Issue 17 • June 2012 - Waiariki Institute of Technology

More documents

Recommendations

Info

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 Rotorua campus 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 Today www.waiariki.ac.nz
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.” 0800 924 274 Waiariki Today | PAGE 11
Page 1 and 2: WAIARIKI TODAY fROm WAIARIKI TO lOn
Page 3 and 4: London calling for Waiariki Olympia
Page 5 and 6: Charity House partnership for a bet
Page 7 and 8: The pressure cooker to national suc
Page 9: Sustain Waiariki By Steve Chadwick
Page 13 and 14: New technology for journalism stude
Page 15 and 16: Waiariki Academy of Sport Flying th

Issue 17 • June 2012 - Waiariki Institute of Technology

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?