 18. 

Waiariki graduate Nathan Arnell enjoys working 

in the kitchen at The Master’s Table at the 

Putaruru Hotel. 


PAGE 9

Moroccan Hot 

Pot 

Ingredients 

500g lamb mince 

4 cloves garlic, crushed 

1 Tbsp oil 

1 medium (150g) onion, diced 

3 tsp ground cumin 

3 tsp ground coriander 

2 tsp turmeric 

200g kumara, diced into 1cm pieces 

1 cup (250mL) chicken stock 

2 medium (240g) zucchini, diced 

Bunch fresh coriander to garnish 

400g chickpeas, rinsed and drained 

1 Tbsp corn flour 

In a large bowl, combine mince, garlic, 

cumin, turmeric and ground coriander; 

mix well and roll mixture into large balls. 

Heat oil in a large saucepan over high 

heat; cook meatballs and onion until 

browned on all sides. 

Add kumara and stock and bring to the 

boil; reduce heat, cover and cook five 

minutes or until kumara is tender; stir in 

zucchini and chickpeas. 

Combine corn flour with a little water, 

stir into hot pot until thickened; cook, 

uncovered, a further two minutes. 

Serve over warm couscous or rice, and 

garnish with lashings of fresh coriander. 

Written by Bart Vosse 

Chef Lecturer 


Did you know? 

The Olympic Games in London is not 

the only major competition taking place 

this year. 

In October, the 23rd International 

Exhibition of Culinary Art, dubbed by 

some as the Culinary Olympics, will take 

place in Erfurt, Germany. 

Also a quadrennial event, the first 

competition was held in Frankfurt in 

1900 with four nations participating. 

It is now said to be among the world’s 

biggest culinary exhibitions, and in 2008, 

approximately 1,600 chefs from 53 

nations competed. The top honours went 

to Norway, Germany and Switzerland. 

PAGE 10 | 

Paying it forward from Ireland 

Josie Tubb has just a few more days in the training kitchen at Waiariki before 

she heads off to Ireland for a three-month work programme. 

Although she’s being sent away to work, 

Josie Tubb is counting down the days 

until she boards that plane and heads to 

Ireland. 

Josie, who is in her second year of the 

two-year Diploma in Culinary Arts at 

Waiariki, is the first recipient of the 

Waiariki Institute of Technology Jamie 

Peaker Ireland Scholarship which will 

see her working for Mr Peaker in his 

award winning café Builín Blasta (Irish 

for “the tasty loaf ”) for three months. 

The scholarship is valued at $2,500 

and includes her return flights, 

accommodation and a weekly 

living allowance. 

For Mr Peaker the opportunity to host 

a Waiariki student is his chance to pay 

it forward. 

“It’s my way of giving back to the 

industry, an industry I have gained so 

Dr Ruchi Singh has been enjoying the 

sights of Rotorua and New Zealand 

but more importantly catching up with 

some of her former students. 

“The boys have changed so much … 

We can see their bright future here,” 

Dr Singh said during her recent visit 

from India. 

Some of her first students to New 

Zealand in 2008 are now working locally 

in tourism and hospitality businesses like 

Ibis, Distinction Rotorua Hotel and Wai 

Ora Lakeside Spa Resort. 

A staff member from the BN Institute 

of International Studies in Rajasthan, 

Dr Singh teaches tourism. Some of 

her students choose to head to New 

Zealand, or more specifically Rotorua, 

the heartbeat of cultural tourism, to 

further their education. 

“Every day we are getting an experience 

of what Rotorua is offering and it will 

allow us to promote [New Zealand and 

Rotorua] when I’m advising students,” 

says Dr Singh. 

India is also a big supplier of cultural 

tourism and Dr Singh said attractions 

like the “Palace on Wheels” train 

tour were very popular and many big 

accommodation chains were investing 

in India. 

much from, and to Waiariki where I 

completed my training,” he says. 

Mr Peaker originates from Whakatane. 

He worked as a young chef at Rotorua’s 

Freos with Reg Hawthorne who is 

currently a chef lecturer at Waiariki. The 

two chefs have remained friends over 

the years even as Mr Peaker’s travels 

took him around the world, working 

in places like Africa, Switzerland and 

London. He settled in Ireland in 2008. 

Josie will no doubt learn much from 

Mr Peaker and she expects to work 

hard and put in some long hours at his 

café. She says she’s looking forward 

to the adventure, to summer in the 

Northern Hemisphere, and of course the 

opportunity to hone her kitchen craft. 

“I’ve always cooked and I’ve always 

enjoyed cooking.” 

