Our combined provider attracted strong interest from car enthusiasts and families alike at the 10th Annual Auckland Brit & Euro Classic Car Show in Pakuranga on Sunday, 1 March 2026.
With more than 1,200 classic cars and motorcycles from over 63 car clubs on display and crowds exceeding 10,000 visitors, the event is one of New Zealand’s largest classic motoring gatherings.
The MIT and Unitec marquee saw steady foot traffic throughout the day, with kaimahi (staff) engaging visitors who arrived with varying levels of curiosity about automotive careers and study pathways.
Tech Park Head of Automotive and Vehicle Technology Mike Frankle says the event provided an ideal platform to connect with people already passionate about vehicles.
“MIT and Unitec’s presence was a valuable opportunity to promote our automotive programmes across both campuses at one of the Southern Hemisphere’s largest classic car events,” Mike says.
“The show attracted a large and diverse audience of car enthusiasts, families, young people and community members who already had a genuine interest in vehicles, automotive engineering and hands-on learning. This made it an ideal environment to showcase vocational education in a way that felt relevant, exciting and connected to the real world.”
Academic Programme Manager Mirjana Bogosanovic says the day also provided a meaningful opportunity to connect with current learners and graduates.
“It was a wonderful day. We had many visitors to our marquee, and it was lovely to meet many of our automotive students and alumni who were able to speak directly with visitors about their experiences,” Mirjana says.
The strong public presence helped position the single organisation as active contributors to the automotive industry while demonstrating a commitment to engaging with the wider community beyond the classroom.
“The marquee provided a visible, professional and welcoming space to promote automotive study pathways, answer questions and interact directly with visitors,” says Mr Frankle.
“Staff and students represented us proudly. The marquee helped turn attendance into meaningful engagement by making the programmes more accessible, noticeable and memorable for prospective learners and their families.”
Visitors were able to explore a lively showcase of automotive learning through practical demonstrations and interactive displays. Highlights included a workshop mechanic simulation, Lucas Nülle training equipment, car battery testers, a spark plug tester, fuel injectors, engine management sensors, LED headlights and cutaway examples of a Nissan V6 engine and transmission.
“These resources helped bring the learning environment to life by showing exactly the type of tools, systems and technologies learners are exposed to within the automotive programmes,” Mr Frankle says.
The hands-on displays allowed visitors to easily connect the programmes with real automotive components and trade skills, with many taking the opportunity to interact directly with the equipment.
Teenagers formed a key audience, as many are beginning to consider their future study and career options. Younger children were also an important group, helping build long-term awareness and early inspiration for automotive learning.
“The event created an opportunity to plant a seed and create positive memories associated with automotive education,” Mr Frankle says.
Automotive lecturer Anura Bakmeedeniya played a key role in organising the marquee space with event organisers. He acknowledged the support of fellow lecturers Asela Perera and Kasun De Alwis, along with Bachelor of Applied Technology ākonga (students) Laksiri Rathnayake, Rubin Makwana, Sashmika Ahangamgoda and Rishab Narayan.
Reflecting on the day, Mr Frankle says one of the strongest aspects of the event was the collaboration between staff from both institutes.
“The event reflected not only teamwork, but also a genuine commitment to promoting automotive education in a way that connected with people of all ages,” Mike says.
“Moments like this were deeply rewarding because they showed the event was about more than promoting our programmes. It was about creating connection, sparking imagination and inspiring future learners through hands-on, real-world experiences.”