Waiariki Institute of Technology is 30 years old
For Immediate Release:
Waiariki Institute of
Technology is 30 years old this month and lots of
events
are taking place to celebrate.
Did you know...
* That Waiariki opened its doors in 1977 as two
humble buildings
located on the campus of Rotorua Boys'
High School. We taught carpentry
and automotive
engineering.
* These two buildings were the very first
buildings ever built
specifically for tertiary education
purposes in Rotorua in 1972 and
they're still with us 36
years later (now on the Mokoia Campus as part
of B
Block).
* Mokoia Campus started as three buildings (A
Block, B Block and
the former caretaker's residence). Now
we're busting at the seams!
* Our records show that on 1
April 1978, Waiariki had 18 staff
members on the payroll.
Today we have nearly 300 employees.
* The Mokoia Campus
was originally heated geothermally and the
(now sealed)
bore is still at the Old Taupo Road gate.
* The first
certificates were offered across all subjects in
1978,
the first diploma in business management also in
1978, and the very
first degree (Bachelor of Tourism
Management) was awarded to Shawna
McKinley in 1996.
* We've had seven CEOs prior to the arrival of our
current CEO, Dr
Pim Borren who joined us in early
2006.
Celebrations will take place on the Mokoia Campus on
Friday, July 25,
starting at 1pm.
The day's
events will include a pohiri and speeches, staff
sausage
sizzles, campus tours, and a Grand Opening
ceremony of the new
state-of-the-art Waiariki National
Centre of Excellence for the Forest
and Wood Industry.
The Hon. Steve Chadwick will be here for the
official
opening of this beautiful new building which
staff fondly referred to as
the "Tree House".
ends