Celebrating graduate success

Students from all over the globe graduated at our ceremony in Auckland yesterday.

A total of 225 graduates crossed the stage including those who completed their study through Otago Polytechnic Auckland International Campus, Capable NZ, and Future Skills Academy.

Our graduates came from more than 17 countries including Brazil, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Indonesia, Russia, Malaysia, and Belarus.

Campbell Macgregor was the guest speaker at yesterday’s event. Campbell has spent the last 29 years in education. He is an accredited exercise physiologist and certified clinical densitometrist with specialisation in older athletes.

He said the graduates had been given the building blocks of education. He encouraged them to use these to create a pathway to keep moving forward.

 “The only way that you will do that is by living the values that you have.”

Rugby star DJ Forbes was among yesterday’s Capable NZ graduates. Forbes played for the All Blacks Sevens team for over a decade and captained the side to gold at the Commonwealth Games.

He graduated with his Master of Professional Practice and also spoke on behalf of Capable NZ graduates at the ceremony.

Forbes said graduating was easily one of his biggest achievements.

“I could compare it to winning a gold medal or a big game.”

Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Management graduate Anastasia Timoshkina spoke on behalf of OPAIC graduates.

She thanked her lecturers for the knowledge they had shared and the Corporate Relations, Employability, and Student Success Teams for helping students to succeed.

Anastasia outlined some of the things she had learned during her time studying in New Zealand, including the importance of setting realistic goals, embracing diversity, and taking any opportunity to integrate into the local culture.

Check out our Graduation photos on Facebook or watch the video here.