This year we have been delighted to have the opportunity to partner with Chorus in delivering their Gateway Programme.
Gateway is a Tertiary Education Commission initiative which is designed to support students’ transition into the workforce by offering them workplace learning while at secondary school.
The Chorus Programme is a fantastic first step for students interested in a career in Telecommunications. Held one day per week over 8 weeks, students develop their skills and knowledge in a fun and informative environment and are awarded two NZQA unit standards upon successful completion.
Our first two intakes were held at the Chorus Lab in Grafton, Auckland with a total of 29 students from 13 different schools. The original plan was to have one additional intake in Wellington, but due to the success and amount of interest in the programme, two intakes were then scheduled for Wellington and an additional one in Tauranga. Cameron Childerhouse from iskills led the delivery of the course, sharing his passion for the industry that he has been involved in for many years. Cameron relished his role in nurturing the students’ interest and encouraging them into a rewarding career path.
Along with significant theoretical insight, students had the opportunity to get hands on with fibre, learning safe and correct handling techniques while utilizing tools from the Chorus fibre tool bags that have been gifted to them. Students were treated to presentations from Chorus service providers Downer and Visionstream, and in the final weeks of the programme they spent time both out in the field and in the office to get an insight into working life in the telecommunications industry.
Our team is now working diligently on coordinating the 2020 Chorus Gateway Programme. If you or anyone you know is interested to learn more, please contact us on admin@iskills.co.nz.