It was a first for the Awa City Clubhouse when eight adult students graduated with UCOL certificates in graphic design last week.
Ranging in age from 20-68, the students' graduation was held last week in the Whanganui UCOL Atrium following a year-long collaboration between the clubhouse and the Whanganui School of Design (WSD) based at UCOL.
UCOL's associate dean of creative Katrina Langdon, representing the WSD, said the Awa City Clubhouse co-ordinator Masina Kenworthy wanted to increase the use of the Wanganui District Council-led clubhouse where an accredited course was offered that could lead to further study and employment opportunities in the graphic design and digital media areas.
Ms Langdon said UCOL was keen to offer programmes off-site that would be more accessible to people in the community who were not engaged in education, training or employment.
UCOL gained NZQA accreditation for the purpose-built training scheme and enrolled nine students last year.