NZMA –the ideal place to study downunder
View(s):NZMA is a 100 percent New Zealand-owned private tertiary institution founded 28 years ago. Specialising in hospitality and cookery training, NZMA has five vibrant campuses – four in Auckland and one in Hamilton – which are home to over 2000 domestic and around 400 international students per year, from 31 different countries.
Offering a wide range of certificate and diploma qualifications, the government-funded provider is popular with students who are serious about launching their careers.
Sri Lanka’s Nathalia Pereira recently completed her Diploma in Hospitality Management at NZMA and now has a great job as a Conference Supervisor for Ilume Coaching, in Auckland.
“The course gave me the opportunity to learn more about the hospitality industry and its current trends. It was very practical so I got to learn about and practice lots of different roles within the industry,” said Nathalia.
One of the provider’s top priorities is helping its students and graduates into meaningful employment. Its dedicated employment service, NZMA Careers, supports, guides and assists students with work experience, internships, part-time and full-time work opportunities.
“NZMA gave me a lot of guidance as far as my career goes. During my studies NZMA Careers helped me get a job at Eden Park Catering. They helped me with my CV, recommended me to the employer and gave me lots of tips before my interview. They helped me take the first step of my career! NZMA Careers also helped me find the full-time conference supervisor job I have now. Their services were invaluable.”
Two of the provider’s most popular programmes are the Diploma in Applied Hospitality Management and the Diploma in Professional Cookery. Both courses include full-time 600 hour paid internships so students graduate with significant industry experience as well as a highly-respected qualification.
The two year Diploma in Applied Hospitality Management prepares students for the realities and demands of a management level career in hospitality. It fine-tunesstudents’ practical skills and provides them with a sound knowledge of operations management and systems management in the industry.
The two-year Diploma in Professional Cookery equips students with a broad range of advanced cookery skills and knowledge, enabling them to progress as chefs. They can choose to specialise in either patisserie or gastronomy and will develop a plan and implement a live dinner service.
All NZMA programmes are accredited by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA), the government agency that assesses educational quality.
Widely respected by employers and the New Zealand government, NZMA holds the highest possible NZQA rating – Category 1. Students who study here graduate with well-recognised, top-quality qualifications.
NZMA’s campuses have state-of-the-art bar and front-of-house training areas and fully-functioning student-run cafes. The institute’s Panmure campus (home to NZMA’s cookery programmes) has a fully kitted out commercial training kitchen. Training is delivered by industry-experienced tutors, who provide plenty of one-on-one support. This, teamed with small classes and a strong focus on practical training, ensures that students graduate from NZMA with real skills for today’s professions.
Last month NZMA opened its fifth campus, in Auckland’s new industrial hub of Sylvia Park. Neighbouring New Zealand’s largest shopping mall, and just 18 minutes by train from the city, huge plans are in the pipeline for NZMA Sylvia Park. Currently delivering NZMA’s new construction training, by next year the campus will also host the provider’s cookery and hospitality programmes in a purpose-equipped trades campus.
NZMA Chief Executive Tim Cullinane said it was an exciting time for the organisation.
“Our new trades campus is a substantial investment in what is a growing and well-connected part of Auckland, near to the businesses and industries requiring the graduates we train.
Our vision is for a trades-based campus at Sylvia Park offering excellent programmes with real practical benefit to local industry,” Mr Cullinane said.
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