Vocational tertiary education creates fire in the belly

Great vocational tertiary education creates fire in the belly

I made that first step. I enrolled.... Then walked into my first (Whitireia polytechnic) class... It was amazing. Everything about it fit... The fire in my belly, the ambition, the drive I had when I was young burst back into flame. I started thinking seriously about where I wanted to go and what I really wanted to do in life."

Scott Giles, graduating with a Bachelor of Applied Business Studies, addressed his fellow polytechnic graduands at the Whitireia degree graduation ceremony in Porirua last week (Thursday 24 March).

Practical, applied or vocational qualifications include academic topics and up to date industry experiences. Polytechnic qualifications like the Bachelor of Applied Business Studies are strong tools for learning and applying theories.

"Study was hard - really hard. Some of my classmates think my marks came easily to me - they didn't," says Giles. " I studied all the time. Even when I didn't have my nose stuck in a book or trawling the net for academic references, I was writing reports and essays in my head, or applying management and work theories to real life situations. I was doing it for myself. It was me building a future for myself and my family."

Industry advisors sit alongside the qualifications, advising on programme content and work place needs. Large work place projects often feature as the capstone course in a qualification.

"The most difficult part of my entire degree was the last half of the last year," says Giles. " I was given a difficult and gigantic industry project which tested me to my limits - physically and mentally because there was my course work as well.. .But I got through it all. The industry project was a success and I finished."

Scott Giles' speech echoed many students' experience of focussing their professional directions through polytechnic qualifications. "I think I suddenly grew up and realised I had to make decisions and not let outside influences control my destiny," he says.

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