Olivia Hawker and Cody Thompson are both recipients of a Creative Industries Progressive Scholarship
Providing the right support to learners so they can explore their passion and pursue further study is the driver behind Unitec’s Progression Scholarship initiative.
Monique Bell, Manager Student Support and Scholarships says, “Discovering our path in life is often one of our biggest challenges, and for many ākonga the first year of study is often about trying different career options to find out what suits them. However, the financial demands and costs associated with study can often be challenging and deter people from continuing their learning journey.”
This led to the development of a Creative Industries scholarship this year, which has been awarded to five students to assist their progression onto the bachelor’s degree study and help cover education related costs.
“We have also heard time and again how scholarships support students by allowing them to focus on their studies instead of worrying about how they will support themselves and their families,” says Monique.
Creative Industries ākonga Cody Thompson and Olivia Hawker are two of the recipients of the Creative Industries Bachelor’s Degree Progression Scholarship, after completing a New Zealand Certificate in Study and Career Preparation – Screen Arts, Acting and Technical Production. Like many others, they first took the certificate course due to uncertainty about their ideal career path
Cody says he knew he wanted to work in the film industry, and the certificate course allowed him to try different aspects and find out what he enjoyed most. As he was home-schooled, it also gave him time to get up to speed with university life and formal study.
“It was very immersive, the teachers were great, the other students were great, it was very clear instructions and the teachers were always there for you. It was an awesome experience.”
The certificate course also helped him decide that the production side of the industry was what he was most passionate about. He says he found the application process very simple and was delighted to be selected.
He started the bachelor’s programme this semester and says although he’s still deciding what he wants to do with the money, most likely he will use it to either buy a camera or laptop once he knows which area he wants to specialise in.
Olivia was also unsure of the direction she wanted to head, having studied before, but not finding a path that suited her.
“Then a friend told me about the film production certificate course at Unitec, so I decided to give it a go and really enjoyed it.”
She was keen to continue her studies and after learning about the scholarships, applied for one to help her move on to bachelor study. She plans to put her money towards a better laptop to assist with her film editing projects.
Over the past three years, Unitec has provided around 60 scholarships across different fields of study to encourage learners to progress within their studies here. These have included specific scholarships for Māori, Pacific and International students completing the New Zealand Certificate in English Language (NZCEL) and students completing pathway programmes from Bridging Education including one specifically for students who have come through our Youth Guarantee programme.