Launch of One Stop Shop at new tertiary community

Launch of One Stop Shop at new tertiary education community

People in the Whanganui region will soon have a unique way to map out the best study route to their chosen careers.

The new One Stop Shop resource is part of a ground-breaking education pilot based at Wanganui’s new tertiary education campus Matapihi ki te Ao and is the first exciting step in a new concept for tertiary education in New Zealand. The resource provides information on tertiary study options in the region and links to other valuable support and industry information.

On Wednesday 17 September the Whanganui Tertiary Education Venture (WTECV) will launch the One Stop Shop initiative as a pilot at the Matapihi ki te Ao campus in Rutland Street . The pilot will also give up to 200 students at private tertiary education providers in the region access to UCOL facilities

It will be launched by the new chief executive of the Tertiary Education Commission, Professor Roy Sharp. Speakers will include Denise Scott-Lister, from Training For You, representing private training providers, and UCOL’s chief executive Paul McElroy.

WTECV is a partnership between the TEC, Whanganui UCOL and other tertiary education providers in the region, as well as support agencies, such as Career Services, Study Link and Work and Income New Zealand. The education community will be based at the new Matapihi ki te Ao campus in Rutland Street, opened by the Prime Minister Helen Clark in April this year.

The government is helping to fund the collaborative project, as a pilot that it hopes will lead to similar ventures in other parts of New Zealand.

The One Stop Shop pilot will allow up to 200 PTE students access to the UCOL Learning Hub (including computers and the Library) and other learning-related support services. Further students groups will be given access during 2009.

The initiative offers unique opportunities to tertiary education students (and future students) in the Whanganui region:

• Two state-of-the-art, touch screen kiosks (or portals) will allow access to a new website with information on more than 130 courses available within the Whanganui region. The portals contain links to tertiary education providers (both private and government-funded) and education-related agencies, ITO websites and highlight opportunities for students to pathway through training programmes and careers. The website includes a bi-lingual glossary of terms and is accessible from computers at any location.

• PTE students will have access to on-site health, counseling and other study-relevant services and external agencies. For the pilot, the government-funded StudyLink, Career Services, and Work and Income New Zealand will be represented on campus and available to all students.

• PTE students will have access to the Learning Hub at the campus, including the Library and computing resources.

• PTE students will be provided with an ID card and will gain access to other services available to UCOL students, including the free bus service.

• PTE tutors will gain access to available classroom space at the campus.

Denise Scott-Lister, Chairperson of the Wanganui Tertiary Education Association, says the One Stop Shop concept will assist in the creation of a united tertiary education community in the Whanganui region. “Staff and students will be able to access a greater range of resources and services to support their learning. The One Stop Shop will allow students to become more familiar with the UCOL environment and may encourage students to staircase to organisations such as UCOL for further training.”

Whanganui UCOL Principal Suzanne Frecklington says the launch is an important milestone towards creating a shared learning community that represents the region’s tertiary education providers. “We’re pleased to open up new opportunities for students by giving them tools to plan their study paths and their careers. We’re also looking forward to sharing our wonderful new facilities at Matapihi ki te Ao with a wider student group.”

When the Prime Minister Helen Clark opened the new campus in April, she noted that it was the first such educational centre in New Zealand and an important asset for the Whanganui region.

“The government has funded this project because it both guarantees the future of polytechnic education in Wanganui and provides for collaboration with other tertiary education organisations in the region, to provide the best possible study options for students and benefits for the community and business.” she said.

ENDS

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