Polytechnic's rising enrolment numbers for 2009 means students need to get in quick and enro

 West Coast polytechnic Tai Poutini Polytechnic is urging school leavers to get in quick and sign up due to rising enrolment numbers in 2009.

 

Since its announcement of no tuition fees for 2009, West Coast programmes have been filling up fast. Both the Certificate in Outdoor Recreation and the Digger Schools Civil Plant Operations and Surface Extraction programmes February intakes are already full with extensive waiting lists.

 

Marketing Manager Mequa Griffin says programme popularity has skyrocketed. “Following an appearance on TVNZ’s Good Morning programme at one of our Digger Schools in October, the phones have been ringing hot. Other programmes such as nannying, hairdressing and automotive are also in high demand,” Griffin says.

 

Although not surprised, Tai Poutini Polytechnic’s CEO Paul Wilson says he is pleased with the response and puts the popularity down to West Coast’s great living environment, great staff and the huge savings made when attended a programme without having to pay fees.

 

“The West Coast is the perfect location in which to study. Students get to live and learn among the mountains, rivers, and lakes of the spectacular the Southern Alps. Living here means being close to all of these wild places so less time is spent travelling to them to achieve course objectives with more time is spent living and learning,” he says.

 

Other favourite programmes such as carpentry and its chef programme are filling promptly with applicants being sourced both nationally and internationally.

 

Tai Poutini offers over 60 different programmes and all West Coast programmes are offered with No Tuition Fees in 2009. The polytechnic offers small classes allowing students individual tuition from tutors.

 

 

“So, not only do you get to study in a region surrounded by five National Parks and earn a qualification which will opens doors career-wise, you’ll save heaps on tuition fees in the process,” Griffin says.