Latest news with #Wānaka-based
Otago Daily Times
24-06-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Polytech shuts down cookery course
The lack of a commercial kitchen is a driver in the closure of one of the courses at the Otago Polytechnic Central Campus. Deputy executive director academic delivery Chris Williamson and deputy executive director industry training and innovation Mark Cartwright said in a joint statement three programmes — one each in Cromwell and Wānaka and one in Dunedin — were under review. Otago Polytechnic has a campus in Cromwell town and one in Bannockburn. Late last year it was announced the brewing and stonemasonry courses run at Cromwell would be discontinued from this year. At that meeting Otago Polytechnic executive director Megan Potiki said Otago Polytechnic was in debt and costs would have to be reduced to get it standing back on its own feet. There was a risk it could be forced into a federation of polytechnics and that was not wanted, she said. The Otago secondary-tertiary college certificate in cookery, which has operated out of dedicated kitchen in the town campus, will also come to an end after the facility is sold and all Central Otago programmes are consolidated at the Bannockburn campus. The programme, which involved 16 students attending two days a week, will cease as the polytechnic has been unable to secure an alternative commercial kitchen. The closure will result in the loss of 0.61 fulltime-equivalent positions, affecting a lecturer and a technician. Central campus director John Christie confirmed the cookery course would end, but emphasised that trades training in beauty, hospitality and carpentry would continue at the Bannockburn site. Around 200 students from Alexandra, Wānaka and Queenstown attend these programmes at present. If a suitable commercial kitchen could be found, closing the cookery course could be reconsidered, Mr Christie said. The Wānaka-based level 4 New Zealand certificate in outdoor and adventure education was not financially sustainable due to low numbers of students. It was proposed to stop the programme from the end of the year. One staff role would go immediately and the other at the end of the year, when the current students had completed their studies. Efforts to increase enrolments had not worked and the course was financially unsustainable, the statement said. The third course to face the chop is the Dunedin-based New Zealand certificate in plumbing, gas fitting and drain laying (level 3). The course was not viable and an announcement by the Tertiary Education Commission that it would not fund more than one year of the one-semester programme led to its demise and the loss of one fulltime position, the statement said. Yesterday's statement said staff had been consulted about the proposed changes. "We have met with the kaimahi [staff] concerned to explain the proposed changes for these three programmes and outlined the process for providing feedback," it said. "We will carefully consider all the feedback we receive before making any final decisions, and will also ensure kaimahi are offered support during this consultation process."
Otago Daily Times
24-06-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Cookery course being discontinued
The lack of a commercial kitchen is a driver in the closure of one of the courses at the Otago Polytechnic Central Campus. Deputy executive director academic delivery Chris Williamson and deputy executive director industry training and innovation Mark Cartwright said in a joint statement three programmes — one each in Cromwell and Wānaka and one in Dunedin — were under review. Otago Polytechnic has a campus in Cromwell town and one in Bannockburn. Late last year it was announced the brewing and stonemasonry courses run at Cromwell would be discontinued from this year. At that meeting Otago Polytechnic executive director Megan Potiki said Otago Polytechnic was in debt and costs would have to be reduced to get it standing back on its own feet. There was a risk it could be forced into a federation of polytechnics and that was not wanted, she said. The Otago secondary-tertiary college certificate in cookery, which has operated out of dedicated kitchen in the town campus, will also come to an end after the facility is sold and all Central Otago programmes are consolidated at the Bannockburn campus. The programme, which involved 16 students attending two days a week, will cease as the polytechnic has been unable to secure an alternative commercial kitchen. The closure will result in the loss of 0.61 fulltime-equivalent positions, affecting a lecturer and a technician. Central campus director John Christie confirmed the cookery course would end, but emphasised that trades training in beauty, hospitality and carpentry would continue at the Bannockburn site. Around 200 students from Alexandra, Wānaka and Queenstown attend these programmes at present. If a suitable commercial kitchen could be found, closing the cookery course could be reconsidered, Mr Christie said. The Wānaka-based level 4 New Zealand certificate in outdoor and adventure education was not financially sustainable due to low numbers of students. It was proposed to stop the programme from the end of the year. One staff role would go immediately and the other at the end of the year, when the current students had completed their studies. Efforts to increase enrolments had not worked and the course was financially unsustainable, the statement said. The third course to face the chop is the Dunedin-based New Zealand certificate in plumbing, gas fitting and drain laying (level 3). The course was not viable and an announcement by the Tertiary Education Commission that it would not fund more than one year of the one-semester programme led to its demise and the loss of one fulltime position, the statement said. Yesterday's statement said staff had been consulted about the proposed changes. "We have met with the kaimahi [staff] concerned to explain the proposed changes for these three programmes and outlined the process for providing feedback," it said. "We will carefully consider all the feedback we receive before making any final decisions, and will also ensure kaimahi are offered support during this consultation process."
