Just as Te Pānui Rūnaka goes to print, iwi-led agriculture initiative Whenua Kura has confirmed a new Diploma in Agriculture.
The Level 5 Lincoln University qualification is a one-year programme starting in March, 2015. The comprehensive programme offers an introduction to agriculture, sustainable agricultural practice and how to apply mātauranga Māori (knowledge) to land use and management.
Students will live on the Lincoln University campus and the practical 12-week work component will take place on the Ngāi Tahu Farms.
Whenua Kura programme manager, Renata Hakiwai says the new diploma will provide a higher learning option and a progression on from the Whenua Kura Certificate in Farming (Dairy) Level 3.
“The Whenua Kura Diploma in Agriculture is the next step up for Whenua Kura students and Māori agricultural workers with the relevant qualifications and experience looking to progress their careers into management pathways. The diploma will not only provide student with agricultural best practice, but an depth focus on Ngāi Tahu values such kaitiakitanga, manaakitanga and rangatiranga”, Renata says.
Open to Māori katoa, Whenua Kura provides students with:
- A full-fee cadetship scholarship
- Nationally recognised Lincoln University qualifications
- A Māori learning environment
- A curriculum built on kaitiakitanga and Ngāi Tahu values
- A Māori mentor
- On-farm learning based at the Ngāi Tahu farms
- Help getting a job
- Opportunities to progress onto higher levels of training and career acceleration.
Whenua Kura is a Ngāi Tahu led partnership between Te Tapuae o Rehua, Ngāi Tahu Farming and Lincoln University, which seeks to grow Māori leadership in agriculture.
For more information visit www.whenuakura.co.nz or call 0800 KAI TAHU (0800 524 8248) to register your interest and to receive an enrolment pack.
Registrations are also being taken for the Whenua Kura Certificate in Farming (Dairy) Level 3 course starting in June 2015.
