We were very lucky to be able to welcome Senior Constable John Walker from the Whangaparāoa Police Station a few weeks ago. We have some Gateway learners who are keen to investigate and gain knowledge in a career in our emergency services.
A work placement isn’t easy to complete on site with these providers, so we made arrangements for them to join us at College for a question/answer session.
Constable Walker was a wealth of information and our learners heard about his experiences in the force spanning over 20 odd years.
It was a great morning and we look forward to welcoming Silverdale Fire, Coast Guard and St Johns Ambulance during the month of June.
Seven of our Gateway learners had a great day visiting the Devonport Naval Base.
These learners are interested in exploring a career with the Navy and we were welcomed by Warrant Officer Ray Jensen.
Ray had a fabulous itinerary organised for us. We enjoyed a ship visit on HMNZS TE KAHA, where we were shown how life at sea is for these crewman. Our learners soon learnt that there is a huge variety of “career” choices within the Navy. It certainly offered them plenty to think about.
We were able to explore the Seamanship Training Establishment and view the warehouse storage facility which provides the Navy and its ships with essential items. The staff at the RNZN Bridge Simulator Facility were fantastic. The facility includes three mock-up ship bridges used to teach ship handling and navigation practices. We were split into three teams and a battle was had, with three ships competing for first place while dodging obstacles and navigating the ocean. So much fun.
A quick lunch on base was followed by a tour of the Officer Training School for new entry applicants. We watched a group train on the parade ground, learning marching techniques in full uniform. A very motivating way to end a wonderful day on Base.