First graduation for NorthTec | Te Pūkenga
The first NorthTec | Te Pūkenga graduates will cross the stage proudly at this year’s milestone ceremony on Friday, 10 March.
NorthTec formally became a business division of Te Pūkenga (New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology) on 1 October 2022, and the class of 2022 who are graduating next week will be the first to receive the new NorthTec | Te Pūkenga qualifications.
The event will take place at Forum North in Whangārei, with two ceremonies starting at 10am and 2pm. In between the ceremonies, graduates will take part in their traditional march through the CBD, starting at 1pm from Cafler Park.
Around 120 graduates are expected to attend the two ceremonies, along with proud whānau, friends and NorthTec kaimahi (staff). This year the awards will be presented by Gus Gilmore, Deputy Chief Executive Ako Delivery for Te Pūkenga.
The morning ceremony will be for graduates of Primary Industry Business Management; Creative Writing; Enrolled Nursing; Nursing; Applied Arts; Māori Arts. The afternoon ceremony will be for graduates of Architectural Technology; Business; Construction; Civil Engineering; Environmental Management; Sport, Recreation and Exercise; Web Development and Design; Accounting; Project Management; Applied Management; Applied Social Work.
This year’s Student Valedictorian is Faye’Ala MacFarlane, who will be receiving a Bachelor of Applied Arts.
Toa Faneva, Te Ahurei Executive Director for NorthTec | Te Pūkenga, said this year’s graduation marked an auspicious occasion with the event being the first held under the banner of NorthTec | Te Pūkenga.
He said: “As well as being the first NorthTec | Te Pūkenga graduates, we are also very proud of these graduates who, as ākonga (students) battled through the last two or three years of Covid restrictions. They have succeeded despite all the difficulties of studying through lockdowns but have emerged with their well-deserved qualifications and gone on to their chosen careers. After the terrible weather events we have experienced this year, it is fantastic to now have such a positive celebration.”