An outbreak of Dutch Elm Disease in the Waikato over the summer saw the Wintec arboriculture team become ‘first responders’ to help to contain the spread of the disease. Wintec level three arboriculture students were at the frontline of this response, removing infected trees in the Ōtorohanga and Te Awamutu districts.
Wintec’s 19th annual Waikato Culinary Fare, in partnership with Cater Plus, had hundreds of young foodies fired up getting a taste of what it’s like to be in a professional kitchen. Students from all around the motu competed for the highest scores to achieve gold, silver, or bronze awards for their entries. The fare featured both live food and static events, where the students pre-prepare the entry, including the latest addition to the fare’s lineup, the new celebration cake category, which saw some intense competition.
Several Wintec Business students recently returned from transformative internships in Japan and Colombia, thanks to the Prime Minister’s Scholarship scheme. These experiences not only provided valuable professional skills but also fostered deep cultural understanding and personal growth.
Students from across the North Island are preparing to sharpen their knives and their skills at this year’s annual Waikato Culinary Fare. The annual two day event starting on Thursday, 4 July is hosted in Hamilton at Wintec’s cutting-edge Rotokauri Campus training facility and showcases the impressive talent of high school, intermediate and tertiary students.
Muka Pito, an alternative and traditional way to tie umbilical cords using native harakeke (flax), is becoming more common and sought after. When trying to find a harakeke resource to make Muka Pito, Wintec students and tutors have not had much success. But now, Wintec Māori midwifery students have their very own harakeke plants to sustain this important traditional practice thanks to the Māori Women’s Welfare League (MWWL).
World Refugee Day is an international day designated by the United Nations to honour refugees around the globe. It falls each year on 20 June and shines a light on the rights, needs, and dreams of those forced to flee. This year, World Refugee Day focuses on solidarity with refugees – for a world where refugees are welcomed.
Te Kotahi Oranga | Health and Wellness Centre, Wintec’s ākonga(student)-assisted health and wellbeing service has had a busy start to the year with two cohorts of educational programmes on Pre-Diabetes and Falls Prevention already finished and another two set to start soon.
Jessica Kraenzlin credits her whānau for getting her to where she is today and looks forward to a career in service of others. Jessica Kraenzlin, who had graduated with Paetahi Tumu Kōrero Bachelor of Counselling was chosen to be the final graduation speaker at the fourth and last ceremony for 2024, which saw students from Health and Social Practice celebrate their achievement.
Brooklin Toia says study wasn’t easy, but the end result has yielded a brighter future for him and his young family. Brooklin Toia, graduating with a New Zealand Certificate in Plumbing and Drainlaying (Level 3), was Tuesday morning’s student speaker. The third graduation ceremony celebrated students from the Centres for Engineering and Industrial Design, Applied Science and Primary Industries, and Trades.
Peony Smith-Tahere says it’s important to let failure guide you, to show up for yourself and keep pushing boundaries. In the second of Wintec’s four graduation ceremonies, students from Wintec’s Centres for Business and Enterprise, Information Technology, Sport Science and Human Performance, and Design Factory NZ took to the stage celebrate their graduations. Chosen to be the voice of her peers at this ceremony was Peony Smith-Tahere, who was graduating with a Bachelor of Applied Information Technology.
Bridget Barnett, student speaker at Wintec’s first graduation for 2024 used the end of Covid lockdown as a launchpad to follow her dream and make her mark on the art world. The Monday morning ceremony celebrated students graduating from the Centres for Education and Foundation Pathways, Languages and Media Arts with the student guest speaker Bridget Barnett who graduated with a Bachelor of Contemporary Art.
Maria Contreras Huerta, 22, has always been intrigued by plumbing. Figuring out how water gets from one place to another and what systems are needed to make that happen fuelled her desire to get into the trade as an adult. Maria is currently completing her apprenticeship at Morrinsville Plumbing and Gas Services (MPG). She wraps that up in August and from there will be set to graduate from Wintec next year. Along the way she has picked up several accolades and become a speaker for women in trades.
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