Source: Eastern Institute of Technology
1 day ago
A daily bus service connecting Wairoa students to EIT’s Tairāwhiti campus is carrying record numbers this semester.
Wairoa Regional Learning Centre Co-ordinator Maraea Wesche says 22 learners are making the free trip to Gisborne – the most since the service began.
“It’s been a really productive first semester, both on campus and the ones that are travelling through to Tairāwhiti.”
Wairoa Regional Learning Centre Coordinator Maraea Wesche says they are transporting a record number of EIT students from Wairoa to Tairāwhiti.
The service has been in place for several years, but Maraea says it has taken time to build momentum.
“I can’t stress enough how valuable it is. It’s a big commitment for our whānau, but it means they can study and still come home every day.”
Students travelling this year are enrolled across a wide range of programmes, including construction, engineering, automotive, services pathway and teacher education.
Maraea says strong pathways between Wairoa-based programmes and those in Tairāwhiti are helping students progress.
“We’ve had students move from our NZ Certificate in Building, Construction and Allied Trades Skills Level 2 and 3 into the NZ Certificate in Construction Trade Skills (Carpentry) (Level 3) and they’re doing really well.”
Maraea says the ability to study while staying connected to home is key to student success.
“It makes it easier for our whānau to commit to study, because they don’t have to leave Wairoa to do it.”
Alongside those travelling to Tairāwhiti, enrolments in Wairoa-based programmes are also growing, with courses including building, sport and recreation, te reo Māori, tikanga and intro to welding running throughout the year.
A new NZ Certificate in Study and Employment Pathways (Level 3) programme will also launch in semester two, the first time it has been offered in Wairoa.
She says the increased uptake reflects a wider shift in the community.
“Being able to offer people in Wairoa the opportunity to further their education through study at EIT is great. They see education as a pathway to a better future, not just for themselves but for their whānau as well.”
She says the momentum is building.
“It’s a real buzz in Wairoa at the moment. I’m really excited about where things are heading.”
