NMIT takes on Youth Guarantee course

The Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) has taken up the provision of Comcol (Community College) Marlborough’s Youth Guarantee programmes.

In November 2021, Comcol Marlborough announced they would not be accepting enrolments for their 2022 Youth Guarantee courses in Blenheim, Rangiora, Timaru, or Dunedin.

But NMIT has now taken up Comcol’s mantle to provide the programme to local young people.

“NMIT’s mission is to provide vocational skills training to our communities and businesses,” says chief executive Wayne Jackson.

“As part of the new entity, Te Pūkenga, we share a goal of increased provision to groups and communities that have traditionally been underserved in this training.”

The Youth Guarantee programme provides second chance tertiary training to those who don’t otherwise have the minimum tertiary entry qualifications.

“The emphasis is on pastoral care, different ways of learning, and opening our doors to learners who are not otherwise engaged in employment or education by making them feel welcome and able to achieve success, and gain qualifications,” Wayne says.

The Comcol Marlborough team have been taken on by NMIT but the building and other assets remain with Community Colleges New Zealand.

The Youth Guarantee programme is now being delivered at NMIT’s Budge Street campus thought NMIT is also looking at other sites for the course’s delivery.

Three pathway options are currently being offered by NMIT through the programme: hospitality, sport and recreation, and business admin and retail.

“We hope to increase our range of offerings next year and are currently looking at which other pathways will link well into the next level of NMIT programmes so students can be encouraged to progress,” Wayne says.

“In addition, we are working on a project to provide individual learning discussions and plans for each student, alongside the strong pastoral care they already receive from their tutors.”

In taking on the Youth Guarantee programme, NMIT hopes to be able to continue supporting young people in the region.

“People from Marlborough without tertiary level entry qualifications… will be able to re-enter the tertiary sector and gain NZQA qualifications to support their new skills.”

“We received a great deal of support from the local community to ensure this programme continued in Marlborough,” Wayne says. “We see it as a pilot for a potential offering across the Te Pūkenga network.”