Sophie Kupa (left) completed the programme while a student at Hastings Girls’ High last year and is currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing at EIT.
A unique EIT Trades Academy programme aimed at high schools students is putting them on the path to a nursing degree at EIT.
EIT Associate Professor Rachel Forrest, who teaches the Hauora Trades Academy Level 3 programme, says it was offered for the first time last year.
“It was found that some students, often Māori and Pacifika, were deciding quite late in their secondary school education that they might want to do nursing, but they had not done any science subjects at school.”
“EIT wanted to provide a level 3 programme that they could do that would pathway them into either our Level 4 Study and Career Preparation programme or straight into the Bachelor of Nursing if they gained university entrance.”
Rachel says the programme begins by explaining the principles of Hauora (Health and Wellbeing) based on te ao Māori (Māori world view) principles.
“We then move on to explain and apply the principles of Hauora in the home and explore how traditional and modern Tikanga Māori also contribute to Hauora. We really wanted to make the programme relevant to the students so they could improve their own wellbeing in their everyday environment, even if they didn’t want to continue. There may be some who decide they would rather do something other than nursing, so this programme also gives them an opportunity to get familiar with EIT and what else is offered here.”
“Whanaungatanga (kinship) is very important, and we share kai each week and it is also reinforced by getting the students to contribute within a team to a group project. The biggest unit standard taught is in the Hauora Trades Academy is ‘describe the anatomy and physiology of systems associated with human body’, which is where the science aspect comes in and sets them up for nursing.”
Rachel says while the programme is open to everyone and because it is “Hauora, it’s got that real te ao Māori flavour to it”.
“We’re working with the DHB and the Pasifika team there to weave more Pasifika through the programme,” says Rachel.
Leah Setford, Trades Coordinator at Hastings Girls’ High, says her school has been involved with Trades Academy for about five years now and the Hauora programme is gaining in popularity.
“We have had students who did the programme because they wanted to pursue a career in health or nursing. They are getting taught anatomy and medical maths, as well as an introduction to Māori health. They also do a first aid course which is useful to them.”
“We encourage our students to stay in school as long as possible, hopefully to Year 13, so they can get more experience, more credits, more maturity as well. The Trades Academy is really good because they get to study at our local tertiary provider EIT, so when they choose to go there after Year 13, they’re already familiar with the place.”
Sophie Kupa completed the programme while a student at Hastings Girls’ High last year and is currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing at EIT.
“The Hauora Level 3 programme at EIT not only prepared me for studying nursing by providing me with knowledge and skills to give me a head start, but it made my transfer from high school to polytechnic so much easier.”
“I was able to understand and familiarise myself with EIT before I started studying full time. What we learnt in Hauora was also helpful and relevant to our everyday lives.”