From 1 January 2018, NorthTec programmes will be fees-free for eligible first-time tertiary students. Find out whether you are eligible for Fees Free study in 2018.
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The Youth Guarantee scheme is an initiative that provides up to two years of full-time skills-based training for 16 – 19 year olds, free of charge. It will help you to gain practical qualifications and set you up for a range of career options.
NorthTec is New Zealand’s first international education provider to operate an official Pearson Test of English Academic test centre. This test is used as proof of English language proficiency for all visa categories with an English language requirement.
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Find study options that suits you. NorthTec offers programmes ranging from foundation, certificate, diploma and degree levels.
The tutors are very cool and are really involved with what we are doing. They all have a different approach so it...
“I loved art at school and I wanted to broaden my skills but I didn’t want to go to uni. I came here to check out the course and just loved the campus and the atmosphere. It has a real artsy vibe.”
“I was into painting but I’m now loving sculpture and print-making. I’m discovering a whole world of different media and you never know what you’ll like until you try it.”
“Photography and the computer stuff are new to me too and I’m enjoying learning the more technical aspects of them even though they are less natural skills for me.”
“The tutors are very cool and are really involved with what we are doing. They all have a different approach so it helps us to develop the way we think. I’m also learning a lot from the other students because we critique each other’s work and discuss ideas. I’m one of the youngest so I’m aware that there’s a lot of wisdom within the class.”
“Art graduates come in and talk to us so we get to see how far they have gone and realise that NorthTec art qualifications are well recognised out there.”
“I like the idea of being self-employed and self-expressed in some way when I graduate. There is so much you can do with applied arts. I’m so glad I decided to do further study straight after high school – even though I didn’t want to go to uni.”
I looked at the option of studying nursing in Invercargill but the advantage here is that it is local and close to...
“I was working at a special needs school as a teacher aide and that inspired me to go further. My Mum is a nurse so I was aware of that field and I am keen to do something worthwhile.”
“I looked at the option of studying nursing in Invercargill but the advantage here is that it is local and close to friends and family. I really like the hands-on work experience where we are assigned to different wards so we learn about different illnesses.”
“All the students help each other and we are a mix of ages. There’s one other guy too which is good for me. I like the tutors’ way of teaching and with small class sizes we get more one-on-one time with them. They are easy to understand and are really helpful and available beyond what I would expect.”
“When I graduate I may look into Mental Health and especially working with children with cognitive difficulties. Long term I’d like to stay here in Whangarei so I can help locally, as well as being able to look after my family especially my parents and grandparents.”
Ngati Wai
I’ve got more confidence in myself again but in a different way from before, and I’ve learnt a lot about myself in a...
“I had done an honours degree in my 20s but that was a long time ago and I was nervous I wouldn’t be capable of returning to study. But it all came back quickly. We had been raising a family, and in the last five years I have owned a business with my husband, but I wanted to get back to study and use my brain a bit more. I was ready to find myself again.”
“I looked online but I like the idea of having face to face classmates and tutor. The tutor is a totally inspirational role model. Because I work full time, I’ve been able to spread one year full-time study over three years part time, making this possible.”
“I’ve got more confidence in myself again but in a different way from before, and I’ve learnt a lot about myself in a context of leadership and communication. The skills we learn are practical - like the interview process and job applications – and the business skills are very relevant to our own business.”
“I’m ready for change now. We’re selling our business and I want to return to management in an office in a business environment. I’ve already applied for a job. I’ve learnt that anything is possible.”
“If you’re unsure about whether to take your education further, just find a way and go for it.”
I love the small class size and individual tutor support that is possible here compared with uni.
“Doing this new lab tech course has been the key to turning my life around. When I came to NorthTec I was on home detention and this has helped me change my mind-set, re-set my life’s ambitions, think bigger, and get back on track. Anyone can come temporarily off the rails, and anyone can self-correct with the right help.”
“I’m a qualified teeth whitener but I’m ready for more now. Both my parents were microbiologists and I have a strong passion for science. Applied Science in labs is a much needed skill here and this course responds to that need.”
“I love the small class size and individual tutor support that is possible here compared with uni. I’m finding the maths hard because the systems have changed since I last studied but I like to challenge myself and the support is right here. I’m older than a lot of the other students and I push the younger ones because I want to inspire them to continue.”
“I will go on and do level 5 then level 6 and ultimately I’d like to work in either the Fonterra of IPL (Independent Petroleum Laboratory) labs because they are local.”
“I want to thank NorthTec for their acceptance and for getting me through this. I was totally open to them and I was really ready to change. Being open about something helps take the power off it. Anything truly is possible if you are clear enough on what you want.”
I still work full-time at Fulton Hogan, and I have a two year old, so studying one day a week at NorthTec for four...
“I was working in a managerial position with Fulton Hogan and applied for and got a study scholarship. I was going to choose to study business management but my employer suggested the more technical path of Civil Engineering would open more doors.”
“I still work full-time at Fulton Hogan, and I have a two year old, so studying one day a week at NorthTec for four years means I don’t have to change my life.”
“Civil Engineering is way more interesting than I imagined and I’m loving learning all this new content. Because I’m already working in this environment, a whole lot is coming together for me now.”
“I’ve been away from study for 25 years and I’m envious of the young ones on that count, but we help each other and the tutors offer their time generously - even out of class.”
“Finding the time to study drives me insane sometimes because I don’t want to compromise the time with my daughter, so I have to be strict with my own routine.”
“This study will enable me to be more authoritative and to make more changes in the workplace, as I’d like to progress to be a Divisional Manager. I also want to encourage others to do this and to not let age or gender stand in their way.”
The step from year 12 to here (level 2 to level 5) is a challenge in self-discipline, but I’m so much more motivated...