Josie never thought she was destined to 

International visitors to Waiariki 

While in New Zealand Dr Singh and her 

husband were hosted by Waiariki staff. 

She also familiarised herself with other 

educational offerings in New Zealand as 

well as the immigration policy. 

While Waiariki is uniquely bicultural, it 

embraces multiculturalism in producing 

students who are able to carry out 

business across the world through 

global education. 

Other recent international visitors were 

representatives of the Beijing Vocational 

become a chef. Back home in England 

she was expected to attend university, 

not a technical college, due to her 

good grades. 

“If I hadn’t moved to New Zealand, I 

wouldn’t be doing this now. I would 

have been in England studying science 

or something.” 

Even though her father was already in 

New Zealand and her mum was getting 

ready to join him, Josie could have 

stayed in England as she was 19 at the 

time and finished with high school. She 

says her decision to emigrate was very 

last minute. 

“Because I decided to come to another 

country, and decided to [study] 

something different, I thought I’d do 

something I knew I’d enjoy. 

“I knew I could finish the diploma in 

two years. I hadn’t considered it as a 

career option, I don’t think anyone had 

suggested it as a serious career option 

either, but I really love it and this is 

definitely what I want to do.” 

Working for the past six months as a 

commis chef at Wai Ora Lakeside Spa 

Resort, the 21-year-old says, has really 

cemented her future. 

“Doing the study and working in Wai 

Ora definitely has made me 100 per cent 

sure of what I want to do. Coming here 

was a chance to do something really 

different. It all just happened by chance 

and it turns out it was a good thing.” 

Josie will return to New Zealand for the 

start of Semester 1 in 2013 to finish 

her diploma. 

College of Finance and Commerce who 

signed a memorandum of understanding 

with Waiariki. The principal objectives 

of the agreement with BCFC involve 

cooperation between both parties in 

teaching and student and staff exchanges. 

Also visiting Waiariki recently was 

the Philippine ambassador Virginia 

Benavidez who caught up with 

international students around mobile 

consular services and overseas absentee 

voting registration. 

Dr Ruchi Singh teaches tourism in India and promotes Waiariki’s qualifications 

to her students if they are seeking international experience while studying 

toward a high quality diploma or degree. 


Waiariki provides doctors to Rotorua 

Ken Kennedy was recently awarded 

an honorary doctorate in philosophy 

from an American institute. 

Yes there is a doctor in the house. 

In fact, there are quite a few holders 

of PhDs employed at Waiariki and 

two more have earned the distinction 

in the last few months: Waiariki’s 

Kaumatua Keneti (Ken) Kennedy, 

and Qilong Zhang. 

That brings the tally to eight staff 

with doctorates and several more are 

Don Tahere is proof it’s never too late 

to turn your life around. 

Just before he turned 50, Don 

enrolled on the Certificate in 

Agriculture and Farm Maintenance at 

Waiariki in Tokoroa. He had closed 

down his mechanics shop and was 

looking for a useful trade to learn. 

His biggest motivation, however, was 

something much closer to his heart. 

“What changed me was my kids. I 

saw them going down the same track 

as me. I had to make the change and 

that’s why I’m doing what I do now. 

I’ve got to be their big role model.” 

That undesirable track was gang 

related. Don and wife Debbie have 

nine children. The last thing he 

wanted was to watch their children, 

who range in age from 6 to 23, to 

follow in his footsteps. 

“I’m not very proud of it. I’m done 

with it now. Even my kids, they’re all 

done with it. We threw it all away to 

make better lives.” 

After making the decision to enrol 

at Waiariki, things changed rather 

quickly for the Tahere family. In fact, 

Don wasn’t the only one filling out 

Waiariki enrolment forms. 

“I’ve got this thing with my kids: 

when they leave school they are not 

allowed to go on the benefit. They 

have to get a job or go to school. 

That’s always been my rule.” 

The oldest five – Roi, Jessica, 

Werehana, Joseph and Blaze – 

joined their father in agriculture 

training. Four of them completed 

the qualification. Roi is now an 

apprentice at SWPE (South 

Waikato Precision Engineering 

Ltd) in Tokoroa, and Jess has gone 

to Tauranga to earn her bartending 

license (she wants to run a nightclub). 

studying toward that goal through 

professional development. 

Dr Kennedy received his honorary 

doctorate in philosophy from the 

Research Institute of World’s 

Ancient Traditions, Cultures and 

Heritage (RIWATCH), USA, at an 

international conference held at the 

University of Dev Sanskriti Vishwa 

Vidyalaya in India. 

