51 Whanganui secondary students jump start their careers

51 Whanganui secondary students jump start their careers

Whanganui secondary students have jumped at the chance to make a start on a tertiary qualification during 2013.

UCOL reports a big increase in students from Whanganui enrolled with its U-Skills Trades Academy for the year. U-Skills allows students to gain an industry recognised qualification while still studying for their NCEA at secondary school.

U-Skills manager Jacquie Phillips says 57 students from Whanganui secondary schools are spending one day a week doing tailored U-Skills programmes. Thirty eight young people are studying at UCOL’s Whanganui campus (Hospitality) or at partner school Wanganui City College (Construction).

The other 19 travel by bus one day a week to UCOL’s Palmerston North campus, on U-Skills programmes available there, including Retail (including Hair & Beauty), Automotive and Mechanical Engineering. Jacqui says all out-of-town students get free transport to the Palmerston North campus, in special buses each Friday. “Apart from the skills they’re learning on their programmes, there’s a special camaraderie on the buses – it’s an extra opportunity to swap study stories and learn from each other.”

She says the trades academy programmes – introduced by the government two years ago – give secondary students valuable experience of tertiary education which improves their chances of success when they go on to further study. “They have great options at the end of their U-Skills study year. While they’re with us, we help them to plan their future pathways. This may include staying at school, going onto further tertiary study or moving into employment or an apprenticeship. These are excellent ways forward for young people and also bring gains for employers and the local economy.”

U-Skills study is free, with no course fees, and no cost for course materials and transport. “The free transport in particular is great for Whanganui students who can take advantage of the programmes available in Palmerston North. It gives them plenty of options and opportunities,” she says. “They also have the advantage of the Construction programme offered at Wanganui City College.”

In total, the U-Skills Trades Academy has 190 students for 2013 from schools in the Central North Island. One hundred and twenty one of them are studying at UCOL’s Palmerston North campus, including 14 from the Wairarapa, 42 from Horowhenua, and 10 from the Rangitikei and the 26 students from Whanganui.

ENDS

© Scoop Media