Issue 17 • June 2012 - Waiariki Institute of Technology

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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 Today www.waiariki.ac.nz
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. 0800 924 274 Waiariki Today | PAGE 15
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 and 10: Sustain Waiariki By Steve Chadwick
Page 11 and 12: Waiariki provides doctors to Rotoru
Page 13: New technology for journalism stude

Issue 17 • June 2012 - Waiariki Institute of Technology

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