His was one of five honorary 

doctorates awarded for distinguished 

leadership and outstanding social 

service to their respective traditions 

and cultures. 

Dr Zhang, who works in the Te 

Wānanga a Ihenga education team, 

passed his oral examination for his 

doctorate with Auckland University 

and will have a formal graduation 

later this year. 

Waiariki staff currently with doctorates: 

Chris Asby 

PhD, Agricultural/Veterinary 

Werehana and Joseph have continued 

their study at Waiariki in construction 

and engineering respectively. Blaze 

didn’t quite finish the qualification, 

but she is working now and hopes to 

return to study to become a vet. 

Even mum Debbie is keen to get on 

board this family education mission. 

She’d like to study chef training but 

will wait until their grandchild 

starts school. 

Don’s attitude toward education 

and his commitment to studies were 

infectious. Unwittingly, he quickly 

became a role model to his classmates 

and caught the eye of agriculture tutor 

Wayne Tonks. Toward the end of the 

year, Wayne pulled him aside and 

suggested he apply for a position as 

tutorial assistant for Waiariki, which 

he did, albeit with some hesitation. 

“To tell you the truth,” Don says, 

“when Wayne told me to apply for 

the job, I honestly didn’t think I’d get 

it. I’m glad I did apply for it.” 

Wayne said he could see Don’s 

strong work ethic and, perhaps more 

Economics, University of Reading, 

UK, 1976 

Suwaree Ashton 

PhD, Hotel Management, University 

of Queensland, Australia, 2010 

Lynne Chepulis 

PhD, Health Science, University of 

Waikato, 2008 

Ken Kennedy 

Honorary PhD, Philosophy, 

RIWATCH, 2012 

Christine Mercer 

PhD, Nursing, Massey University, 

2006 

Craig Morley 

PhD, Zoology/Ecology, University of 

Canterbury, 2000 

Clarke Raymond 

PhD, Neuroscience, University of 

Otago, NZ, 1999 

Qilong Zhang 

EdD, University of Auckland, 2012 

From gang member to successful tutor and 

role model 

Don Tahere, flanked by sons Joseph (left) and Werehana. 

importantly, his ability to connect 

with the students. Don says he’s just 

being himself. 

“I can really see myself in a lot of the 

kids around here.” 

It seems the study bug has bitten. Don 

is now studying social science courses 

online with another provider while 

still assistant teaching with Waiariki. 

“I’m trying to further myself. With 

that degree I’ll be able to help people 

or children at risk. I was one of those 

naughty kids once upon a time. I 

want to be able to give back to the 

community I took so much from. 

“It’s been tough because I still have 

mates around here that can’t believe 

what I’m doing. They’ve said that 

I’ve changed. But, like I tell my 

mates, the only thing I represent 

now is Waiariki. Because I’m a 

casual tutor now, I see that as a lot 

of responsibility, you can’t go around 

doing the things I used to do. 

“I really wish I did this when I 

was younger.” 

Student profile 

Laura Keys 

Bachelor of Nursing 

Babies and nursing seem to be the central 

theme in Laura Keys’ young life. 

For the moment, however, she’s focusing on 

the latter, working her way toward earning 

the Bachelor of Nursing from Waiariki. 

“My mum was a nurse, and I’ve got an 

aunty who is a nurse, and another aunty 

who’s training to be a nurse as well. We 

started [training] at the same time. It’s 

a coincidence, each of us didn’t know the 

other was applying.” 

Incidentally, Laura’s 18-year-old sister 

is studying at Waiariki, as well, toward 

the Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood 

Education). 

Laura laughs and says she had different 

career ambitions earlier in life. 

“When I was younger, a family friend had 

twins who ended up in SCBU because 

they were quite small. I was about 10 or 

something. I had [written] in my diary that 

I wanted to be a singer or dancer but I 

can’t sing or dance so [becoming a nurse] 

was the sensible thing to do, really.” 

Since that defining moment, Laura knew 

she wanted to become a nurse and 

specialise in working with babies in a 

hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU). 

She’d like to stay in Rotorua, but will go 

where the jobs are, she says. 

She will finish her degree in November. 

She says studying has been a bit stressful 

at times but she deals with it by reducing 

her work schedule (she has a part time 

job at McDonald’s), running (“not so much 

in winter, though”), taking one day at 

a time, and giving in to the occasional 

chocolate cravings. 

Having skipped Year 13 at Rotorua Girls’ 

High School so she could start her tertiary 

study early, she says, “I didn’t enjoy 

school, I was very keen to escape.” 

