Bourne’s ultimatum: Getting ready for the future of IT
Alison Marianne Bourne is fairly new to New Zealand. The 21 year old arrived in Auckland along with her parents and five siblings from Samoa in July 2014. “We had a good life in Samoa but we moved to New Zealand in order to have better access to quality education,” she says.
The Bournes have clearly made the right decision. New Zealand School of Education (NZSE), where she is studying the Diploma in IT - Level 6, is one of the leading providers of ICT education in the country. With campuses in New Lynn, Auckland City and Manukau, NZSE is known for producing work ready graduates.
Alison’s the first member of her family to study IT. “I have never believed in the easy options,” she says. “IT is a challenging field but it offers the most opportunities.”
We agree – a search done on January 15 on www.seek.co.nz yielded 4759 jobs, the highest in any sector.
The Diploma in IT – Level 6 is a two-year course which aims to produce graduates who have a sound technical understanding of information technology and the application of IT to business information systems. NZSE students will gain up to two full years of cross crediting towards the AUT or Unitec degree.
Alison, who had studied information systems and management in Samoa, feels NZSE offers a more immersive IT environment. “NZSE is an exciting place to study with supportive tutors and a multicultural environment,” she says. “The course provides a starting point for me to enter the world of tertiary education, hardware, software and networking.’’
Alison has set her sights on a bachelor’s degree in IT or animation after she finishes the course. “New Zealand is becoming a hub for animation and production so this is the right place to be,” she says.
Plus, NZSE offers a practical learning environment where students are prepared for the workplace. “Our tutors are focussed on helping us make the transition from the classroom to the real world,” she says.
