Pat Ball – Bridging Education Lecturer (centre) with Blair Sorensen – Recruitment and Relationship Advisor and Beth Fitzgerald – Health Vocational Pathways Lecturer at the Supported Learning Open Day, celebrating their new space in B117
More than 20 students studying for the New Zealand Certificate in Skills for Living and Working programme, a full-time vocational course for supported learners, have recently completed successful 20-week work placements under the guidance of Mary Perich and Helen Pearce.
Various Unitec pathways and support services have been largely instrumental in facilitating work experience for a range of our Supported Learning students, including IMS, Building Construction & Services, Creative Industries, Environmental & Animal Science, Computer Science, Bridgepoint, the Library, Clinic 41 and Sustainability & Environmental.
The thank-you cards our students created for their employers which capture them in their learning experience environment
As part of the work experience package, Supported Learning students are also coached in grooming, CV writing, interview skills, and health & safety inductions.
Our students have used their Unitec work placements as a springboard into more permanent employment, including roles at Musicworks, Foot Locker and Fresh Choice.
Academic Leader Pat Ball says that the work experience gained at Unitec has given students the opportunity to upskill, gain confidence and pride in their work and share their knowledge with fellow students.
“Unitec prides itself in real world learning,” says Pat. “This can be further developed by creating work experience opportunities for our supported learners within Unitec, by providing our students with real work environment to apply skills learned in the class room and develop further skill sets in a real work environment.
Thomas Talakia’atu – DXMAIL at work in the Unitec mail centre
“Our dream is for Unitec to be seen not only as the leader in Supported Learning teaching and learning, but to be a leader in a world that views people with a learning disability being in work as the norm.”
Our Supported Learning students and lecturers celebrated the move to their new classroom space in Building 117 with a blessing and afternoon tea last week. The former Copy Centre space has been reconfigured to accommodate teaching spaces, break-out rooms, storage for artwork and a resource room.
If any pathways or support service groups are interested in offering work experience opportunities, please contact Pat
Quan Ting Sim – Working in the Clinic 41/Osteopathy laundry facility
Captured to the right and below are just a few of the many students who have had the opportunity to get work experience at Unitec and externally, through our placement support service.
Kit Young – Kitchen hand at Anne Maree Court Kitchen
Deborah Apulu – Kitchen hand at the Little Jimmy Bar and Eatery
Awesome work team! We love having supported learning students helping us in EAS. Looking forward to more opportunities next year.
Many thanks for support to Michell HN from the Whanau.
Your team has done an incredible job over two years preparing Mitch for his future.
Ken
I so loved reading this Pat and team! Creating meaningful opportunities is so important. It’s really great to hear about the progress and success of all our students.
What a great news story. It is fantastic to see our Unitec students achieving in their work experience placements and the fact some of the placements have led to jobs is even better. Well done Supported Learning team! And I love your new space it is great having you closer and seeing your students in Te Puna.
So proud to work with the amazing students and staff at Supported Learning!
Kau mau te wehi! Fantastic! Love your mahi Pat x
Great seeing where the fabulous work of the Supported Learning Team. Thanks for sharing 😀
Thank you everyone, we will be door knocking in the New Year for work experience opportunities ranging from 1 hour to 4 hours once per week preferably on a Thursday as part of the students 2 year programme. We are looking for opportunities to support our teaching and learning that enables the students to participate in induction processes, health and safety checks as well as developing the ‘work ethic’. In 2019 this will be lead by our fabulous lecturers Mary Perich and Lynn Solomon. they are an email or phone call away.
Nga mihi, Pat