NorthTec | Te Pūkenga back on track for semester 1
NorthTec | Te Pūkenga started its first semester of 2023 this week after a delayed start due to Cyclone Gabrielle. The NorthTec | Te Pūkenga team is greatly looking forward to welcoming students back to campus and have a range of events planned for the first week.
Originally, classes were due to start on Monday the 13th of February. However, with the onset of Cyclone Gabrielle, the decision was made by senior management to delay the starting date to the following week and open campus on Monday the 20th of February for the safety of both students and tutors.
NorthTec| Te Pūkenga is keen to finally welcome students back to campus and hopes to make up for lost time, with a series of orientation events lined up this week for students. The semester kicks off with an online pōwhiri, taking the place of the in-person ones that normally occur at each campus around Te Tai Tokerau.
At the Raumanga Campus, the pōwhiri was followed by a morning tea, allowing ākonga and kaiako to chat, get acquainted, and relax into the new semester, especially after the disruption of last week. The morning tea was held at Te Puna o Te Oranga on the Raumanga campus and was available to new and returning students.
Campus tours, staff meet and greats, and helpful online and on-campus workshops are all on offer this week, helping students settle in and find any support they may need. Later on in the week, there will be a series of student BBQs around campus, provided by NorthTec Student Voice. Music, games, and food will all be part of the events.
Some courses had already started at NorthTec | Te Pūkenga prior to Cyclone Gabrielle. The team were able to stay in contact with these students throughout the cyclone and kept their programme running by switching to an online format.
NorthTec | Te Pūkenga has also made arrangements for free, temporary accommodation for ākonga who are traveling from outside of the Whangarei District, to study at the Raumanga and Dyer Street campuses. The accommodation will be at the onsite marae Te Puna O Te Matauranga.
Previously on the 6th February, NorthTec | Te Pūkenga were pleased to welcome a number of international health care workers to campus for the Nursing Competency Assessment Programme (CAP). These students were also supported through online study during this disruption and have now returned to campus along with the new students.
