In addition, nearly 300 staff members were on hand as volunteers to welcome visitors, lead guided tours, run information sessions and demonstrate hands-on activations.

This was the biggest Open Day for Unitec on record in terms of prospective ākonga attending and kaimahi volunteering to help out. 

It marks a strong recovery since 2020 when numbers declined due to COVID-19 which forced the event online. 

More than 900 potential new students and whānau pre-registered to attend Open Day this year, an increase of 53% from the number of pre-registrants last year. 

Unitec’s annual Open Day provides a unique opportunity to showcase the interactive and hands-on nature of its range of programmes, with visitors offered tours of its state-of-the-art trades training facility, Mataaho, and Te Pūtahi, its newly refurbished Creative Industries faculty offering study options in art, design, digital media and film, as well as aspects of acting and dance.

Ākonga interested in a career in Environmental and Animal Sciences had the chance to pet Tūmanako, the School’s bearded dragon, and tour its herbarium, one of the most significant in the Southern Hemisphere with more than 14,000 preserved specimens. 

The School of Architecture offered prospective students the chance to try 3-D printing on a large scale, while Sports department staff put visitors through their paces on a vertical jump test. 

Lee Baglow, Head of the School of Trades and Services, comments, “It was a pleasure to support potential learners in choosing the next step on their journey, showcasing the incredible learning opportunities and facilities that we have to offer at Unitec.

“I counted 12,000 steps as I guided visitors through Mataaho and the school’s building site. It truly felt like a turning point for us, with our awareness and profile continuing to grow stronger. 

“A special shoutout to the other team members who clocked even more impressive step counts. It’s great to see the Unitec brand on the rise again and witness such enthusiasm and dedication from our Unitec whānau. I was proud to be a part of it.”

Despite inclement weather in West Auckland, there was also a steady stream of visitors to Unitec’s Waitākere campus throughout the day. Teaching and support staff were on hand to host information sessions about the range of programmes offered at Waitākere, which include nursing and health science, social work, and health and wellbeing.

“Our staff really loved the experience of welcoming prospective students and helping them explore their options in healthcare and social practice,” says Dr Linda Aumua, Head of the School of Head of School, Healthcare and Social Practice. “There were lots of smiling faces, and the buzz of conversation and excitement on campus made for a really special day.