Industry

Links

Natcoll maintains strong links with the digital media industry, to ensure our courses continually evolve to meet industry needs. We do this in a number of ways:

• Our National Industry Advisory Board, just comprising of key industry and business representatives, provides strategic level perspectives to assist with course development
• Our Curriculum Advisory Groups, just comprising of local employers and industry representatives, meet regularly in each campus region to provie input on course review
• We undertake close consultation with industry when new courses are designed and developed
• We use external moderators from industry to critique course assessments and comment on how well student work meets industry standards
• We invite industry guest speakers and initiate industry visits for all classes so students can make connections with industry
• In a number of courses, we encourage students to take on real client projects as part of their course work.

Natcoll also has a strong connection with the print industry. The industry's training arm, PrintNZ Training, uses our campuses to run its block courses for modern apprentices in computing, and also for its apprentices who study for graphic communiciation and digital print qualifications.

Natcoll sponsors the PrintNZ Digital Pre-press Apprentice of the Year.

Testimonials

iMagic, Christchurch
"Natcoll has a real world approach to education. In this real world there are budgetary constraints and deadlines, and designers need to understand the clients' objectives rather than design on personal taste."
Paul Fairbairn, Managing Director

Flux Media, Auckland
"We have had some very good people out of Natcoll. Their skills are perfect for the TV and interactive work we do at our studio."
Brent Chambers, Owner

Brebner Print, Napier
"Hands-on training is what Natcoll is all about and this is what industry needs."
Neville Smith, Director

Wakefield Digital, Wellington
"I have hired four Natcoll graduates over the last couple of years, and am pleased with their skills and readiness to learn new things. They are technically aware, and they are not fazed by tight deadlines: they expect work to be fast turn-around. Their professional skills are impressive for new graduates."
Dickon Lentell, Manager

Hairy Lemon Web Solutions, Christchurch
"Communication skills and ability to understand what clients want is paramount. They get that foundation at Natcoll."
Graham Dockrill, Director

Baseline Graphics, Wellington
"Over the past two or three years Baseline has hired more than seven Wellington Natcoll students, and now we have one from Natcoll in Christchurch. We find that for the type of work we do, they have the best overall knowledge of the Mac platform and typesetting skills. We have employed students from other institutes and they have certainly struggled. We would have no hesitation in employing future students as they are an asset to our business."
Andrea Thompson, Manager

User Friendly Resources, Christchurch
"We contact Natcoll when we need new graphic design or multimedia staff. The graduates we have employed have all been productive and talented and have been important contributors to our publishing team."
Peter Dobbs, General Manager

NetProfess Limited, Auckland
"The course represents the current state and future direction of the web development industry, not only in NZ, but globally. The techniques and methodologies taught are very current, and have an excellent emphasis on developing to industry standards. Having examined a sample of the quality of students' work, I definitely recommend this course as having content that is immediately relevant to the web industry."
Dan Khan, Director

The Web Company New Zealand Limited
"We have some developers who have been with us for years and they are being left for dead by the Natcoll graduates we've employed. I am looking forward to my next Natcoll graduate who is starting with us soon."
Patrick Howard, Managing Director

Chaucer Press
"Chaucer Press has a policy of adding to the Printing Trades skill base by training young people through various apprenticeships. A close association has developed with Natcoll as a provider of excellent pre press talent. The two most recent pre press apprentices Chaucer has employed were graduates of Natcoll. They both came to us with excellent keyboard and application skills, and as such they were immediately productive. Their successes, one being recently awarded "Business Forms Apprentice of the Year", have set a bench mark for all future Chaucer pre press apprentices. Our in-house Training Assessor has been extremely impressed with the abilities and work ethic these young people have displayed. When next we look to add a new apprentice to our pre press department, we will make one call only - to our friends and training partners, Marcie and Kate at Natcoll."
Phil Kingh, Factory Manager

Ballantynes, Christchurch
"The Ballantynes Advertising department is led by Beck McLennan, a Natcoll Diploma of Computer Graphic Design graduate. Beck's team of five graphic designers are all Natcoll graduates. Everything we do at Ballantynes revolves around fashion and fashion is a very fast industry, so it is important that we have the best possible people in every position and we have to strive to be the best. Our Natcoll graduates help us achieve this high standard, and I would certainly look to recruit further Natcoll graduates in the future - we are very pleased with their contributions to the Ballantyne business."
Richard Ballantyne, Managing Director/Owner