Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate Visit
Media Design School has continued its mission on clearing the way for more accessibility for high school students to chase their dream careers in the creative tech field.
Last week, tauira from Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate, a school established in 2001 and opened by famous mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary in 2004 in Ōtara, South Auckland, joined us on the Media Design School campus. For three days, these students were invited to complete the graphic design component as part of the 60-credit certificate we have developed for partnerships with high schools. It was great having them on campus, meeting MDS staff and a chance to look around and experience a bit of university life.
By practicing with industry-standard tools available at the school, they were able to get familiar with what kind of work they could create at Media Design School and what kind of skills they can acquire. It can be a big challenge for students in these communities to choose to study, with a lot of pressure to jump straight into the workforce. We hope that by bringing these talented students in to our campus, and give them confidence in themselves and their whanau that they have the ability to learn and exceed their expectations.
It was a positive experience, being able to give these students from my own community of South Auckland, the opportunity to learn tools used in the Design Industry. Giving them advice on how far they can push themselves to get into design courses after high school.” - Juno McCoy, Learning Facilitator, Digital Creativity Foundation
Lecturer, Juno McCoy, has been overseeing the delivery with Ella Hoeflich at SEHC, and did a great job of supporting them to complete their work and also making time for them to have a bit of fun, explore the Wynyard Quarter and play some basketball. Juno is in the group photo taken, and if you didn't know, you would think he was one of the students!
Increasing representation of Māori and Pacific academics is important to building relationships with Māori and Pacific communities, and lecturers in the classroom, who look and sound like them, breaks down barriers and boosts academic performance." - Bonnie Kea, Programme Director, Digital Creativity Foundation
This initiative, alongside the work of Media Design School's Māori and Pacific Steering Committee, is one step to building a pathway for Māori and Pacific to thrive in creative spaces - as innovators of education or industry, or both!
SEHC tauira explored the MDS Campus
It was great having them on campus, meeting MDS staff and a chance to look around and experience a bit of university life.
SEHC tauira practiced their skills in Graphic Design
For three days, these students were invited to complete the graphic design component as part of the 60-credit certificate we have developed for partnerships with high schools.
