Workshops offer 'taste' into future

INSPIRATION: UCOL Wairarapa campus manager Angela Hewitt.

Hundreds of Wairarapa secondary school students will sample tertiary study at a series of career workshops launching at UCOL Wairarapa and Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre today.

UCOL Wairarapa campus manager Angela Hewitt said the series of My Vocational Pathways Taster Days involves more than 300 Year 10 students from colleges throughout the region and will continue on the next two Fridays.

Secondary students will sample a range of courses at UCOL Wairarapa, she said, including hairdressing and beauty, construction and automotive, nursing and health science, business administration and early childhood education.

The students would then move to similar quick-fire introductions to agricultural studies at the Taratahi centre, she said.

"They will get about 40 minutes completing tasks in each area and get a short, sharp taste at each location, so they can be better informed when making their career decisions."

Ms Hewitt said the scheme responded to "what secondaries wanted, and UCOL Wairarapa and Taratahi getting together made it easier for the schools as well" to bundle the days at the tertiary organisations.

The workshops align with the Vocational Pathways programme guidelines, she said, "to ensure students have clear study options that are valued by employers".

Vocational Pathways runs under the Ministry of Education Youth Guarantee banner and aims to provide "new ways" for students to achieve NCEA Level 2 by linking learning and achievement in the "real world", and aligning the Level 2 assessment standards, including sector-related standards, with six industries including primary, services, social and community, manufacturing and technology, construction and infrastructure and creative industries.

Ms Hewitt said Vocational Pathway unit standards were embedded in transition programmes where suitable at UCOL Wairarapa. "We want to inspire and engage students, and offer support with subject selection and future career choices. Vocational Pathways is a unique tool that helps individuals see how their strengths, interests and achievements can relate to study options and job opportunities," she said.