Laura will be the youngest in the nursing 

school to graduate in November and she 

will just beat the age cut-off by two months 

to sit the nursing registration exams 

(graduates must be 20 to sit the exam). 

She’s looking forward to getting the muchneeded 

nursing experience in hospital 

before she can apply to work in SCBU. 

“I just love babies, I really love babies.” 


PAGE 11

News Snippets 

World famous in New Zealand 

For the past fours years Waiariki’s carpentry 

students and their tutor James Putoko have 

been filmed by Māori Television while they 

help restore or rebuild marae around the rohe. 

The footage is used in the TV show AIA Marae 

DIY with the most recent project at Motiti 

Marae where they guys built a new waharoa 

(entrance). These projects give students of the 

Certificate in Carpentry (Pre-trade) (Level 4) 

excellent hands-on experience while they assist 

local communities. 

Pictured: (back row) Steve Durkin (Tokoroa), Tama 

Rewiti (Rotorua), Dylan Ryan (Rotorua), Richard 

Pulma-Hicks (Rotorua), Tama Taupawa (Rotorua); 

(front row) James Putoko (tutor, Tokoroa), Chandu 

Grant (Rotorua), Levi Aki (Tokoroa) 

• Waiariki campus was abuzz with 

approximately 300 high school students 

competing in the regional section of the Ngā 

Manu Kōrero speech contest on June 13. 

• Semester 2 dates*: Term 3 runs July 16 

to September 28; Term 4 runs October 15 

to November 9 (*some courses start earlier, 

contact Waiariki to confirm). 

• Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori (Māori Language 

Week): July 23-29. “Arohatia te Reo”, or 

cherish the language, is the theme this year, 

encouraging everyone to show their love for 

one of New Zealand’s official languages. Visit 

www.korero.maori.nz for more info. 

• Open Day is Friday, August 10, 9am to 2pm 

at Mokoia Campus, a chance for high school 

students and advisors to learn more about 

Waiariki in a fun, casual atmosphere. Free 

transport is available. 

• Tickets are on sale now (Ticketmaster) for the 

Rotorua Wearable Creationz held at the 

Energy Events Centre, Rotorua. Shows run 

from August 16 through 18, times vary. 

• Friday, September 14: Cheer on the Bay 

of Plenty Steamers as they take on the 

Auckland Blues. Kick off is at 6.05pm, and 

tickets are available at the door ($20 for 

adults and $5 for children under 15). 

• It’s not too early to put the Waiariki 

Institute of Technology New Zealand 

Aria Finals Night, on your calendar. Tickets 

are on sale now (Ticketmaster) for this 

amazing event on Sunday, October 28, at 

the Civic Theatre, Rotorua. 

• Waiariki is hosting the annual New Zealand 

Association of Language Teachers 

conference July 1-4 and a French conference 

on July 5. 

PAGE 12 | 

Farm ownership in graduate’s future 

A Waiariki graduate has taken home 

two prestigious New Zealand Dairy 

Industry Awards. 

John Butterworth was named Central 

Plateau 2012 Sharemilker/Equity 

Farmer of the Year in April, and in 

May followed that with second place 

in the national awards, plus went home 

with two merit awards: the Honda 

Farm Safety and Health Award and 

DairyNZ Interview Award. 

John says the prizes, including a 

ride-on lawn mower and cash, are 

great but they are not the reason for 

entering the annual competition. 

The reward for him is showing that 

his business plans are well conceived 

and robust, and that he not only has 

a good track record with his business 

finances but also in areas such as 

management and animal health. 

The work that went into the 

application was rigorous but as a 

result of his efforts, the 25-year-old 

can now forecast that one of his longtime 

goals should be reached in just 

seven years. 

“Generally, there are some parts of 

your business where you might not 

plan or go into in-depth, but this 

process makes you, so you’ve really 

got to get into it. That’s the best part 

that I liked. 

“Now I have a plan laid out for the 

future. It’s given me a huge amount 

of confidence and something to aim 

for: farm ownership. Because I’ve 

done that work, the budgets are now 

looking like 2019 is the dream, so it 

gives me something to look forward 

to. All the work I’m doing now, all 

the long hours, it’s going to pay off. 

It’s awesome.” 

John began his studies through 

AgITO at Waiariki when he was 19, 

earning the National Diploma in 

Waiariki has given students more 

reason to study locally following the 

purchase of the neighbouring Rotorua 

Thermal Holiday Park business. 

Waiariki’s acting chief executive Keith 

Ikin said the tertiary institute had been 

interested in providing an opportunity 

for quality affordable student 

accommodation for some time. 

