From the electricians literally keeping the lights on to nurses at the hospital’s frontline, graduates from one of New Zealand's most venerable academic institutions have kept their local communities thriving for over a century.
Founded in 1896, The Universal College of Learning (UCOL) provides vocational education across a diverse range of fields in the regions of Manawatū, Whanganui, Horowhenua, and Wairarapa.
While thousands of students have walked UCOL's halls in the past hundred years, Executive Director Community Engagement Chris Beech says one thing that never changes is the sense of belonging they discover there.
"What people experience when they come is the welcoming, friendly nature. Everybody is on a first-name basis. We have a very relational style of interacting and welcoming our students and learners. This is a family in a real sense."
"In the 100 years since we opened, those skills we teach have certainly grown but many of the needs of the local community are still the same. We all need plumbers and nurses and auto mechanics."
And at UCOL, teachers and instructors are industry trained, which means students learn from people with hands-on experience instead of just theoretical knowledge.
"You're learning from people who have been in those roles, who know what the industry is looking for and can help you through learning new skills and into the job you want," says Chris.
UCOL is one of 16 institutes of technology and polytechnics which will be joined under the national network 'Te Pūkenga', which will integrate from early 2023. But Chris stresses that whatever name is above the door, the experience of being at UCOL won't be changing.
"We will still have that local presence and we will still work in our communities. People can still come and see us just as they do now. It's just that we'll have that heightened benefit of harnessing the collective strength of the whole country."
But just because it has a long history of providing timeless skills, that doesn't keep UCOL from innovating. Recent expansions to the curriculum include a degree-level course in Social Services - including a highly in-demand counseling major - and a soon-to-start Bachelor of Early Childhood Education.
As well as updating their curriculum, staff at UCOL - like all of us over the past two years - have had to make a lot of adjustments to continue their mahi during a global pandemic.
"It's really challenging both us and our learners to figure out how to fit the work into our lives," says Chris.
Whether it's hopping on Zoom calls before making the school run, or typing up a presentation in between household chores, COVID-19 forcing remote work on most industries has shown many Kiwis that work and daily life doesn't necessarily have to be rigidly separate. Chris says UCOL is ensuring that level of flexibility remains even as the pandemic fades is a priority.
"We're moving to models where you can do a combination of learning and your own time online and figure out when it suits you to come on campus."
Hybrid learning models mean even full-time study hours can be slotted in and around other commitments, allowing students to earn as they learn and structure their study to suit their individual situation.
And while the cost of study can be significant and may be prohibitive for some prospective students, UCOL also offers pathways that take the finances out of the equation in fees-free courses under the Targeted Training and Apprenticeships Fund (TTAF).
TTAF is a Government-funded initiative targeted toward certain growth industries which have high demand for workers. Head to the UCOL website to see which specific learning pathways come under the fund.
Chris says whatever your personal situation, career goals, or academic ambitions and whether you're off-campus or on, UCOL will provide a solution that suits your needs.
"The experience that you get when you learn with us, the commitment and the attention of people that you learn from will all remain the same. Just give it a go. Come talk to us. We can talk you through all sorts of options and find a solution that's right for you."
UCOL has a mid-year intake starting from July so if you're ready to take the plunge or want to learn more about the experiences offered, head over to the website to learn more.
This article was created for UCOL.
