Otago Polytechnic

Otago Polytechnic is a superior quality education provider based in Auckland, New Zealand. The college is known to be one of the leading polytechnic colleges in the country.

The Otago Polytechnic Auckland International Campus (OPAIC) was created to cater to the needs of students who wish to enroll and receive a high standard of education as well as employment skills that are very much required to succeed in the workforce.

Otago Polytechnic is proud to boast of the fact that the college creates confident, motivated, and work-ready graduates who do not find it difficult to secure gainful employment once they graduate.

The campus is set in New Zealand’s most bustling city, Auckland. Auckland is the country's fastest-growing area and business hub. It has all the amenities required by a student from proper healthcare, to recreational spaces, to a variety of cafes and hubs. Auckland is also known for its mesmerizing scenic beauty having been given the name ‘The City of Sails’ because of the hundreds of yachts docked at its harbor. It truly is a sight to revel in.

Otago Polytechnic has also opened two other campuses in New Zealand, are; Central Otago and Dunedin.

• Otago Polytechnic offers a range of degrees, pathways and programmes and as a college, the environment has been designed in such a way by academic and business experts to make the students work-ready by the time they graduate. Another interesting fact about the college is that its programmes have been specially tailored to fit the needs of not only domestic students but international students as well.
• Otago Polytechnic strives to be inclusive in its academic endeavours. The college is known to be in tune with the idea of globalisation in academics and follows a policy of inclusion. Every year, over 50 students from all around the world are welcomed and encouraged to join the college and get a head start in their careers. It has a widely diverse international mix of students from various countries like Nepal, India, France, Hong Kong, Singapore and many more.
• Otago Polytechnic takes into consideration each student’s individuality and recognises the fact that every student is different and so is their learning approach. Therefore, the courses are designed in such a way as to suit each students learning ability to help them maximise their potential. The class sizes are small so as to provide individual attention to each student.
• All the campuses are strategically located in areas where easy access to amenities is maximised. The campus in Auckland has located minutes away from recreational parks, malls, theatres and other entertainment spaces: a balanced mix of the natural environment with the luxury of city life amenities. The other two campuses are also located in central areas with maximum security. The people of New Zealand are welcoming and friendly and international students are made to feel right at home.
• The teachers at Otago Polytechnic are highly qualified and professionally trained. They are a mixture of academic and business experts and are passionate and established in their professions and their aim and responsibility are to guide students in their education and future careers. The college recognises that circumstances can create barriers to learning, so they offer their students personalised pathways, flexible study options and learning support.

Careers and Opportunities

Otago Polytechnic pays keen attention to the needs of all its students individually. This service extends to more than just academics. The college takes interest in helping all their students proceed to have a successful career that is why the college tries to the best of their ability and with the latest technology available prepare their students to be well equipped with the skillset needed to be successful in their workforces.

Students at Otago Polytechnic are provided with individual attention to further improve their skills and help them get ready to join the workforce.

Otago Polytechnic has student career services facilitated by trained and qualified staff. The students are assisted in various aspects like looking for student jobs while studying, guidance on how to create a proper CV or a Resume, training on job interview skills, Career planning, and decision making, how to write a cover letter, internship placements and eventually they also help the students lookout for job opportunities once they graduate.

Besides this, Otago has built a partnership with various institutions in the industry to maximise opportunities for their students. Some of the partnerships include; Permanent External Advisory Committees (PEAC), Charity House, Partnership with the Cancer Society.

Success Rate:

• Otago Polytechnic has a rating of 91% overall student satisfaction according to the OP Graduate Destination Survey of 2019.
• According to reports by the same survey, OP Graduate Destination Survey of 2019, 97% of Otago Polytechnic graduates are either pursuing higher studies or are gainfully employed.
• According to the Tertiary Education Commission of 2016, graduates from Otago Polytechnic have earned themselves an impressive rating of 92% employer approval.

Notable Alumni

A few of the notable alumni hailing from Otago Polytechnic includes:

• Graham Batts
• Lindsay Laing
• Ron Anderson
• Lisa Walker
• Richard Emerson
• Andrea McLeod

Student Services

At Otago Polytechnic, the student's well-being is their first priority. The college has various student services that would come in handy for all students attending the college.

Otago recognises the fact that students may be faced with a lot of mental pressure and stress, so counselling services are available, facilitated by qualified counsellors and are free of cost and confidential.

 International Students also have access to support services including free airport pickup, specialised orientation, and organised activities.

There are a number of student-led student services available at the campuses, some of which includes the Maanaki restaurant at the Dunedin campus for staff and students wherein the staff consists of students in training headed by a qualified chef.

Another such student unit is the Central Campus Nursery. A horticulture experiment is run by the students themselves.

Student learning support is another facility available to all students across the campuses. The students can avail extra help in various subjects if needed. This includes extra study hours, workshops and learning material.

Accommodation

Otago Polytechnic does not have a private housing facility on its campuses but the students are not stranded with no options. The centre has appointed an accommodations officer assisted by students’ services for the sole purpose of helping the students find proper and safe lodging accommodations. Some of the housing options include homestay and house sharing all of which fall under a student-friendly budget.

Medical Services

Otago has a well-organised medical centre available for minor health care needs of the students. The centre is run by a registered practitioner and offers healthcare services like regular check-ups, disability support, gynaecology services and the like.

Sports Facilities

Sports and physical activity is something that is greatly encouraged to students of Otago Polytechnic. The students have access to gym facilities as well as various sports activities like football, volleyball and tennis.

Library Services

The college has large and furnished libraries on every campus equipped with up-to-date information, computer facilities, projectors, virtual reality, the internet and a wide-ranging collection of books from all genres. The students of the college have access to all library facilities to help them with their research work or just for recreational purposes. The Library is both online as well as offline. The Library also has group study rooms where students can sit and study together. The online portal is accessed through an id provided by the college once enrolled.