STAR course dates

2026 STAR dates

Term 1 dates

Week	STAR course	Dates	Location
10	Carpentry Taster	2 March	Rotokauri Campus
10	MIG Welding Taster	2 March	Rotokauri Campus
10	Painting and Drawing Taster	6 March	City Campus
10	Interior Design Taster	6 March	City Campus
10	Health Taster	6 March	City Campus
10	Photoshop Taster	6 March	City Campus
11	A day of Applied Science	9 March	City Campus
11	Plumbing Taster	9 March	Rotokauri Campus
11	Barista Taster - 1 Day	9 March	Rotokauri Campus
11	Cookery Taster - 3 Day	9,16,23 March	Rotokauri Campus
11	Creative Media Taster	13 March	City Campus
11	Introduction to Illustrator Taster	13 March	City Campus
11	Performing Arts Taster	13 March	City Campus
12	Electrical Taster	16 March	Rotokauri Campus
12	Automotive Taster	16 March	Rotokauri Campus
12	Barista Taster - 1 Day	16 March	Rotokauri Campus
12	Hairdressing Taster	18 March	Rotokauri Campus
12	Engineering Taster	19 March	Rotokauri Campus
12	Painting and Drawing Taster	20 March	City Campus
12	Photoshop Taster	20 March	City Campus
12	Interior Design Taster	20 March	City Campus
13	MIG Welding Taster	23 March	Rotokauri Campus
13	Barista Taster - 1 Day	23 March	Rotokauri Campus
13	Business Taster	27 March	City Campus
13	Outdoor Education Taster	26 March	Rotokauri Campus
13	Hairdressing Taster	26 March	Rotokauri Campus
13	Horticulture and Arboriculture Taster	27 March	Rotokauri Campus
13	Early Childhood Education Taster	26 March	City Campus
14	Sport Science Taster	30 March	Rotokauri Campus

Term 2 dates

Week	STAR course	Dates	Location
18	Beauty Taster	29 April	Rotokauri Campus
18	Photoshop Taster	1 May	City Campus
19	Provide Table Service in Hospitality	4 , 11, 18 May	Rotokauri Campus
19	Electrical Taster	4 May	Rotokauri Campus
19	Automotive Taster	4 May	Rotokauri Campus
19	Introduction to Computer Aided Draughting	7 May	Rotokauri Campus
19	Introduction to Animal Technology Taster	8 May	Rotokauri Campus
19	Horticulture and Arboriculture Taster	8 May	Rotokauri Campus
19	Interior Design Taster	8 May	City Campus
19	Introduction to Illustrator Taster	8 May	City Campus
19	Painting and Drawing Taster	8 May	City Campus
20	Beauty Taster	13 May	Rotokauri Campus
20	Health Taster	15 May	City Campus
20	Creative Media Taster	15 May	City Campus
20	Performing Arts Taster	15 May	City Campus
21	MIG Welding Taster	18 May	Rotokauri Campus
21	Early Childhood Education Taster	21 May	City Campus
21	Engineering Taster	21 May	Rotokauri Campus
21	Photoshop Taster	22 May	City Campus
21	Music Production Taster	22 May	City Campus
22	Creative Media Taster	29 May	City Campus
23	Introduction to Illustrator Taster	5 June	City Campus
23	Painting and Drawing Taster	5 June	City Campus
24	MIG Welding Taster	8 June	Rotokauri Campus
24	Carpentry Taster	8 June	Rotokauri Campus
24	Plumbing Taster	8 June	Rotokauri Campus
24	Outdoor Education Taster	12 June	Rotokauri Campus
25	Sport Science Taster	18 June	Rotokauri Campus

