Newest EIT grads celebrated + VIDEO

Bagpipes filled the air, and hundreds lined Napier streets yesterday, to celebrate the newest EIT Hawke's Bay graduates.

With a growing number of graduates, yesterday's was the first of three ceremonies to be held at the Napier Municipal Theatre this week, with each encompassing different academic disciplines.

After years of hard work, EIT students from the schools of business, computing, tourism and hospitality, primary industries, viticulture and wine science and the centre for veterinary nursing were capped.

During the ceremony the students were encouraged with speeches by guest speakers Yvonne Lorkin, wine writer and senior wine judge, and Dr Russell Wills - the former Children's Commissioner, and medical director of quality improvement and patient safety for the Hawke's Bay District Health Board.

Addresses were also given by honoured valedictorians who represented their former classmates - Bachelor of Nursing graduate Sheila Argent, Bachelor of Viticulture and Bachelor of Wine Science graduate Anton Luiten, and Bachelor of Applied Social Sciences graduate Sophia Raroa.

Not all those who completed their qualifications were seated in the theatre - some graduated in absentia as they had already begun working in their respective careers.

However, for those who were capped yesterday the celebration was not yet over - with the graduates then parading down Emmerson St, cheered on by their family and friends.

Bagpipes rang out as the students walked to the Marine Parade Sound Shell, led by EIT council members, senior executives and academic staff.

They were also joined by local authority leaders, and the Napier Pipe Band.

After ceremonies are complete today, EIT Hawke's Bay will have awarded 2584 qualifications for 2016 - 168 more than for 2015. The institute's growing number of postgraduate diplomas and masters degree offerings would also be reflected in the awarding of 41 more level 8 and 9 qualifications.

Today's first ceremony will be held at 10.30am for students of the schools of Education & Social Sciences, Te Ūranga Waka and ideaschool.

This will be followed by another ceremony at 2.30 for students in the schools of Nursing and Health and Sport Science.