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News Snippets from Waikato Institute of Technology
Garry Roberton
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The Ministry of Economic Development has published data that shows that at present only 6 per cent of people working in the IT field are Maori, only 1 per cent of Maori work in that field (March 1996), and only around 6 per cent of New Zealand's Internet users
are Maori (AGB McNair). (The Ministry of Economic Development. Accessed 12 March,
2001) (www.med.govt.nz/pbt/infotech/knowledge_economy/knowledge_economy-06.html)
Last year, in acknowledging this problem, the departments of Communications and Information Technology offered a Skill Enhancement programme that combined communications and computing unit standards into a year-long programme called
Korowai. In the context of this programme Korowai refers to the threads of communications and computing woven into a cloak of new skills for young Maori and Pacific Island students. Students who pass the required unit standards receive an NZCC Level 3, NCC Level 3 and a local Certificate in Business Communication and Computing.
The aim of the programme is to provide young Maori and Pacific Island students with the communication and computing skills needed in the work place or for further education. Providing a supportive environment that respects the cultural needs of young Maori and Pacific Island people, between the ages of 16 and 25 years, is an important aspect of this programme.
The Waikato Institute of Technology department of IT are pleased to part of this new and innovative concept in programmes and are happy to report that, following the successful outcomes of last year's programme, where a number of the graduates have continued on with further full-time study, Skill NZ have renewed their contract for another year.
In another success story, students from the first Certificate in Computing and Information Technology (CCIT) programme were awarded their certificates at a recent graduation ceremony. CCIT is designed primarily to provide NCC Level 3 graduates with a pathway into the B InfoTech degree programme and consists of nine courses from the Blue Book, including AM100 Applied Mathematics. Students who pass the required courses are also eligible to receive their PC Driver's Licence. A majority of the graduates have continued their studies in 2001 with the IT department.
Garry Roberton
Programme Manager
The Waikato Institute of Technology
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