Te Whanake - Our Blog
Focusing on jobs of the future
This month we launched our new education funding programme with a new focus – a focus on supporting education for jobs of the future.
Our scholarships are now more focused towards subjects in areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and also business management related subjects.
For our descendants and for all of Aotearoa, STEM subjects are the future required skills and knowledge needed to fulfil jobs, innovate and create new products and services, but currently our country has a skills shortage in these areas.
Over the last three years the numbers show more graduates are completing their degrees in the STEM subject areas but there is still work to be done, so we want to encourage our rangatahi to explore these subject areas closer when embarking on tertiary education, and talk to the Ngāti Rārua Ātiawa Iwi Trust about funding support towards their study.
We also expanded the funding grant options to support all our hapū wanting to further their education and training that isn’t considered a graduate degree. Our hapū can now access funding support for trades training, te reo and other adult education, as well as learning support for secondary and primary school tamariki.
These changes are largely a result of what we heard our hapū asking for during our Project Ipukarea road show. You can find out more about our education funding here.
It is also encouraging to see the high school in our rohe, Motueka High, receiving a $1 million investment to grow the capacity of the school. This investment will see new classrooms built that will support new ways of teaching and learning, and will feature the latest technology infrastructure to support digital learning.
He rei nga niho, he paraoa nga kauae
One must have the right qualifications for great enterprises.
Rōpata Taylor
Chair, Ngāti Rārua Ātiawa Iwi Trust
Update on our superstar Tailah Love
Left to right: Tailah, Trish and Ivan
I had the pleasure of hearing about one of recent grant recipients Tailah Love and his achievements in the States. His mother, and biggest supporter Trish informed me that he is doing really well and has 11 offers to attend university in America that include top universities Harvard and Stanford. NRAIT proudly supported Tailah to travel to the US and attend scouting camps and we are so happy to see our investment in his future has led to even more success for our talent Tailah.
Tailah has recently been nominated as a finalist for the Tasman Secondary school sportsman of the year. Unfortunately missed out on this award however I'm sure he is satisfied with the 12 awards he has recieved including Marlborough Boys College Sportsman of the Year and the Marlborough District Council Youth Civic award that is presented by the Mayor Alistair Sowman.
We are very happy that our financial support has helped Tailah achieve his goals and very excited to watch him succeed even further. Good luck Tailah from all of us and your NRAIT whanau!
Read our first story about Tailah here.
Aiming high
To support the educational achievement of our people, NRAIT offers all owners the opportunity to apply for an NRAIT scholarship or grant. Read about our recent award winners in issues of Eke Panuku. The aim of the programme is to help young people achieve their potential by supporting them to accomplish their educational aspirations, and to encourage them in turn to contribute their skills to the wellbeing and advancement of NRAIT’s people.
Changes are being made to the current funding programme to make it more accessible and effective, and NRAIT scholarship and grant manager Sacha Macdonald wants to see more students going for it.
“I encourage you all to have a go: work out what would help you get ahead with your education, then put your best foot forward and apply for funding. The Board allocates educational funding every year for this purpose and they’d like to see more of you seizing the opportunity.”
Applications for 2014 open in January and close on 30 April.