Magic Moments for Tauranga Students

BTI Celebrates Graduation 2011

Downtown Tauranga shoppers paused to acknowledge a colourful procession as more than a 100 Bethlehem Tertiary Institute (BTI) students graduated on Saturday. Led by a local band of bagpipers, the celebratory procession commenced from the waterfront and proceeded up Devonport Road to Holy Trinity Anglican Church where the ceremony took place. 

There were 110 graduates from BTI’s range of Teacher Education and Counsellor Education programmes, which include a Bachelor of Education (Teaching) in Primary or Early Childhood Education, Graduate Diploma of Secondary Teaching, Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Early Childhood) and a Bachelor of Counselling.

Around 600 people attended the Graduation Service, many of them friends and family of the graduates. There was a supportive atmosphere and strong sense of community evident, with a number of graduates being publicly honoured with tributes from family or represenstatives from local hapu.

BTI Alumni, Ed Nikora and Ali Crawford, addressed the graduates with stories and advice, drawing from their own professional experiences in their chosen fields

BTI’s Head of Academic Services, Richard Cook, commented that “Historically around 80% of our graduates are employed within 3 months of graduating, so by the time they come to the graduation ceremony the majority have already found work in their related fields. That is something which we are very pleased about, as it is our objective to graduate students who are highly sought after.”

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