Construction students benefit from collaboration

Media Release: Immediate

Date: 23 August 2010

Taranaki construction students to benefit from WITT and Open Polytechnic collaboration

From next year Taranaki students who are interested in a construction career will be able to access a wider range of qualifications thanks to a collaboration agreement between the Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki (WITT) and distance learning provider the Open Polytechnic.

From 2011 WITT will be offering a Diploma of Construction that will prepare graduates for a career in the construction and building industry.

Graduates of the WITT programme will be able to articulate into any of three construction related diplomas – the National Diploma in Construction Management, the National Diploma in Architectural Technology or the National Diploma in Quantity Surveying - offered by distance learning with the Open Polytechnic.

As part of the collaboration agreement students will receive course materials and tutor support from the Open Polytechnic, while still being able to access additional WITT tutorial support, library and computer access and classroom facilities.

The agreement is the latest in a round of partnerships WITT has formed with polytechnics and universities around New Zealand to ensure they are able to service the education needs of the Taranaki region in the best way possible.

“Partnerships with specialist educational providers are a critical component of WITT’s strategy to meet more of the wide and varied educational needs of Taranaki in Taranaki.” says WITT Chief Executive Richard Handley. “Innovative solutions like these give Taranaki greater choice and access to tertiary learning without the need for learners to leave the region.”

Open Polytechnic Chief Executive Dr Caroline Seelig says she is delighted that the two institutions have been able to collaborate for the benefit of local students, industry and business.

“As a national provider of flexible distance learning the Open Polytechnic is a natural fit to partner with regional polytechnics who need access to a wider range of vocationally applicable courses and qualifications.”

“WITT construction students who decide to enrol with the Open Polytechnic will be able to choose full or part-time study, which means they can continue to work towards their qualification while also being able to seek work in their field of interest.”

Anyone interested in finding out more about the construction diploma offering will be able to talk to tutors at the upcoming Careers Expo being held in Taranaki at the end of August.

ENDS

About WITT

The Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki (WITT) is a quality Government-owned tertiary education institution enrolling around 6,000 students each year in courses from certificate to degree level across a wide range of areas, including Business, Nursing, Hospitality, Māori, Humanities, Media, Art, Electrical, Engineering, Automotive, Welding, Carpentry, Architecture, Computing, Hairdressing, Fashion, Beauty Therapy, Early Childhood Education and Agriculture.

WITT's main campus is in New Plymouth, on the west coast of New Zealand's North Island. WITT focuses its courses particularly on vocational outcomes, and seeks to ensure that graduates are able to enter the workforce successfully or to advance their careers through further education or training.

Website: www.witt.ac.nz

About Open Polytechnic

The Open Polytechnic is New Zealand’s specialist provider of open and distance learning, enrolling around 25,000 part-time students per year. The majority of students are adult learners combining work and study, making the Open Polytechnic one of New Zealand’s major educators of people in the workforce.

Website: www.openpolytechnic.ac.nz