Industry leaders believe the upsurge is being fuelled in part by the recession, which has seen a decrease in job opportunities nationwide.

The 500 new students who participated in the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic Orientation Week student parade on Wednesday, March 4 represent just a few of the record numbers starting tertiary study in 2009.

Around five hundred of the polytechnic's new students marched through central Tauranga on Wednesday, March 4, dressed for the theme of the parade, ‘A Chance To Shine'. It was the biggest parade in the polytechnic's history.
Bay of Plenty Polytechnic has reported a 10 per cent increase in new enrolments, up to 4909 students as of February 27, but the tertiary education provider isn't alone.

Enrolments are up
New enrolments have increased by 50 per cent at Bethlehem Tertiary Institute, taking total student numbers to 360. Enrolments are up 64 per cent at Waikato University's Tauranga campus, with 500 students enrolled so far.
Bay of Plenty Polytechnic has reported strong growth in diploma and degree programmes such as sport and recreation, marine studies and business.
Alan Hampton, BOP Polytechnic CEO, says the current global downturn is a contributor to the rise in student numbers.

Adding skills
'Polytechnics have a key role to fulfil in up-skilling our communities. In terms of a global recession, it is even more important that we invest in up-skilling our people.
'It is essential when a recovery commences that we do not hinder growth through skill shortages,” says Alan.
But Alan says a more telling state of the economy is the drop in enrolments of the polytechnic's carpentry and construction programmes.
Roy Crawford, University of Waikato vice chancellor, says there is a worldwide pattern of university enrolments rising during the global recession.
'We don't know yet how much of an impact that will have, but it makes sense that both school leavers and older students are ensuring they're gaining the best qualifications for an increasingly competitive job market,” says Roy.
Luisa Schroder, Bethlehem Tertiary Institute's marketing and promotions manager, says more people want to train in careers that offer security and stability.

Job security
'There is a perception that careers in teaching and counselling will not be severely impacted by a recession so training, or retraining, in these vocational areas provide good options for future employment in these uncertain times,” says Luisa.