Source: Te Pukenga
Otago Polytechnic | Te Pūkenga congratulates all those who celebrated Graduation today, Friday 10 March.
Around 250 ākonga attended the Dunedin Town Hall ceremony, along with whānau and friends, and more than 210 graduated in absentia.
“Congratulations to everyone involved in today’s Graduation,” says Jason Tibble, Executive Director, Otago Polytechnic.
“It is both inspiring and humbling to be part of this important stage in the journey of our ākonga. The commitment of our kaimahi to deliver outstanding teaching and support to our learners is at the heart of what we do.
“It’s amazing that we get these opportunities to plug directly into our purpose and celebrate the achievements of our learners.”
Delivering the welcome address at the Dunedin Town Hall, Te Pūkenga chairman Murray Strong, noted: “There is nothing like the excitement and pride of graduation.
“When you look out into the audience from up here, you’ll feel the reflected pride of your family, fono and whānau and friends. You’ll also see pride in the faces of your tutors, lecturers and learning support kaimahi who have worked with you during your studies.
“Hold on to those feelings and take them with you as you continue your journey of growth in your chosen vocations, or into further study.
“During your time studying here, Otago Polytechnic became part of Te Pūkenga, a national network of vocational education providers that is now the largest tertiary institution in the country.
“Te Pūkenga is building a national system that puts learners and their whānau at the centre and aims to create ways of learning that fit around everyone’s lives, and I am excited about what this means for the future of vocational training in Aotearoa.
“We know many of you will now have become lifelong learners, and Te Pūkenga will always welcome you back if you return to study with us in the future.”
Guest speaker Zoe Hobson, Chief Executive of Runaway Play, an award-winning game developer and publisher based in Dunedin, urged those graduating to walk their own paths.
“To all of you who are graduating today – congratulations! I hope you are following the things that you love, the things that light you up, that you’re passionate about and that you care about.
“If you do, you’ll find your way to success, because as far as I’m concerned, success is happiness.”
