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• Caroline plays her part in Christchurch rebuild

  But she is now a qualified quantity surveyor as comfortable working on building sites as she is back in the office crunching the numbers. 

  Caroline says it is not a profession she would have contemplated in China, where she grew up, but Christchurch’s rebuild inspired her to pursue a career in the construction industry and she is grateful for the freedom to be able to achieve her ambitions.  

  “It has been very rewarding to be part of the rebuild and to see the changes in the city. Bettabuilt, the company I work for, specialises in school rebuilds. When we finish a new school, you feel like you’ve done something you should be really proud of.”  

  And her parents are proud too. They have backed her career choice and know that the bold decision they made to send their only child to New Zealand for education was the right one.  

  

  New Zealand a safe place to study 

  Caroline says they had travelled widely as a family before making the decision that she would come to Burnside High School Te Kura o Waimairi-iri in Year 11. “They wanted me to be open-minded and take on new experiences and cultures,” she says. “They decided it would be good for me to study in another country with a different culture and chose New Zealand because it was a peaceful and safe country.” 

  Before she arrived, Caroline was set up with a “buddy”, a student from her school in Beijing who was already studying here and helped provide insights into life in New Zealand. She also took an online course prepared for international students.  

  “This made me feel more confident and familiar with what I was coming to which was important, because the culture and environment is quite different from my home country.” 

  But there were still some big adjustments to be made when it came to schooling. “All courses in China are set by the Education Department. In New Zealand, you have freedom to choose your own courses,” she says. “At first, I was a bit overwhelmed by the options available to me because I didn’t know exactly what I should take. But it was good that I had the opportunity to try courses that I was interested in.”  

  She also had to get used to a self-directed approach to learning. “It allows you to study in a way which suits you best, which was positive for me. And it means when you start work you have the ability and discipline to study by yourself. I have used methods I learned in high school and university to build my knowledge in the workplace.” 

  With more free time in her life, Caroline had the opportunity to play sport and even take on a part-time job which she says would not have been possible in Beijing. “That job really helped me because I got to practice English and gain more confidence talking to local people.” 

  New career opportunities 

  It was all part of an international education experience which Caroline believes is about much more than study.

  “When you’re an international student, you quickly acquire life skills and become much more independent.

  You also learn about other cultures because you are mixing with people from many different backgrounds. It was quite an eye-opener for me, but I enjoyed it.” 

  

  Once she determined her career choice, Caroline chose Ara Institute of Canterbury as the next step on her education pathway. Starting with a Diploma in Quantity Surveying, she followed it up with a Bachelor of Construction. Job and internship opportunities were regularly shared by their programme leader, illustrating the close ties with business. 

  The decision to study in New Zealand has taken Caroline on a journey she couldn’t have imagined when she arrived. “In China I would not be working in construction. I would probably have been working in finance or management,” she says. “The environment here changed me and gave me career options I would not have considered at home.” 

  In the past few months Caroline has secured residency and bought her first house, giving her a real sense of belonging. “I enjoy my work and my life in New Zealand. I love Christchurch and I’m proud to be contributing to the rebuild of the city.” 

  “I feel really happy that I came here.”  

• Overall August 2015 visa dashboard

• Japan events bring growth and connections

  Although this was the third year the fair has run, ENZ’s Senior Market Development Manager – Japan, Misa Kitaoka, noted a prevalence of tertiary students this year, often seeking degree programmes.

  "While Japan hasn’t traditionally been a study-to-work market, concerns over employment outlook as well as anxieties over life in retirement with the declining population could be encouraging the Japanese to pursue new options to secure their future,” she said.

  The fair attracted a record 550 visitors, including 340 students, and 37 New Zealand providers.

  As destination marketing plays a key role in student attraction to New Zealand, ENZ received support from Tourism New Zealand and Air New Zealand for the fair, and also welcomed Tobitate! (Leap for Tomorrow) Study Abroad, led by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT), as the official supporter for the fair.                '

  “MEXT’s support is an endorsement of ENZ’s 3-year operation in Japan, and a testament to our 10% market growth in 2016,” said Misa.   

  

   

  ENZ’s Sam Heeney, Tomoko Nishikawa from Tobitate Office and Misa Kitaoka.   

   

  A representative from the Tobitate Office gave a presentation during the fair, explaining the application procedures and encouraging students to apply for the scholarship to study in New Zealand. 

  The presentation was followed by a panel of three Tobitate alumni who shared why they chose to study in New Zealand.

  In conjunction with the fair, ENZ hosted two education seminars in Osaka and Tokyo, with a record 164 education agents and institutions attending. For those that sought to expand their existing network, SIEBA’s presence was much appreciated as it introduced standardised contracts, as well as services including primary and secondary student placements.

  Education seminars have been increasingly popular amongst school teachers looking to send students and student groups to New Zealand secondary schools. This initiative is driven by the Japanese government’s push for internationalisation ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

  Julie Haskell, Director of International at the University of Auckland English Language Academy (ELA) has attended ENZ events over the last three years.

  “Attending these events has helped ELA to identify new business opportunities as well as developing existing partnerships,” she said.

  “We look forward to attending future events in Japan.”

           

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• International students welcomed to New Zealand
  

  James Hargest College’s new international students meet their homestay families at the airport (the stuffed lion toy (school mascot) has all the emergency contacts in its school bag!)

  

  Whakatane High School performed a powhiri for its new German, Austrian and Swiss students.

  

  International students at Mount Maunganui Primary School

  

  International students at Mount Maunganui Primary School

  

  International students at Mount Maunganui Primary School

  

  International students at Mount Maunganui Primary School

  

  International students at Mount Maunganui Primary School

  

  International students at Mount Maunganui Primary School

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• ENZ Annual Report 2014 15

• NZ education publishers at Frankfurt book fair 

  New Zealand education publishers were represented virtually and in person at the event, which hosted 4,000 exhibits, attracting around 93,000 trade visitors and 87,000 members of the public. 

  Catriona Ferguson, Association Director at Publishers Association New Zealand (PANZ), organised the New Zealand stand, with support from Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao. The New Zealand stand attracted a lot of interest from attendees at the fair and provided a great opportunity to meet with book trade representatives from around the world.  

  Six of New Zealand’s education publishers were represented by PANZ and had a virtual presence at the fair: BIOZONE International, EduMaxi, Essential Resources, Global Education Systems, Huia Publishers, and Sunshine Books. Dame Wendy Pye from Sunshine Books attended the fair in person, together with several other New Zealand publishers.  

  

  Dame Wendy Pye of Sunshine Books with Marina Wilmerstadt from ENZ

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