Polytech grabs slice of e-learning market

E-learning has become a growth area for the Bay of Plenty Polytech.

By developing niche qualifications available nowhere else, the polytech has cornered specific markets and tapped into demand beyond its regional and national boundaries.

The School of Business had developed two such programmes - the Graduate Certificate in New Zealand Immigration Advice, and the Diploma in Conveyancing, head of school David Lyon said. The Diploma in Conveyancing was developed after a law change in 2006 and an agreement with the New Zealand Association of Conveyancers to develop a qualification which would be available nationally.

The Graduate Certificate in New Zealand Immigration Advice was developed after a successful tender with the Department of Labour in 2011.

The online course ran for the first time last year and attracted 60 full-time domestic and international students.

Dr Lyon said another 60 were studying the course and the intake for next semester was already fully booked.

"We've got domestic students in New Zealand doing it, also there's New Zealand citizens studying who are residents in other countries, we've got international students in their own countries studying it, and there's international students who are residents in New Zealand studying this.

"The School of Business Studies has got students in South America, South Africa, China, India, England and other countries."

The alternative delivery mechanism of e-learning was broadening the polytech's market and providing revenue streams outside of the traditional area of the Bay of Plenty, Dr Lyon said.

"Most of the growth in this school in the past 18 months has been in this method of delivery, it's very much moving into an e-space."