This is sentiment we share.
Manfeild's ambition is to see students achieve at least a restricted driver licence, associated NCEA credits and even a defensive driving certificate before they enter the workforce. All through carefully planned, safety-prioritised instruction undertaken at our Feilding facility.
Highlighting this was part of the reason why Tuesday was an NDTC-dedicated open day at Manfeild where we hosted a promotion for school principals, career advisors, gateway co-ordinators, Government departments, corporate partners and funders.
The other reason for our open day was to showcase, in addition to existing courses, what future opportunities we aim to provide in 2018 and beyond.
More than 100 invites went out and I'm delighted to say we had a big turnout to an event in which we and our partners provided demonstration of current activities. Plus, insight into additional involvements still under development, with displays in and around Manfeild Stadium and the Manfeild: Circuit Chris Amon suites and track, viewed consecutively as the participants undertook guided tours.
Our visitors also had opportunity to meet some of the students, mainly from Feilding and Palmerston North, who have already achieved learner driver licences through NDTC.
Our impetus this year has been on guiding the region's students through achieving their learner's qualification to enable them to start driving cars, with tuition in three Prius PHV hatchbacks kindly loaned by Toyota NZ. These provide a unique opportunity, we believe, for students to learn to drive in an electric vehicle.
Our intent is to branch out to tuition in other forms of mobility including riding scooters and using specialist machinery, starting with forklifts (we know that a forklift licence is a valuable credential). Demonstrations of skill-training in those areas were just the part of it.
More NTDC-associated providers were also showing off their areas of speciality. The day also gave time to learner license exam guidance specialist iHow, Elite Training Services which teaches confidence-building through rope access, truck rental agency TR Group highlighting manoeuvring skills and Driving Simulator NZ, whose technology helps students acquaint with real-life driving scenarios.
Horizons Regional Council also provided a road safety advisory display and also attending were Palmerston North young adult tertiary provider UCOL, ACC, Manawatu Chamber of Commerce, VTNZ and Higgins Group.
Don't forget to call me on 027 6599 666 if you have any thoughts about Manfeild. To keep up with the latest news, check out the Manfeild website www.manfeild.co.nz and our Facebook page.