Waikato Business News August/September 2023

4 WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS, AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023
SWIFT launches $50,000 scholarship scheme
South Waikato Investment Fund Trust (SWIFT) has launched a
$50,000 scholarship scheme to help South Waikato residents
of all ages with their tertiary education.
SWIFT chief executive
Amanda Hema says
applicants who are not
eligible for the Government’s
fees free programme may
receive up to $5,000 ($1,000
for course related costs and
$4,000 for study fees). People
who are eligible for the Government’s
fees free programme
may receive up to $1,000 for
course related costs in their
first year.
The scholarship programme
is not only for school leavers.
“SWIFT endorses ‘whole of
life’ education and welcomes
Hema says the
scholarship scheme has
been designed as part
of the trust’s purpose
to create educational
initiatives in the South
Waikato district
applicants who are in employment
looking to upskill and or
members of the community
who are looking to reintegrate
into the job market by upskilling
or gain employment in
another industry sector,” Hema
says.
The scholarships are open
to returning applicants as constant
upskilling and development
is encouraged.
“The scholarships won’t be a
‘one and done’. If an individual
continues to study beyond their
first tertiary qualification or for
extended years beyond their
programme, they can
apply each year.
“All applicants are
welcome and we would
especially love to hear
from people who are
the first in their family
to undertake tertiary
education because we
can refer them to other
organisations which
can assist financially
or advise on enrolment
in their chosen
Amanda Hema
field. Qualifications that help
the applicant to gain employment
in South Waikato will be
prioritised.”
Hema says the scholarship
scheme has been designed as
part of the trust’s purpose to
create educational initiatives
in the South Waikato district
and will run for five years from
2024 to 2028.
“Additional support beyond
financial scholarships is
deemed essential for all applicants
and we also believe it is
important to create scholarship
cohorts. A pastoral care
programme and support is
expected to be developed with
potential partners over time.”
SWIFT’s preferred tertiary
providers for the scholarships
are Toi Ohomai Te Pukenga
or University of Waikato. Te
Wānanga o Aotearoa and Open
Polytech are also recognised as
potential providers.
“This is because Toi Ohomai
Te Pukenga Tokoroa Campus
is easier to access for people
within South Waikato District
and the Waikato University
provides transportation to its
Hamilton Campus.”
Applications for the scholarships
are open until Tuesday,
October 31 and can be made at
swift.org.nz/scholarship.
Successful applicants will
be announced on Saturday,
November 18 at the first public
open day for Pukenga Rau, the
South Waikato Trades Training
Centre.
Championing our stars of regenerative tourism
In late September we
launched an initiative to
shine a light on regenerative
tourism’s potential to
transform Waikato communities,
the environment and the
visitor experience for the better.
Titled ‘Tiaki in Waitomo’,
the programme explores the
stories of tourism operators in
and around Waitomo Village
to showcase the steps many
of them are taking to make
sure the experiences they offer
actively contribute to the community
and environment.
While this care for people
and place has been ingrained
in their businesses for a long
time, their efforts are part of a
growing movement underway
across our industry, and their
stories – told through engaging
personal videos and case studies
– aim to inspire other tourism
businesses to consider ways
they can be even more of a force
for good.
This shift towards sustainability
and a regenerative
approach, where tourism businesses
actively contribute to the
community and environment,
is more important than ever as
we head into a summer period
that promises to be one of our
busiest for years. Kiwis will be
travelling around our country
for their Christmas/New Years
holidays and Statistics New
Zealand data shows monthly
international visitor numbers
are now sitting at more than
80 per cent of 2019 pre-Covid
numbers.
I’m unashamedly biased,
TELLING
WAIKATO’S STORY
BY NICOLA GREENWELL
Chief executive, Hamilton &
Waikato Tourism
but I think the videos and stories
created as part of the project
are incredibly heartwarming.
From riparian planting
and the use of solar panels for
energy generation to pest control
and an unwavering focus
on employing and selling local,
there are fantastic activities
happening in Waitomo that are
both inspiring for manuhiri and
that other tourism businesses
can learn from and integrate
easily into their own operations.
The efforts of operators and
the Waitomo community are
having an impact too – locals
are reporting more native
birdlife and environmental
monitoring is showing cleaner
waterways, healthier caves and
more abundant glowworms.
Developed in collaboration
with Waitomo District Council,
the Department of Conservation,
isite representatives and
local tourism businesses, these
operator stories provide the
‘wow factor’ for the launch but
our work with these partners
also takes a wider holistic view.
Working together, we’ve
run workshops with operators
regarding Tiaki, worked with
individuals on initiatives within
their own businesses and set the
wheels in motion for Tiaki signage
across the Waitomo district.
Alongside our Waitomo
operators we are sharing the
Tiaki messages through our
channels, digital platforms and
onsite in their places of business
to help educate manuhiri/
visitors about the part they also
play in caring for our people
and place
We’re incredibly proud of
Tiaki in Waitomo and we can’t
wait to see where it goes. Over
the next few months we will
work closely with like-minded
industry bodies including Tourism
New Zealand, Waitomo
District Council, Department
of Conservation, iwi, tourism
operators, media and others to
share these fantastic Tiaki in
Waitomo stories far and wide.
We hope to continue to grow
the Tiaki in Waitomo concept
Our team
DESIGNER
Kelly Gillespie
kelly@dpmedia.co.nz
DESIGNER
Warren Gilberston
design@dpmedia.co.nz
EDITORIAL
Janine Jackson
editor@dpmedia.co.nz
ADVERTISING
MANAGER
Joanne Poole
Ph: (07) 838 1333
Mob: (021) 507 991
joanne@dpmedia.co.nz
in the year ahead and, funding
permitting, hopefully replicate
it in other Waikato communities.
In doing so, we will bring
the fantastic mahi being done
by our local tourism operators
into the light and enable sharing
of knowledge about how we
as an industry can help rise the
regenerative tourism tide for
the benefit of our region.
PUBLISHER
Deidre Morris
Ph: (07) 838 1333
Mob: 028 437 5623
deidre@dpmedia.co.nz
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