MEDIA RELEASE

Investing In Waikato’s Vocational Education Future

18 March 2019 – There was excitement in central Hamilton today, as the new NZMA Campus was officially launched by the Mayor of Hamilton, Andrew King. Already 750 students are on the campus studying programmes in hospitality, cookery, business, retail, contact centre, early childhood education, health, pharmacy and floristry.

The Mayor of Hamilton, Andrew King said, “This is excellent news for our city. Here is an organisation that sees the benefit in investing in Hamilton and the community. NZMA is an important training provider for people looking for study options with targeted support and understanding”.

New Zealand Management Academy (NZMA) firmly believes in changing people’s lives through education. And having been in the Waikato region for over a decade as the largest PTE offering a range of programmes, the opportunity arose this year to create a purpose-built facility for students and staff.

With approximately 60% of students arriving as beneficiaries, 40% with no NCEA, and many who need extra support to make the transition to study and employment, NZMA have built a brand new campus which will attract and retain students.

NZMA Chief Executive Officer, Mark Worsop said, “We see our campus in Hamilton as being a very important magnet for high priority learners in the community who can be inspired to learn and then find a job. Once a student enrols with NZMA, they have a responsibility to follow through on their commitment, but we as an organisation also have a responsibility to commit to providing the support and the environment which will enable them to be successful”.

The campus is designed to ensure teaching environments are conducive to hands-on and active learning. So the rooms are sized and configured to best meet tutor, staff and student needs. Features include:

• State-of-art student café/restaurant/bar classroom spaces designed such that they can be opened up for internal events/functions
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• Purpose-built facilities including barista class, retail class, floristry and pharmacy labs, in addition to nine traditional classroom spaces
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• A mezzanine floor with two spacious commercial training kitchens
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• Internal lightwell to bring natural light into the centre of the building
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• The site is in the proximity of public transport options and bicycle parking has been provided to encourage alternate means of transport to site.
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NZMA is working closely with the Waikato-Tainui to develop programmes and employment pathways through the Iwi to jointly identify tertiary education goals and support broader cultural, social and economic aspirations. The Waikato-Tainui will provide a cohort of learners and pastoral support, and NZMA will provide the programmes and qualifications.

The Campus will also host an increasing number of international students in a range of programmes, bringing economic benefit to the Hamilton region. Recent changes to post study work visas have made Hamilton an attractive option for international students.

Mark continued, “The aim is to empower our students to achieve their goals, become role models within their communities, and to transition to sustainable employment. The opportunity is to blend the best teaching and learning practices with the cultural leadership and manaaki of Waikato-Tainui and other key stakeholders. It’s an exciting time for NZMA and the Waikato community. We are so proud of the facility we are building to share with the community, and really feel positive about the impact it will have.”

ENDS

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