John Butterworth with his Central Plateau 2012 Sharemilker/Equity 

Farmer of the Year Award. 

Agribusiness Management in 2009. 

He recalls knowing his future career 

path while still quite young, following 

in his father’s footsteps. 

“I can remember being around 8 or 9, 

in school, doing a poster and it had 

everything about owning my own 

farm. It’s natural, I was always going 

to be a farmer.” 

He continues to live in Mamaku 

where he grew up and sharemilks 

550 cows on 179 effective hectares in 

Mamaku for his parents, farm owners 

Jack and Shelley Butterworth. What 

this means is that John owns the 

cows and machinery and manages the 

farm. He has two employees, one of 

which is also a Waiariki graduate. The 

farm owners and John equally share 

the operational costs of the farm and 

Holiday park adds to student opportunity 

“Having our own hostel is hard to 

value. As a regional polytechnic our 

ability to serve our region as a whole 

has significantly increased with 

students from Tokoroa, Whakatane 

or Taupo now able to move to 

Mokoia to continue their studies,” 

Mr Ikin said. 

Rotorua Thermal Holiday Park, at 

Waiariki held a barbeque lunch and meet-and-greet for the institute’s 

newest colleagues at the neighbouring motor camp staff. 

roughly 12ha, currently has a range of 

accommodation in the form of cabins, 

flats and two-storey lodge with 

around 300 beds. 

The handover date was May 15 and 

the site is immediately adjacent to 

Waiariki’s Mokoia Campus on Old 

Taupo Road. 

It is believed the accommodation 

option so near to the main campus 

with relatively easy access to Rotorua 

central business district and increased 

campus green space will enhance the 

learning environment for all students. 

While the business and operational 

model is still to be formalised, Mr 

Ikin said the site had a large land 

area and some good facilities and 

supporting amenities (including 

swimming pool and accommodation 

blocks) which made it a very 

attractive site. 

“We will be looking to invest in 

upgrading the site but we want to take 

our time and ensure that we get the 

best benefit from it,” Mr Ikin said. 

Waiariki Today www.waiariki.ac.nz 

Photo courtesy of new Zealand Dairy Industry Awards 

receive 50 per cent of the milk cheque. 

John says owning his own farm 

“would be the pinnacle of my 

career.” He looks forward to making 

decisions without having to consult 

with partners, and to taking on the 

responsibilities and challenges that 

having sole charge of the business 

would present. 

He told AgITO, “Learning to deal 

with the issues that arise within a 

farming business would keep me 

challenged. All that I have learnt 

during my sharemilking years I can 

put into practice as an individual 

rather than having to answer to a 

second party.” 

Another bonus, he says, will be a 

bigger income. “The WHOLE milk 

cheque, not half!!!”

New technology for journalism students 

Rotorua Boys’ High School students thought Waiariki’s new journalism equipment was a real hit at the recent 

Rotorua Careers Expo. 

More than $50,000 has been spent 

on new equipment that will give 

Waiariki’s journalism students 

hands-on experience with the current 

technology used in the industry. 

While the curriculum for this new 

equipment is yet to be finalised, 

students are already getting familiar 

with the set up, use and take down 

of the cameras, lights, microphones, 

green screen and the myriad cords 

that link it all to a system (software 

and hardware) that records whatever 

they’re working on. 

“It’s essentially a portable studio, 

it takes what would take up three 

rooms’ worth of filming and editing 

equipment and put it into a large box,” 

says Leon Thomas, contract lecturer at 

Waiariki and multimedia designer. 

“The new studio equipment will 

provide the practical experience 

students need. Previously, there was 

no practical experience, just theory, 

as all equipment was basic but not 

industry standard. Now they’ll be up 

to speed technologically.” 

The NewTek TriCaster is the system 

that records the interviews or 

newscasts that students set up. It also 

has an editing program, Premiere, that 

can be used for edits on the go. 

“It’s definitely becoming the norm 

now,” Mr Thomas says. “In the 

last four years systems like this are 

coming out. This one is primarily 

made for schools.” 

Mr Thomas has been contracting 

for Waiariki for the past three years, 

teaching 3-D, computer-aided design 

(CAD) and digital photography. 

He brings a wealth of knowledge 

and experience to the classroom, 

has an extensive background in the 

film industry and has worked in 

Wellington with Peter Jackson on 

More than 25 years teaching English 

Noeline Lewis (centre, in blue) with a class of international students 

studying English. 

For more than a quarter of a century, 

Waiariki has been the go-to institute 

for people who want to learn English 

if English is not their first language. 

