UCOL BLOG

UCOL says it’s great news for the region that more than half of those in the finals for Innovate Manawatu awards are aged under 25.

Entries for the competition also included 80 from UCOL students and 80 from Massey University students.

UCOL’s Deputy Chief Executive Strategy Clare Crawley says this early stage creativity confirms the region’s strength as an excellent environment for young, entrepreneurial talent, supported by the presence of two leading tertiary education institutions.  “It’s a strength that allows us to take a very positive view of the future of Manawatu, as these young people add to growth and progress,” she says.

Innovate Manawatu announce the Top Ten finalists at a special event in Palmerston North tonight (Thursday).

Read More: “Young entrepreneurial talent shows through”…

Tararua District Mayor Roly Ellis and District Councillors Shirley Hull from Pahiatua and Peter Johns from Woodville spent a morning touring UCOL’s trade training facilities and speaking with students at the Palmerston North campus this week.

“Before my visit, I didn’t fully appreciate the range of the programmes offered at UCOL,” says Roly. “It has first class trade training workshops and equipment. We visited automotive, carpentry, engineering and furniture making and saw classes in action. We also met with some students who travel from Tararua each day to come to UCOL for their studies. I was very impressed with their attitude towards their studies and would like to see more people from Tararua undertake tertiary study at UCOL”.

Getting transport between Tararua and Palmerston North was clearly identified by Roly, Councillors and students as the main discouraging factor to potential students from his region coming to Palmerston North. “Transport is the greatest challenge in getting our young people to UCOL,” he says. “We are actively exploring ways to make it easier and cheaper for students to commute.  Read More: “Tararua links to UCOL”…

UCOL’s biggest community initiative to date, the UCOL Hospice Home, has been a resounding success for all involved.

Not only has Palmerston North’s Arohanui Hospice just received a cheque for $40,000 as its share from the sale of the house, but more than 30 UCOL Carpentry students gained an invaluable learning experience on a real life building site.

An excited group gathered this morning (Thursday) to see the UCOL Hospice Home jacked up in preparation for its final journey to its new owner’s property on the outskirts of Feilding.

The 112 square metre house, designed by E3 Architects, was built by students, under the supervision of their tutors, on a site adjacent to the UCOL Trades facility on Amesbury Street.

Read More: “UCOL Hospice Home on the move”…

Photo by Brendan Lodge. UCOL Youth Innovation Award winner Ryan Adams with UCOL Deputy Chief Executive Strategy, Clare Crawley.

Manawatu 12 year old, Ryan Adams is now working on taking his award winning dairy invention to market.

Ryan’s invention – a milking cups cleaning system – recently won the UCOL Youth Innovation Award at the inaugural Innovate Manawatu awards.

His milking cups cleaning system was inspired by his dairy farmer uncle who regularly complained about the task. Ryan’s system is based on a pair of gloves fitted to a hose, controlling the flow of water through them by wrist movement. “It would save time and make the job easier for farmer,” Ryan says.

The prototype made for a school science fair impressed his Whakarongo School teachers, including Principal Jaco Broodryk who encouraged him to enter the awards.

Since coming up with the concept, Ryan has expanded his original plans, made prototypes and written a business plan. “It’s a lot harder than just coming up with an idea.”  He is now working with a business mentor on ways to make the invention become a reality.

UCOL Deputy Chief Executive Clare Crawley says she was impressed with Ryan’s approach to a problem, finding an effective solution. “He was methodical in his testing and evaluation of his concept. He understood the process of taking a concept beyond the initial bright idea and was very passionate about it,” she says. “He also showed confidence belying his young age, during his presentation to the judges.“

Ryan’s teacher Suzanne Smith says Ryan’s award has inspired his fellow schoolmates. “It has shown them that what they learn at school can be applied in the real world. The technology we now have access to means they can move beyond the school walls to learn.”

In its inaugural year, the Innovate Manawatu competition, organised by the Bio Commerce Centre and Palmerston North City Council, attracted more than 250 entries. Massey University students Rhys Knauf, Michelle Power and Julian Maggin took the first-place $20,000 prize in the competition for their calf feeder.

UCOL Deputy Chief Executive Strategy Clare Crawley presented Ryan with his prize at the Innovate Manawatu awards ceremony on Tuesday night.

Ryan made it into the top 10 in the entrepreneurial competition that attracted more than 250 entries.

“I’m pretty excited,” he said. “I never thought I would get in the top 50, let alone the top 10.”

As reported in the Manawatu Standard, Ryan’s idea for his entry, the milking cups cleaning system, came to him after hearing his uncle complain about how he hated the task. The system, a pair of gloves fitted to a hose, controlling the flow of water through them by wrist movement, would save farmers time and make the job easier, Ryan said.

Read More: “Young inventor wins UCOL innovation award”…