Around 120 Northlanders discuss study options at NorthTec open day

Tayvier Tamaki took son Kia Ngawari to NorthTec's open day as she looked for future study options.

A need to get more out of life saw Whangārei's Tayvier Tamaki go to NorthTec's open day to look for study options.

The young mum was among about 120 people who discussed their plans for study next year when they attended the open day on Friday.

Held under alert level 2 restrictions, the event on the Raumanga campus gave potential learners the chance to chat with tutors about a wide range of programmes.

A number of people enrolled on the day, while others planned to follow up their discussions with an application to study next year.

Tamaki went along to find out about studying accountancy.

The 20-year-old from Whangārei said she was keen to enrol in the New Zealand Diploma in Business - which can form the first year of the Bachelor of Applied Management at NorthTec - and then go on to complete the degree with a major in accountancy.

Tamaki, who attended with baby son Kia Ngawari, said: "I feel like I want more in my life and accounting is where I want to go. In school I didn't know what I wanted to do, so I had some time out and had a baby. Now I want to do something more."

Savannah Sullivan went along to try to decide between two passions – exercise and fitness, and helping people. She chatted with academic staff about sport and recreation courses and the New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing.

"I discussed both, now I will go away and have a think about what's next. I managed to find out the details about both, now I'm just figuring out if I'm in Whangārei, what will I do next? I'm looking to study because I think I have more clarity on what I want to do than when I was in school. I love playing sports and I'm a people person – I like to help people,'' said Sullivan, 19.

NorthTec offers more than 100 study programmes, with a number of courses being offered fees-free in 2021.

For more information visit www.northtec.ac.nz.