To date, more than 3,500 students 

have come from at least 50 countries 

to learn or improve their English 

speaking, pronunciation, listening and 

writing skills. 

Waiariki’s first overseas student was 

Nicole Oschger, who came from 

South Africa in 1986 and studied 

English before enrolling on a hotel 

reception course. 

A year later, the next international 

student arrived. This one came from 

Japan and, interestingly, she enrolled 

on a Japanese course in order to meet 

New Zealanders who were interested 

in Japanese. 

This was Noeline Lewis’ second year 

teaching at Waiariki and she recalls, 

“It was the best thing for me as I got 

used to having experts in my class 

while I was teaching!” 

A full-time Japanese programme ran 

several movies. 

“Now we can teach work flow and 

techniques that students can apply in a 

real-world situation. This is a massive 

step forward for the polytech and 

especially the journalism students. 

“The three rooms that are contained in 

this box represent what the students 

will be doing on the job. The big thing 

here is that this is the studio part, the 

live broadcast side of television. As far 

as this system goes, we can do both – 

live recording and transmitting – we 

could create a production live, a realworld 

work flow that is relevant to 

what they’ll do on the job.” 

While the curriculum is being 

developed, Waiariki is also looking 

to create a recording studio for 

permanent set up of some of the 

equipment, similar to the live radio 

studio already on campus. 

from 1992 to 2001. Ada Chen, now a 

Waiariki employee interim directing 

the International Centre, was top 

student 2001. 

In 1994, the Certificate in English 

was introduced at Waiariki and 

started with one tutor and three 

Japanese students. There were also 

groups of Japanese students joining 

the programme for two to three 

weeks each year during the first years. 

Student numbers – and the countries 

represented – have continued to grow 

ever since and the Waiariki campus 

has welcomed people from China, 

Thailand, Philippines, Korea, India, 

Bangladesh, Nepal, Chile, Fiji, Samoa, 

Cook Islands, French Polynesia, various 

African countries, and so many more. 

Wanting to provide more services to 

our international students, Waiariki 

became an official International 

English Language Testing System 

(IELTS) site in the late 1990s. 

Students’ level of English proficiency 

is tested upon arrival to determine 

at which level to begin their studies. 

They can also use the test to provide 

proof of proficiency to meet study 

requirements for mainstream 

qualifications at Waiariki and other 

tertiary providers. 

Night with a 

Dame a chance of 

a lifetime 

When Dame Kiri Te Kanawa returned to the 

stage at Rotorua Convention Centre and 

thanked the crowd with her signature song 

Pokarekare Ana, a once-in-a-lifetime occasion 

for many was complete. 

Dame Kiri performed her one-off New Zealand 

concert with New Zealand tenor Ben Makisi and 

pianist Terence Dennis and it was an evening 

of glitz and glamour as Rotorua locals and 

people from further afield turned out for the 

black tie event. 

Among the audience were Waiariki and The 

Daily Post competition winners, mother and 

daughter Pauline and Olive Bushett. 

“I really loved the last song – and I want her 

dress!” 16-year-old Olive told The Daily Post on 

the night. 

Olive is an aspiring singer who sang Pokarekare 

Ana at her uncle’s wedding when she was just 

eight years old. 

Pauline had hoped the opportunity would renew 

Olive’s interest in singing following the death of 

her brother Tima in January. 

Olive sings classical and other styles and 

performs in two choirs at her high school, 

Western Heights. 

She’s also been involved in other musical 

ventures at the school but hadn’t been singing 

since her brother’s death. 

Dame Kiri certainly seems to have sparked 

something with Olive, one of many Rotorua 

hopefuls who turned out for the New Zealand’s 

Got Talent Rotorua auditions in late May. 

Waiariki Academy of Music and Singing 

students also took part in the auditions. 

The programme, hosted by broadcaster Tamati 

Coffey, will air later in the year. We will then 

find out just how far any Rotorua talent goes 

up against the rest of New Zealand. 

As part of further sponsorship, Waiariki Academy 

of Music and Singing manager Richard Anaru 

will offer an appropriate academy scholarship to 

Rotorua’s best-performing hopeful. 

Pauline Bushett (right) was the lucky winner of two 

tickets to Dame Kiri Te Kanawa’s recent concert 

sponsored by Waiariki. Ms Bushett brought along her 

daughter Olive, who is an avid singer. 


