Bay of Plenty Polytechnic to offer Civil Engineering course

Bay of Plenty Polytechnic to offer Civil Engineering course

Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce recently announced that provision had been made for 1000 extra places for engineering students at universities and polytechnics in 2013 to help address the shortage of engineers in New Zealand.

Responding to this call and in conjunction with local industry, Bay of Plenty Polytechnic will be offering a new NZ Diploma in Engineering (Civil) in 2013.

Paul Roberts, Group Leader of Engineering, says the civil engineering diploma is a natural addition to the existing mechanical and electrical engineering courses the Polytechnic provides. Bay of Plenty Polytechnic is one of only a few educational institutes in New Zealand to offer all three engineering diplomas.

“There is huge demand for civil technicians and engineers in the Bay of Plenty due to the rapid growth of the region and the associated need to upgrade infrastructure such as roads and bridges,” says Paul.

The Diploma is very diverse, offering a solid understanding of design principles and the technical knowledge of engineering. Civil engineering technicians will often be the people responsible for ensuring the requirements of the designer are understood and met by the construction team. It’s a role that carries a high level of responsibility and with it, very good rates of pay.

Once the students graduate from the Diploma, they undertake three years of applied learning on the job, where they implement the theory that they have learned in the classroom. Diploma graduates may also wish to consider cross-crediting papers towards an Engineering degree with the University of Canterbury or the University of Auckland.

The Polytechnic’s engineering diplomas are highly regarded in the industry, largely due to the fact that there is such strong input from industry leaders and IPENZ (Institute of Professional Engineers in New Zealand). Every quarter the national committee meets to discuss and agree on the content for the course(s), with the emphasis on keeping them relevant to the engineering profession.

“Managers from high profile companies often come and talk to our classes,” says Paul. “There’s always demand out there for graduates and the high achievers are often snapped up as they leave the courses.”

The NZ Diploma in Engineering (Civil) Level 6 begins in February and is offered full-time as well as part-time for those who are already working.

www.boppoly.ac.nz

ENDS

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