Funding to cut science course fees

Waiariki Bay of Plenty Polytechnic Head of School of Applied Sciences Dr Tim Lowe says he supported new funding initiatives that have been introduced by government.

The Waiariki Bay of Plenty Polytechnic and New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc have welcomed a new competitive funding process to allocate up to $35 million in annual tuition subsidies for levels 3 and 4 tertiary education study in agriculture, horticulture and viticulture qualifications.

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment minister Steven Joyce said the funding pilot would allow the Tertiary Education Commission to direct investment at sub-degree level learning towards higher quality delivery, improved value for money, and increase responsiveness to industry needs.

"It's about ensuring we are providing strong pathways for learners to develop the necessary skills to gain employment in the primary sector or go on to further study at a higher level," Mr Joyce said.

"The primary industries sector is an area of national importance and with identified skill shortages in areas of agriculture, horticulture and viticulture, we need to make sure that we continue to strengthen provision all at levels."

Waiariki Bay of Plenty Polytechnic Head of School of Applied Sciences Dr Tim Lowe said it receives competitive funding for Level 2 horticulture, which is fees free and was successful with a good uptake by students.

The announcement of competitive funding for Level 3 and Level 4 was timely as the polytech was going to be delivering a slightly different portfolio of horticulture and agriculture programmes in 2017, he said.

"The competitive funding process means that those providers such as Waiariki Bay of Plenty polytechnic, who offer high quality education and who have good links with industry, are likely to receive funding.

"The Waiariki Bay of Plenty polytechnic is highly supportive of initiatives that remove any barriers for students."

The polytech had been delivering a horticulture course for more than 30 years, he said.
Figures show in 2014 it had 175 equivalent full-time students in horticulture courses compared to more than 250 in 2015 and a similar number registered for 2016.

The majority of its students were part-time and already in employment "but there are excellent employment outcomes for our new graduates from the full-time programmes, with many being offered jobs before they finish", he said.

"Horticulture is very diverse in the BOP and pathways include: kiwifruit, avocado and other fruit crops, nurseries, market gardens, amenity, and with further training students can follow careers in areas like landscape design and arboriculture. The number of opportunities is huge.

"In a sample of 21 graduates from 2015, 18 were in employment when we surveyed them in February 2016."

New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc chief executive Nikki Johnson said investment into tuition subsidies for levels 3 and 4 tertiary education in horticulture was important to manage skilled labour shortage risks and make the training sector more responsive to our industry's training needs.

"Young people are the future of our world leading premium kiwifruit brand that reached $1.7billion in New Zealand kiwifruit sales in the 2015/16 season, 22 per cent greater than the season before.

"Without skilled people, this nationally significant industry is at risk of not maintaining its growth and diminishing."

New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc was working collaboratively with other horticulture organisations to present horticulture as a viable careers option at careers events around the country, she said.

"We have joined forces with Katikati College, Priority One and the Ministry of Education to develop a framework that promotes partnerships between industry and schools."