“Last year I went overseas with my family, and by seeing the extent of what needs to be done, I renewed and deepened my interest in conservation. I realised this was what I want to do and I was keen to start on that journey as soon as possible. By doing the certificate here straight from year 12, I kick-start my career a year earlier, it’s cheaper and more practical than uni, and I’ll have my degree by the time I’m 19.”
“The step from year 12 to here (level 2 to level 5) is a challenge in self-discipline, but I’m so much more motivated to learn. I also love that we have a small class with direct access to the tutors.”
“I’m from Waipu, so it also means we’re learning about our own region. Already I have a new-found appreciation for the inter-connectedness of the environment.”
“I know I want to be part of the change on the planet and I’m keen to travel more with my knowledge. I don’t have long term plan yet, but I know I’m in the right field, that this is what I want to learn, and that opportunities will present themselves as I go on.”
The tutors really get us immersed in the outdoors. I’m amazed at how many field trips we have – to places like the...
“As New Zealanders we love the beach, the forest, and natural environments, but not enough of us are talking about looking after them or what state they might be in. I wanted to learn more and be around like-minded people who also understand that without the environment, we have nothing. I knew from day one I had made the right choice.”
“The tutors really get us immersed in the outdoors. It’s very grounding - not just all statistics and reports inside a classroom. Northland is a great place for that, plus our small class sizes mean that we get out and see so much that huge classes at other universities might not get the chance to. There are also a ton of opportunities to get involved in the industry as our tutors have a lot of contacts and are a constant support.”
“I’m amazed at how many field trips we have – to places like the Poor Knights and Tiritiri Matangi. But I’m also surprised at how my whole mind-set has changed. Our tutors have taught us that modern-day conservationists understand that as humans we need resources, but we need to find the best way to go about utilising those resources. It’s not about fighting change, it’s about the best way forward.”
“My dream job would be in environmental advocacy. The term 'greenies' is so out-dated and is not a niche type of person. Environmental issues affect us all. There are better ways to do things, but we need more people on board to make this happen. It’s as much about getting people on board as it is about the science and I want to be part of that.”
The biggest thing I’ve learnt in this journey is not to doubt your learning abilities. You can do anything you want...
“Someone in social work introduced me to this field and recommended I apply for a scholarship to study. I am a truck driver and digger driver by trade and I didn’t believe I could study at a tertiary level because I left school early. I started with the Mental Health and Addictions course in Kerikeri and now I’m on my way to my degree!”
“I did distance learning at Massey for a while but NorthTec suits me better because it’s face to face learning. I drive the NorthTec van from my home base in Kaitaia to Whangarei every day collecting and delivering other students, so I get either classroom or library study time five days a week. The commuting is a challenge but I’m getting A+ pass-marks by being able to attend like this.”
“I’m really surprised that I am able to achieve this level of study – and that my wife and I are actually now considering moving to Whangarei for a year to support it.”
“Our class has students from South Africa, Germany, Switzerland, India, and England as well as sixth generation pakeha, so we are learning many different perspectives. The tutors have put me in a tuakana (supporting) role.”
“I’m planning to work in drug and alcohol addiction rehabilitation in Kaitaia. I’ve been clean and sober for 20 years and there is so much need up there for male role models.”
“The biggest thing I’ve learnt in this journey is not to doubt your learning abilities. You can do anything you want to once you remove your own mind blocks.”
“I’m surprised at how much we learn, especially the technical things like how hair grows and the science of colour.”
“I’ve gained so much self-confidence by doing this. I couldn’t get work for about a year so decided it was time to get a qualification. I love what we’re learning here, especially the cutting, and I love the friendly learning environment. Our class is becoming like a family.”
“By doing this course I’ll be able to get work doing something I love. One day when I have enough experience, my dream is to open my own salon.”
“If you’re thinking of getting qualifications, don’t sit around and think about it, just get in and do it. ”
Leanne Jackson’s journey of enquiry is unfolding through post grad study. “Art is an area of absolute open enquiry...
“Art is an area of absolute open enquiry. You can study anything, follow your own interest in living, and express it through artwork.” Leanne Jackson’s journey of enquiry is unfolding through post grad study.
“I finished my degree in applied arts in Kerikeri at the end of last year and am now doing a master of art and design through AUT. The post grad work is focussed on finding a research question so it’s helping me clarify my direction. I’m using video and photography as a basis for social action and engagement. This has emerged from creating a video that was selected as a finalist in the Contemporary Art Awards at Waikato Museum, and in that I’m talking directly to the viewer reading a poem I wrote.”
Leanne’ poem is a call to action. “It’s about our entanglement with mass production, mass consumerism, and mass exploitation. I’m interested in how we can free ourselves from that entanglement, and I make a call for the small movement. If we can each take small actions in our immediate community we can make a huge difference.”
“In my time at NorthTec I enjoyed exploring and learning about different media and I used video and photographic components in my graduate show installation. My skills are now multi-facetted so I have lots of ways to manifest and express my ideas.”
Leanne particularly appreciated the critique week that her arts tutors introduced in the course. “The presentation skills I learnt from that have been excellent preparatory ground for my future work and study.”
While Leanne’s immediate future is her post graduate study, she has a longer term vision too. “My ultimate life journey is to live well as an artist. For artists there is often a balance between enjoying and pursuing our art and being able to pay the bills and support the making of our art. Ideally I’d like to be a full time artist earning enough to have a good life. But I also see the value in having part time work that interacts with others and contributes our skills to society in different ways so that our work remains unhampered by financial pressure and compromise.”
“Through my experience at NorthTec I see the real value of regional tertiary training institutions. They bring the community together from far and wide creating mutual support and enthusiasm. This stimulates personal growth as well as community growth and consequently lifts the whole community.”
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