Term 3 dates

Week	STAR course	Dates	Location
30	Barista 4-Day Taster	20,27 July and 3,10 August	Rotokauri Campus
30	Cookery 3-Day Taster	20,27 July and 3 August	Rotokauri Campus
30	Automotive Taster	24 July	Rotokauri Campus
31	Plumbing Taster	27 July	Rotokauri Campus
32	MIG Welding Taster	3 August	Rotokauri Campus
32	Electrical Taster	3 August	Rotokauri Campus
32	Creative Media Taster	7 August	City Campus
32	Interior Design Taster	7 August	City Campus
32	Introduction to Illustrator Taster	7 August	City Campus
32	Health Taster	7 August	City Campus
33	Carpentry Taster	10 August	Rotokauri Campus
33	Engineering Taster	12 August	Rotokauri Campus
33	Business Taster	14 August	City Campus
33	Introduction to Animal Technology Taster	14 August	Rotokauri Campus
33	Music Production Taster	14 August	City Campus
34	Barista 4-Day Taster	17,24,31 August, 7 September	Rotokauri Campus
34	MIG Welding Taster	17 August	Rotokauri Campus
33	A day of Applied Science	17 August	City Campus
34	Performing Arts Taster	21 August	City Campus
34	Painting and Drawing Taster	21 August	City Campus
34	Photoshop Taster	21 August	City Campus
35	Provide Table Service in Hospitality	24, 31 August, 7 September	Rotokauri Campus
36	Early Childhood Education Taster	3 September	City Campus
38	Horticulture and Arboriculture Taster	14 September	Rotokauri Campus
38	Barista 1-Day Taster	14 September	Rotokauri Campus
38	Sport Science Taster	15 September	Rotokauri Campus
38	Outdoor Education Taster	15 September	Rotokauri Campus
39	Barista 1-Day Taster	21 September	Rotokauri Campus

Still at Secondary High School?

If you're still at secondary school and are trying to decide on your future career, join us for a STAR programme and get a taste of a career before committing to full-time study.

STAR programmes are usually one day, but maybe up to five. All of our STAR programmes are aligned with vocational pathways, and some of our programmes also have credits attached.

Please note, you must book through your school. Careers advisors, please use the Booking Form to book a place for your students.

Information for students

STAR course times

8.45am-9am - Meet and greet session with STAR coordinator
9am-3pm - In-class with the tutor

Locations

Rotokauri Campus: The Hub (S Block) for all courses. Look for the dark green and white STAR sign near the information desk. Course subjects taught here are animal technology, hair and beauty, and all trades, sports and hospitality tasters.

City Campus: The Hub (building with the café, library, and other student services). Look for the dark green and white STAR sign on one of the shared tables. Course subjects taught here are media arts (Photoshop, Illustrator, printmaking, music, short video, interior design, performing arts, painting and drawing, and creative media), early childhood education, health, and business.

Hamilton Gardens Campus: Access via the public car park at Gate 2. Cross the bridge from the car park, over to the Horticulture Education Centre reception. Course subjects taught here are horticulture, arboriculture, and landscape.

At the meet and greet session, students will be required to complete an enrolment form before being taken to their classroom.

Clothing

Each course will have different clothing requirements. Please check your programme requirements by clicking on the pathway option and then the course for more information.

Attendance

As STAR courses are booked through your secondary school, you must contact the school if you cannot attend. If you become unwell while attending a STAR course, their school will be contacted.

Certificates

Upon completion of the STAR course, certificates are emailed to secondary schools which can be forwarded to students.

Carparking

Rotokauri: Star students are required to 'pay & display.' Students can park in car park 1 or 2, Star students cannot park in visitor parking as this will incur a parking infringement. Parking costs $1 per hour capped at $6.00 per day, between 8am and 4pm weekdays. Tickets can be purchased from payment machines located in car parks 1 and 2.

City: NO parking available at the City Campus.

Hamilton Gardens: FREE parking is available at the Hamilton Gardens Campus in the public car park.

Bus routes

The City Campus is a 1-minute walk from the Hamilton City Transport Centre; therefore, all inner-city BUSIT routes will be a suitable mode of transport. Click here to find the best route for your address. The Orbiter bus route runs between the transport centre and Wintec Rotokauri Campus.

Food on campus

Food is not provided as part of the STAR experience. Both the City, Rotokauri, and Hamilton Gardens campuses have excellent cafés serving a tempting array of hot and cold food, and espresso coffee. In the student areas of all our campuses, there are also microwaves, hot water, and snack vending machines. Students are welcome to bring their own packed lunch

Click here for a printable version of the information sheet.

Contact us

If you have any questions, please contact:

Youth Pathways Coordinator - STAR
Phone: +647 834 8800 ext 3369
Email: star@wintec.ac.nz