PAGE 13

Stepping Stones Working in partnership for youth 

PAGE 14 | 

Friday, August 10 

Join us for OPEN DAY at Waiariki 

9.00am – 2.00pm 

Waiariki Institute of Technology 

Mokoia Campus, Rotorua 

Waiariki Expo 

Hundreds of secondary students flocked to the Rotorua Careers 

Expo in May to learn more about their tertiary study options. 

Waiariki commits to closer working with 

Bay of Plenty principals 

A new senior student curriculum and other initiatives 

could result as Waiariki works more closely with 

secondary schools. 

Waiariki is now a gold sponsor of the Bay of Plenty 

Principals Association (BOPPA), opening up the 

opportunity for both secondary and tertiary education 

providers to focus on best practices for the students’ 

sake with regards to their education pathways. 

The association includes principals from all secondary 

schools in the Bay of Plenty region, as well as those 

from Matamata, Waihi, Gisborne, Tokoroa and Putaruru 

who attend the four networking and professional 

development conferences that occur annually. 

The aim of the sponsorship is to create an environment 

that enables the development of new secondary and 

tertiary alignment initiatives throughout the region. 

Waiariki acting chief executive Keith Ikin spoke at the 

association’s conference in Rotorua recently. 

Mr Ikin said it was in the interest of the wider 

community that secondary schools and tertiary 

providers work closer together for student success and 

a seamless transition from secondary to tertiary. 

Waiariki has already worked in partnership with 

secondary schools to establish a trades academy in the 

Eastern Bay of Plenty and is currently in talks for a 

similar venture in Rotorua. 

Rosemary Johnson is the Waiariki trades academy 

development manager who is driving these initiatives. 

“It’s ensuring the students are engaged in education and 

learning,” she says, “and that we are all contributing to 

senior student achievement. 

“We also see this sponsorship as providing the 

opportunity for partnering on the alignment of 

our curriculum, possibly creating a senior student 

curriculum and linking the trades academy from the 

secondary school so we don’t have conflicts in what the 

students are learning, or gaps that may exist between 

the two levels of study.” 

Waiariki also plans to establish an advisory committee 

with representative principals from Taupo, Tokoroa, 

Whakatane and Rotorua who will discuss these topics 

as well as responses to government policy and additional 

opportunities to ensure ongoing engagement and success. 

Important 

Date! 

A day for high school students, teachers and career 

advisors to learn more about Waiariki 

Trades academy for 

Rotorua 

A trades academy for Rotorua is a must according to 

Waiariki acting chief executive Keith Ikin. 

“It’s a no brainer, really. Meeting the needs of youth 

transitioning from school and ensuring they have the 

opportunities sits in behind our bid to have a trades 

academy in Rotorua,” he says. 

Based on the institute’s hugely successful model 

operating in Whakatane, Waiariki is keen to partner 

with Rotorua secondary schools ahead of 2013 for an 

academy offering locally. 

Rosemary Johnson, former manager of Waiariki’s 

Whakatane campus, has been seconded to work with 

stakeholders, partners and government on the proposal 

for the new academy. 

Waiariki would work in partnership with schools and 

take a win-win approach says Mr Ikin. 

“We work with the schools to agree who from within the 

schools becomes an academy member. There are also clear 

expectations around the behaviour of academy students.” 

Mr Ikin believes the reason the Whakatane academy 

has been successful is simple. 

“For some of these kids they just needed a change of 

environment. The change from a school environment to a 

tertiary environment is enough to kick-start their learning. 

“Waiariki’s relationships with the schools are critical 

for success of the academy,” he says. “I believe a trades 

academy based here in Rotorua will have a significant 

impact on youth and their transition from school to 

tertiary learning. 

“If we can get young people into tertiary learning 

sooner after secondary school then they benefit from 

those qualifications for a much longer period of time.” 

Many employers in the trades sector have an aging 

workforce. Pairing that situation with the planned 

rebuild of Christchurch, it is predicted there will be 

significant work opportunities for trades people in 

the future. 


Waiariki Academy of Sport 

Flying the Waiariki flag in London 

Waiariki will have three representatives at 

this year’s Olympic Games in London. 

Both Mike Dawson and Luuka Jones 

are foundation athletes of the Waiariki 

Academy of Sport and will represent New 

Zealand in canoe slalom. 

Academy founder Jane Borren has also 

recently had her Olympic accreditation 

signed off by the New Zealand Olympic 

Committee to support Luuka and Mike. 

This is just reward for the initiative, drive 

and total commitment Ms Borren had in 

establishing a first class academy. 

We are immensely proud of their 

achievement and hope that you get in 

Sloan Cox, rally driver 

behind them with plenty of support as 

they fly the Waiariki flag on the ultimate 

sporting stage! 