Otago Daily Times
24-05-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Pink Ribbon event a chance for connection
EASI NZ operations and marketing manager Ewa Wick (left) and managing director Cherilyn Walthew helped put together a Pink Ribbon Breakfast in Lake Hāwea. PHOTO: SUPPLIED A Wānaka-based recruitment company hosted a Pink Ribbon Breakfast after one woman saw the opportunity to connect people with a cause close to her heart. EASI NZ is a company focused on helping small to medium business with recruitment, HR and health and safety. Operations and marketing manager Ewa Wick was inspired by the women in her life to host the breakfast and raise breast cancer awareness. She recalled watching several family members including her mother-in-law battle breast cancer and undergo mastectomy procedures. This opened her eyes to the risks of breast cancer in the family. "I have two daughters that, basically through genetics, are going to be at a higher risk," she said. "So, it's very close to my heart, to be honest." She felt the cause should be close to the heart of all women with more awareness and education being spread, especially for young women. "I feel that the awareness actually really needs to be spread further ... when it comes to the young women being affected, it's actually pretty high." Working for a company whose aim was to connect people, Ms Wick saw the perfect opportunity to bring the community together, raise money for an important cause and further inform the public about breast cancer. In addition to breakfast and a community supported raffle, the morning also included a quiz Ms Wick had organised. She said this was a good way for people to learn about the statistics and the preventive measures that could be taken. The breakfast was held at the Lake Hawea Community Centre this morning with donations open before and after the event and all proceeds going to the Breast Cancer Foundation.
Otago Daily Times
24-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
The price is right: collective sets sight on fast fashion harm
A third of the profits from sales of coats designed by Liz Mitchell will go to subsidising Precious Collaborative's gift prices. PHOTO: SUPPLIED A fashion collaborative has set out to challenge the harm caused by fast fashion by making environmentally friendly clothing in New Zealand — with a catch. Precious Collaborative founder Wānaka-based Claire O'Connell said what set the collaborative apart was the two prices for the sustainable Celtic Collection items. The first price is called the true price, which reflects the true cost of making each piece of clothing. The gift price is a subsidised cost which allows people to buy higher-quality clothing without the burden of price. "The gift price is aimed at people who want to try to get out of this fast-fashion loop, but can't afford high-quality garments, because unfortunately that's what fast fashion takes advantage of is cost." The website states "all we ask of you is that you pay what you can afford". "If you genuinely want to change your fashion consumption habits, buy better and less frequently, but if price is a real barrier, then pay the subsidised gift price." Sales of a coat designed by award-winning New Zealand designer Liz Mitchell help to subsidise the gift prices of the collection, a third of the profit going to helping fund the gift prices. Mrs O'Connell said she had been working on the idea for five years. The collaborative's website was launched in December. The clothing is made in New Zealand using as much material from New Zealand as possible. Sustainability is also important. Garments are made of 100% wool and organic hemp. Mrs O'Connell said the basic problem she was addressing with the collaborative was fast fashion, which she was toxic. A lot of people buying fast fashion were getting blamed for the problem, which was unfair as they were only buying what they could afford and high-quality ethical fashion was out of reach for most, she said.
Otago Daily Times
16-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Dual pricing tackles fast fashion
A third of the profits from sales of coats designed by Liz Mitchell will go to subsidising Precious Collaborative's gift prices. PHOTO: SUPPLIED A fashion collaborative has set out to challenge the harm caused by fast fashion by making environmentally friendly clothing in New Zealand — with a catch. Precious Collaborative founder Wānaka-based Claire O'Connell said what set the collaborative apart was the two prices for the sustainable Celtic Collection items. The first price is called the true price, which reflects the true cost of making each piece of clothing. The gift price is a subsidised cost which allows people to buy higher quality clothing without the burden of price. "The gift price is aimed at people who want to try to get out of this fast-fashion loop, but can't afford high-quality garments, because unfortunately that's what fast fashion takes advantage of is cost." The website states "all we ask of you is that you pay what you can afford". "If you genuinely want to change your fashion consumption habits, buy better and less frequently, but if price is a real barrier, then pay the subsidised gift price." Sales of a coat designed by award-winning New Zealand designer Liz Mitchell help to subsidise the gift prices of the collection, with a third of the profit going to helping fund the gift prices. Mrs O'Connell had been working on the idea for five years. The collaborative's website was launched in December. The clothing is made in New Zealand, using as much material from New Zealand as possible. Sustainability was also important. Garments are made of 100% wool and organic hemp. Mrs O'Connell said the basic problem she was trying to address with the collaborative was fast fashion, which she said was toxic. A lot of people buying fast fashion were getting blamed for the problem, which was unfair as they were only buying what they could afford and high-quality ethical fashion was out of reach for most, she said. "They're buying crap because that's what they can afford." There had already been feedback from people buying garments at the gift price. A number of people had said "thank you so much because there is no way I would be able to afford a garment like this", she said.
