Thursday 14 July 2011

EMBARGOED UNTIL 7 p.m. Thursday 14 July

UCOL supports Māori success with new Business award

UCOL is sponsoring a new award for Māori Business achievements in this year’s Westpac Manawatu Business Awards.

UCOL’s Director – Māori, Te Atawhai Mataira, says the Māori in Business Award confirms UCOL’s commitment to celebrating Māori success in the Manawatu region. “This award covers all areas of Māori business success, whether it is hospitality, design, engineering, computer technology, beauty, sport and exercise, or any other areas.

“We know that once people have completed a qualification they need continued support to succeed in business.”

UCOL’s Chief Executive Paul McElroy says the creation of the new award reflects initiatives underway at UCOL to further boost study success rates for Māori students. “No matter what they study at UCOL, a high number of our students will end up either in business or owning businesses. Celebrating business success shows them what can be achieved – what their hard work can turn into.”

The creation of the award also supports the Government’s desire, outlined in the Tertiary Education Strategy, to lift Māori students’ success rates, and the recent report by the Māori Economic Taskforce, aimed at the long term growth of Māori business, work force and communities.

“Our aim is to produce quality Māori graduates who are qualified academically and vocationally, with a strong, developing cultural foundation, as well as increasing our percentage of Māori students and improving successful completion rates,” Paul says. He notes that around 20 per cent of UCOL’s students identify as Māori, compared with 14 per cent in the general population.

After a pilot started in 2009, UCOL this year introduced its Raukura programme. It offers support and mentoring by newly appointed staff – “transformative coaches” - to a wide group of students at UCOL’s campuses, in the Manawatu, Whanganui and the Wairarapa. Te Atawhai describes the programme as holistic, “based on common Māori values and practices, applied in the whare tapa wha wellness model.

“We are committed to playing our part in helping Māori succeed, in business and in other professional areas, with a range of programmes for training and upskilling. Our Raukura initiative provides dedicated support structures and people who make a positive difference to Māori students and influence their chances of successful study outcomes.

“Another way that UCOL can provide support is to consult further with iwi on Māori aspirations for education and training in the region then work with them to provide for those aspirations.”

Nominations for the 2011 Westpac Manawatu Business Awards opened on Thursday 14 July with a launch evening.

ends

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