Whenua Kura abuzz with new opportunity

Whenua Kura abuzz with new opportunity

New apiary course added to suite of farming and land-based programmes for 2017.

Ngāi Tahu-led land-based initiative Whenua Kura is buzzing over the announcement of the Certificate of Apiculture (Level 3) on offer in 2017.

Whenua Kura Director-Kaiarahi Renata Hakiwai says one of the Ngāi Tahu aspirations is to establish Māori as leaders in agribusiness and this year a horticulture certificate and qualification in apiary will be added to the stable of popular qualifications.

New Zealand’s primary sector is dependent on healthy pollination of fruit, seed and nut crops for its survival. Beekeeping has an essential role to play in this process and a Certificate in Apiculture produces skilled and highly employable graduates.

There are also great opportunities for Māori in the beef, sheep, dairy, apiary and horticulture sectors. “Ngāi Tahu expects 300 students to graduate to employment in the farming sector over the next five to eight years, on top of the primary industry predictions of 50,000 by 2025 ” says Mr Hakiwai.

“For us it’s about diversifying options for students. They may start in agriculture but we see lots of potential for them to move into other primary industry sectors too, such as forestry, horticulture, environmental science, agri-technology, research and apiary studies.”

Whenua Kura is an iwi-led partnership between Ngāi Tahu, Te Tapuae o Rehua, Ngāi Tahu Farming and Lincoln University that helps Māori to establish careers in land-based industry. Applications are now open for certificate and diploma courses (from Level 3 to Level 6), starting in February 2017.

Whenua Kura provides the learning environment for Māori to learn best-practice farming in a supportive and fun environment that will lead to a globally recognised qualification and an exciting career in the primary industries.

Training is delivered by Lincoln University, the only New Zealand university fully dedicated to teaching farming and land-based subjects.

Whenua Kura launched its first programme in 2014 with an emphasis on practical on-farm training combined with university study at Lincoln, offering a Certificate in Farming (Dairy). The Dairy Certificate is still a pillar of the programme and graduates continue to gain employment across the country.

Whenua Kura offers students:
• Full tuition fees scholarships (ages 16 - 40)
• An internationally recognised Lincoln University qualification
• A supportive and fun learning environment – at the Ngāi Tahu Farms, on the marae and at Lincoln University
• Assistance in securing accommodation and subsidised accommodation for some courses
• An opportunity to learn Ngāi Tahu tikanga (values and protocols) in the context of land management, as well as be introduced to haka, waiata and Ngāi Tahu history at noho marae held throughout the South Island.
• A Māori mentor
• Progression into higher levels of study at Lincoln University, training and career acceleration
• Help getting a job
For further information on the Whenua Kura programme call 0800 KAITAHU or check out the website at: http://www.whenuakura.co.nz/

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