UCOL BLOG

Universal College of Learning-trained Dwayne Cheer is literally the world’s top chef.

He is Executive Chef at the exclusive ‘At.mosphere’ restaurant in Dubai, the highest restaurant in the world, 422 metres above the earth on the 122nd floor of the Burj Khalifa – the tallest building in the world.

Now preparing food for the rich and famous, including royalty, Dwayne started his career in a fish and chip shop in Waitarere Beach, south of Foxton. He was born in Upper Hutt and grew up on a farm in Dannevirke before moving to Waitarere Beach and attending Horowhenua College. Read More: “New Zealand chef at the top of the world”…

Keeping ahead of his students has seen Brazilian jiu jitsu fighter Vaughan Antonio rewarded for top performances by being picked in the New Zealand team for the Sydney Oceania wrestling and grappling championships.

He will compete in the senior men’s Gi under 110kg open class at the championships, to be held at the end of this month.

Vaughan lectures in the certificate of Exercise and Sport Performance at UCOL and has 10 students in the Martial Arts Club who help keep him fit.  “Always training and being a coach as well, I’ve got guys I’m training that are always pushing me to beat me,” he told the Manawatu Standard. Read More: “Students drive jiu jitsu champion”…

UCOL Diploma of Performing Arts students will tackle Chekov in their end of year production.

Next week the actors will perform The Seagull under the creative directorship of UCOL Performing Arts tutor Jaime Dorner.

Jaime is renowned for challenging his students with contemporary and physically demanding theatre.

“The students have responded well to the tragic nature of The Seagull, portraying characters who aspire to be what they will never become,” says Jaime.

  Read More: “The Seagull takes off at the Globe”…

Nine highly motivated UCOL students received tangible recognition of their achievements and support for further study, in a scholarship awards ceremony held today.

The Palmerston North scholarships range in value from $500 to $1000. A total prize pool of $6,750 was available to reward students’ efforts and attracted a high standard of applications.

Bachelor of Fine Arts student Sarah Williams and Diploma in Veterinary Nursing student Lisa Preston are joint winners of the UCOL Scholarship for Effort and Achievement.

Read More: “UCOL rewards top scholars”…

Georgia Mills and Toby Bryant, both aged 15, are amongst the first Manawatu students to sign up to study with the new UCOL-led trades academy, U-Skills Central Schools Academy.

They say they’re making the move to give themselves a head start on training for a well-paid job.

Both are students at Awatapu College – one of several ‘hub’ schools who will offer training onsite during 2012, in the U-Skills academy’s first year. Academy students from other schools in Palmerston North will study at UCOL where a new trades facility is being built.

Awatapu already has its own ‘trades academy’ but Trades Coordinator Bernie Dowrick says the U-Skills model creates a better pathway into tertiary study. He says it is an excellent opportunity for students to get a feel for training at a tertiary level, at no extra cost. “They can leave school with both NCEA Level 2 and a tertiary qualification. Even if they decide not to pursue a career in the trade they study, the experience will leave them in a much better position to make the right decisions about their futures.”  Read More: “U-Skills trades academy takes off in the Manawatu”…