Southland
The Murihiku Trades Academy capped off a year of achievements with their graduation ceremony recently, providing an opportunity for staff, teachers, students, family and whanau to come together in celebration of their successes.
Held on the 30th October at Hansen Hall, Southern Institute of Technology (SIT), the event had an excellent turnout, attended by around 190 people, and included SIT’s acting CE, Maree Howden, Doug Rodgers, Head of Faculty – Trades and Technology, SIT Senior Managers as well as teachers and principals from some of the partner schools involved with the academy.
Doug Rodgers, Head of Faculty – Trades and Technology, said the graduates this year had achieved noteworthy standards and was thrilled to announce the Murihiku Trades Academy results showed they had exceeded in all measures of the programme.
“They exceeded the national average pass rate, they exceeded NCEA L2 national achievement levels, they exceeded in retention levels. We are very, very proud of our students and we let them know it”, said Mr Rodgers.
“Murihiku Trades Academy is one of the stars of Trades Academies throughout New Zealand”
After receiving their Certificates of Completion, the students and their families enjoyed a celebration supper and the chance to mingle and talk.
“There were so many happy parents there” said Mr Rodgers.
Yvonne Browning, Principal of Southland Girls’ High School attended the graduation ceremony and was impressed with the evening.
“I thought the evening showed a commitment from SIT to recognise the girls’
achievements with a very professionally-run, prize-giving. The pride and joy it brought to parents and whanau really struck me” she said.
Mrs Browning said sometimes vocational achievements for students aren’t acknowledged. “It’s so important to represent the success of all girls, not just the academic programmes”.
Southland Girls’ students who received Murihiku Trades Academy completion certificates were also going to be included in the school’s main prize-giving to acknowledge them and their efforts said Mrs Browning.
She said the school’s investment into the Trades Academy provides an alternate pathway, giving students more choices.
“We don’t assume all our girls will go to university, this is another alternative to broaden their range of options”.
Murihiku Trades Academy and Hokonui Tertiary High School gives a clear study pathway for students who want to gain practical skills for their future career. The successful scheme is aiming to provide more places for students in 2021, accommodating for growth in the programmes. Many Trades Academy students enrol in further tertiary study, having been well informed and prepared in their vocation choices while still at high school.