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Time for a change? Thinking about retraining, or considering further training? 2017 is rapidly coming to an end, which means it’s time to start making plans for next year if you’re thinking about tertiary study.

In my day, the all encompassing BA was the degree du jour for the creatively inclined. While it has enjoyed positive publicity recently, as a broad degree with transferrable skills, providing lots of options in this rapidly changing career marketplace – where traditional jobs are disappearing and never-heard of jobs are being created all the time, it was also seen as the degree for those who didn’t really know what they wanted to do…but then again, who does at 18?

With two brand new, purpose-built tertiary campuses specialising in the creative industries, the city of Wellington is offering much more than just a BA for the creatively inclined looking for inspiration and further education with an arts flavour. The city's two new tertiary training centres maximise current technologies and industry partnerships - arming students with real-life, relevant, and valuable skills and experience with which to enter today's ever changing workforce.

Currently under construction in Wellington’s vibrant Cuba Street, Te Auaha: The New Zealand Institute of Creativity brings together a centre for WelTec and Whitireia’s creative technology and performing arts programmes, which are delivered across six sites currently.

"Cuba Street is already the creative quarter of the capital, but the introduction of Te Auaha to the neighbourhood will add more energy, youth culture, and a positive vibe to this heritage area – and contribute to the local economy too," says Wellington Mayor Justin Lester.

The centre includes the New Zealand Film and Television School, Whitireia Performing Arts Centre, and the New Zealand Radio Training School, and offers study options in film and television, dance, singing and theatre; radio broadcasting and programmes in digital media production and animation, journalism, creative writing, publishing and editing, music – rock, jazz, commercial and DJ – live sound and event production, visual arts and design, Māori and Pasifika arts, arts management, jewellery, digital design and multi-media, photography, event management, makeup and hair artistry for film and television.

Te Auaha’s point of difference is that it will also operate as an events and entertainment venue where students can put their skills into practice through public performances, shows, films and exhibitions.

Along with a public gallery space and spaces for events and functions, Te Auaha offers dance studios, rehearsal and performance spaces for theatre and stage; digital recording studios, control-mixing rooms and an in-house radio station; stylists studios and salons for hair, beauty and make-up artistry; workshops for woodwork and fabrication for creative technologies, jewellery making and sculpture; film photography studio and dark rooms; a 235 seat theatre and a 70 to 80-seat flexible theatre; and a 55-seat cinema.

Greg Campbell Chair of Whitireia New Zealand and the Wellington Institute of Technology, the institutions establishing Te Auaha says, "Te Auaha is dynamic and the new campus will provide an incredible learning environment for students bringing together Whitireia and WelTec's visual and performing arts, design, media and creative technologies programmes into a world-class facility."

Te Auaha have created a new qualification to be offered in 2018 – The Bachelor of Creativity, with majors in Digital Media, Music, Performing Arts, Toi Poutama, Visual Arts, and Writing. “The degree focuses on enabling students to gain creative skills and knowledge in one of the discipline areas and has provision for students to study elective courses chosen from other majors, and join in interdisciplinary collaborative projects,” says Victoria Spackman, Director Te Auaha. Alongside this degree is a New Zealand Diploma in Creativity.

Able to accommodate up to 1000 students, Director Victoria Spackman said enrollments for 2018 are filling up fast and that the dance programme and journalism programme are almost full.  For enrollment information, visit www.teauaha.com

Over in Miramar, in the heart of Wellington’s film industry, Victoria University have opened The Victoria University of Wellington Miramar Creative Centre.

Situated amongst the Weta Group buildings on Park Road, and collaborating with Weta Workshop, Weta Digital, Park Road Post Production and Miramar Creative Ltd, the Centre will provide students with an opportunitity to interact with world-leading practitioners in the heart of Wellington’s film industry, and gain unprecedented insights into the inner workings of these creative industries.

Welcoming Victoria to Miramar, Cameron Harland, Chief Executive of Park Road Post Production, says: “We are delighted Victoria has had the foresight to open a campus in Miramar to forge even closer and collaborative ties with the creative industries on the peninsula. I am sure it will create a wonderful pathway for students and graduates to add value to our industry and ultimately the New Zealand economy.”

Following a purpose-designed refit, the Centre includes studio spaces, recording and editing suites, computer labs and a workshop. It is equipped with green screen, motion capture technology and the same software used by film production companies around the world.

Two courses of study are offered at The Miramar Creative Centre – The Master of Design Technology and The Master of Fine Arts (Creative Practice).

Subjects offered in the MFA (CP) include Design, Film, Music and Theatre. The Film and Music programmes will take advantage of the facilities and technology on offer at the Centre, studying film production, post production, film scoring and audio post production.  Acknowledging the need for business knowledge as an arts practitioner, arts management and marketing is included in the programme.

The Master of Design Technology is targeted towards students who already have some basic understanding in digital design technologies and who wish to build further relevant skills appropriate for game design, visual effects, animation, and AR/VR industries. Learning from industry experts with years of experience in studios like Dreamworks, Disney and Weta Digital, the course provides a solid platform from which to start a career in visual effects and digital design.

Both programmes offer hands on experience with internships at local arts organisations.

In addition to the two masters programmes, and in conjunction with Miramar Creative Ltd, the Centre will offer short courses, workshops, and New Zealand and international speakers and mentors for the wider creative community.

Opened by Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister the Hon Paul Goldsmith MP, he said, “The people who come out of the two Master’s degrees will obviously be very highly sought after and will have real opportunities,” adding that “when I think of what could be started, and what careers could be crafted and shaped and moulded in these very rooms, it’s very, very exciting.”

Enrolments for 2018 close on 1 December. Click here for more information about the two masters programmes.