Otago Polytechnic celebrates opening of new Heavy Automotive Engineering facility

Otago Polytechnic will celebrate the official opening of its new Heavy Automotive Engineering facility on Friday, 26 July.

Representatives from Ngāi Tahu and Otago Polytechnic will attend a 9am blessing of the premises in Donald St, Kaikorai Valley, before industry representatives, staff and students celebrate the opening with a barbecue at 3pm.

The facility will specifically cater to new automotive programmes aimed at meeting the demands of industry.

The New Zealand Certificate in Heavy Automotive Engineering (level 4) is the result of close consultation with local industry and meets an acknowledged skills shortage.

With strands in Road Transport, Plant and Equipment, Agricultural Equipment, and Materials Handling, it is structured in the same format as Otago Polytechnic’s light vehicle/auto electrical programmes, which have been highly successfully in training apprentices to meet industry needs in the Otago region.

Otago Polytechnic is also expanding its New Zealand Certificate in Automotive Engineering (Level 3) (Pre-Trade) programme to offer increased content training in heavy as well as light automotive engineering training.

Both programmes were introduced at the start of second semester, July 2019.

In addition, Otago Polytechnic will offer Heavy Transport Driver Licence* training from September.

*Subject to final approval from NZQA.

Read more about our New Zealand Certificate in Heavy Automotive Engineering (Level 4) as well as our apprenticeship pathways