Aoraki study awards open to secondary students

Release: Immediate
Date: June 9, 2009

Aoraki study awards open to the country’s secondary school students

Every secondary school in the country is again being given the opportunity to select three of its students for an Aoraki Polytechnic study award, entitling them to heavily discounted fees on tuition at any one of the institution’s five Central South Island campuses.

The eagerly awaited study initiative has been widely welcomed in previous years among the nation’s secondary school leavers, who have been rewarded for their ability and interest in key programme areas.

Aoraki Polytechnic Operations Manager Ben Lee said the nation’s secondary schools could again select up to three students at their own discretion to receive the polytechnic’s Secondary School Study Awards providing a wide range of study options at Aoraki next year at a fee reduced by as much as $1500.

“The programmes selected have been targeted to equip students with skills they need for employment in specific areas in a challenging economy.

“These programmes have great outcomes for the students, with employers keen to offer our graduates employment,” Mr Lee said.

Students nominated for a secondary school study award would still need to meet Aoraki Polytechnic’s normal entry criteria and be subject to an interview before being accepted on the programme, he said.

Aoraki Polytechnic Careers Advisor Adrienne Barton said the initiative had proved extremely popular and would be continued into 2010. This meant secondary school students could choose from 14 discounted programmes and if nominated by their school, 11 further programmes to study at a discounted tuition fee.

“Secondary schools appreciate the nature of the study award programme offered by Aoraki which gives them the opportunity to select students and encourage them into tertiary study,” Ms Barton said.

“Each school was in charge of how they allocated their own study award,” she said, “with some conducting an in-house selection process for the three awards.”

Also available to the wider community were a range of free and discounted tuition fee programmes designed to make ongoing education and training at a tertiary level available to all New Zealanders.

Mr Lee said Aoraki Polytechnic placed emphasis on accessibility to training for all, and the concession and free training packages included help in getting started with computers and training programmes in the areas of life skills, parenting, or owning your own business.

Mr Lee said the free programmes also included a pre-trade electrical course – “a great qualification for those wanting to work in electro-technology”.

Programmes selected for discounted tuition fee concessions for 2010 on the Timaru campus included popular courses in practical areas such as the trades, cookery, hospitality, early childhood and art. There were also courses available at reduced rates in areas associated with mental health training.

ENDS

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