The canoe slalom competition will run from 

July 29 to August 2 (London time) on the 

Lee Valley White Water Centre located 

30km north of the Olympic Park. The 

centre has two separate courses: a 300m 

Olympic-standard competition course with 

a 5.5m descent, and a 160m intermediate/ 

training course with a 1.6m descent. 

In between times Luuka and Mike will 

contest World Cup events in France and 

Spain respectively and if their recent form 

at the Slovak Cup in Bratislava is anything 

to go by they are both on track to perform 

with distinction. 

Follow Luuka and Mike’s progress on their 

websites and the academy’s Facebook page: 

• www.mikedawson.co.nz 

• www.luukajones.com 

• http://www.facebook.com/WAOS.NZL 

Also check out the London Olympics 

website for more competition details: 

• http://www.london2012.com 

The International Canoe Federation’s 

website has more details about canoe slalom: 

• http://www.canoeicf.com 

Highlights to date Maintaining the form and results from 2011, Waiariki athletes are performing with distinction both on and off shore. 

• In the Teva Extreme Mountain Games 

Steep Creek Championship in Colorado, 

Mike Dawson took out the race (his 

second year running) with Sam Sutton 

in third. Lou Jull was runner up in the 

women’s race. Kiwi-Waiariki domination 

at its best 

• Extreme kayaker Sam Sutton recently 

paddled the Untouchables, an extremely 

On the radar 

• The brother and sister team, Sloan and 

Tarryn Cox, will contest the New Zealand 

Rally Championships 

• Erena Mikaere and the Waikato/BOP 

Magic will compete in the ANZ 

Netball Championship 

• Plus much more – stayed tuned to our 

Facebook page 

dangerous section of whitewater in 

California that has never been paddled 

before (hence the name) 

• Golfers William Brown and Landyn 

Edwards finished first and second in the 

Rarotongan International Golf Open, with 

William winning by an amazing 12 shots 

• Samara Sheppard achieved a podium 

Iori Morley, archery 

We have been doing some work with our 

branding as well as upgrading equipment 

in our soon-to-be-rededicated performance 

centre. This will further enhance our profile 

and ability to deliver world-class support to 

Waiariki and local athletes. 

We also very proud to annouce that Red 

Stag will continue to sponsor our mountain 

finish in the fourth round of the UCI 

Mountain Bike World Championships 

in France, backing up her 4th place at the 

Novo Mestro Mountain Bike World Cup 

(U23 Womens Cross Country) in the 

Czech Republic in May 

• Matthew Tew competed at the UCI 

BMX World Championships in 

Chantelle Cassidy, golfer 

bike squad for another 12 months, enabling 

us to take our programme to the next level 

with the introduction of SRM powermeters. 

Our programme is commited to 

remaining at the forefront on mountain 

biking in New Zealand and to consolidate 

Rotorua as the home of high performance 

mountain biking. We couldn’t get to the 

required level without Red Stag’s support. 

Luuka Jones and Mike Dawson 

Birmingham, England 

• Chantelle Cassidy, as part of the New 

Zealand Women’s Golf Team, placed 

2nd in the Queen Sirikit Tournament 

in Singapore 

• Chantelle has been selected to the New 

Zealand Golf Academy and is now the 

third ranked amatuer golfer in the country 

Carl Jones, mountain biker 

Training Peaks has also come aboard to 

support our athletes with online training 

programmes and monitoring. This is the 

pre-eminent piece of training software 

which enables us to streamline our services, 

and being web based enables us to provide 

support to our athletes where ever they are 

in the world. 


PAGE 15

nEW ZEAlAnD 

nEEDS 

YOU! 

The huge rebuild in Canterbury will lead to heaps of well-paid jobs across the country. 

Get ready now for these jobs that will be available in 2014. 

Get your ticket from Waiariki to make the big money. 

YOUR 

STORY 

BEGInS 

HERE 

HURRY! SEmESTER 2 

BEGInS JUlY 16 

Begin your story with Waiariki and study toward a highly 

recognised and sought after qualification. More than 120 

qualifications are available, many with online and distance 

study options. Upskill or gain new skills when you study toward 

a certificate, diploma, degree or postgraduate qualification. 

Places are limited, enrol today. 

FREE FEES FOR 

sCHOOL LeAVeRs! 

(Conditions apply) 

TAKE THE fIRST STEP... EnROl nOW 

0800 924 274 www.waiariki.ac.nz

Issue 17 • June 2012 - Waiariki Institute of Technology

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?