Secondary schools selected for the pilot of a Waikato-wide approach to better connecting students and educators with industry have been announced.

Smart Waikato's Secondary School Employer Partnerships (SSEPs) will be piloted at Fairfield College, Hamilton Boys’ High School, Hauraki Plains College, Morrinsville College and Thames High School. The schools, selected from 23 applications, will partner with local employers to deliver contextualised “real world” learning opportunities in mathematics, technology, English, science and business faculties respectively.

The SSEPs initiative is supported by Waikato Means Business – the region’s economic development strategy.

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Waikato secondary school students were rewarded for their enterprising efforts at the 2015 National Awards for The Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme in Wellington last week.

HPC Records, of Hauraki Plains College, took home the national Enterprising Music Award while sole trader James van der Klip, Hillcrest High School, received a national Commitment Award for his business Quartz Web Services.

YES Waikato – King Country regional manager Mary Jensen is pleased two teams from the region took home national prizes from a competition pitching them against some of New Zealand’s most enterprising young entrepreneurs.

“The calibre of teams this year was excellent so both HPC Records and James can be very proud of what they have achieved. They have done a wonderful job of representing our region,” Mary said.

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Above: HPC Records, of Hauraki Plains College, with teachers and supporters at the 2015 National Awards.


Above: Commitment Award winner James van der Klip, of Hillcrest High School, with his Mum, left and Smart Waikato chief executive Mary Jensen and chair Roger Evans.

 

 

The Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme has a new face in Waikato – King Country.

Levinia Paku has joined Smart Waikato Trust to co-ordinate YES in the region, and is looking forward to getting her teeth into her new role.

“I have always admired the work of YES and Smart Waikato so it’s very exciting to be part of a team making a real difference to the young people of our region,” Levinia said.

Early next year Levinia will meet with secondary schools keen to take part in the competition where Years 12 and 13 students set up and run a real business, creating, promoting and selling a product or service, conducting market research, planning, budgeting, taking and managing risk and turning problems into challenges.

Levinia is also keen to grow YES Connect, an initiative piloted in Waikato-King Country to include entrepreneurial students not participating in the programme through school.

Read more about Levinia here.