Whitireia And Weltec Join Forces

Whitireia And Weltec Join Forces To Establish A Health And Social Services Centre Of Learning

In 2018 Whitireia and WelTec are establishing a base for a Health and Social Services Centre of Learning at the Whitireia Porirua campus with a strong focus on diploma, degree and postgraduate programmes through to the Masters of Professional Practice.

The strategic partnership between WelTec and Whitireia brings together the best of all WelTec and Whitireia offers to learners and to industry in the Wellington region, Auckland city, and New Zealand. One of the key aims and benefits of the strategic partnership is collaboration in teaching and learning between similar discipline areas and the development and sharing of quality facilities for our learners and staff. Several new initiatives are underway that are set to make major advances for staff and students in these areas and clearly demonstrate the benefits of the partnership.

Whitireia is nationally renowned for its health related programmes and WelTec is the sole national provider of a number of key disciplines which are highly regarded by professional health bodies and organisations. Our reputation for quality education in nursing, paramedic, counselling, social work, addictions, and other delivery in emerging areas such as youth development makes us well placed to provide a cohesive package of educational options for the health and social services sectors.

“The New Zealand Health Strategy notes a strong desire for better collaboration between health and social services. The establishment of a regional base for these discipline areas is consistent with this strategic direction,” says Chris Gosling Whitireia and WelTec Chief Executive.
In Porirua WelTec social services staff will work with Whitireia social services and health staff (e.g. social work, nursing, paramedicine, early childhood education) consistent with the overall collaboration objectives of the health and social services Centre of Learning.

“Whitireia Health and WelTec Social Services have a high level of course complementarity, equivalent programme strength (depth, range and size) and contribute significantly to our institutions with almost 1,850 EFTS equating to more than 2680 individual students at WelTec and Whitireia so far this year,” says Chris Gosling.

Other social services and health programmes which provide a gateway to higher level vocational education and specific training such as WelTec’s funeral and embalming programmes will be delivered at WelTec’s Petone campus. Certificate level programmes will also be delivered at the Whitireia Kāpiti campus and at the Porirua campus. WelTec will continue delivery of social services programmes through its Auckland campus on Queen Street.

“Through this hub and spoke model we are delivering training across the region and making tertiary education more accessible to learners. This is a very positive move for students and the health and social services sector. The Porirua community is diverse and the surrounding business area is expanding. There is a thriving student community which includes many hundreds of international students all adding to the vibrancy of the campus,” says Chris Gosling.

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