Telford graduands dutifully tucked away their Red Bands for one day last week and out came the posh frocks and clean moleskins for the most salubrious occasion of their year – celebrating their academic and training achievements at the 2025 Telford graduation.
After morning rain, the weather cleared in Balclutha last Thursday, 27th November, making way for a sunny, albeit breezy afternoon, just in time for Telford’s graduation festivities, starting with the procession through Balclutha’s main street.
Walking from Balclutha Presbyterian Church and accompanied by the Balclutha Pipe Band, the glamorous Telford contingent with working farm dogs joining the obligatory caps and gowns, made their way to Te Pou Ō Mata-Au – the Clutha District Community Centre – where they were piped in for the graduation and awards ceremony.
Proceedings were run by former Faculty Head, Dr Sally Dobbs, who generously returned to be Master of Ceremonies. There was an atmosphere of camaraderie and plenty of cheering each other on, alongside visibly proud parents, caregivers, family members and Telford staff, as 55 students crossed the stage to receive their diplomas and certificates, with 17 graduates in absentia.
Telford’s four flagship on-campus qualifications - the New Zealand Certificate in Farming Systems, Massey Diploma in Agriculture, the New Zealand Certificate in Animal Healthcare Assisting (Level 4) (Rural Animal Healthcare) and the New Zealand Certificate in Equine skills Level 3 and 4, provided 52 of the graduates, with their distance learning programme, Wool Technology, rounding out the top five. High-achieving 2025 students were Tamsin Norrish and Amelia Tyer in farming systems, and Caitlyn Forde in the equine programme.
Staff commented it was pure gold seeing the students’ surprised faces as they reacted to their names being called out for an array of awards and prizes, and the joy from supportive families was obvious.
Telford Campus Manager, Allan Roxburgh, said the Telford staff dedicated themselves to teaching and encouraging the student cohort throughout the year, and their reward is seeing the results from those who’ve worked hard to achieve.
“Students who’ve been transformed by growth and confidence – we witness the difference that coming to Telford has made. They have blossomed; they have jobs to go to; they’ve made lifelong friends and are leaving with an important rural network in place,” he remarked.
New Faculty Head, Hamish Small, said the Telford Graduation is not only unique in highlighting success to the Balclutha community, and acknowledging their ongoing support, but more importantly it allows the students and Telford staff to gain acknowledgement for yet another successful year in agricultural vocational training. “It is a privilege to be involved with Telford, and today’s graduation encompasses why we do what we do.”
SIT Operations Lead, Amanda Whitaker, was the bearer of good news in her speech to attendees, calling 2025 a turning point, due to the Government committing $1.75 million to Telford Campus over the next two years through the Minister’s Strategic Fund. “This investment will accelerate improvements to our facilities, technology, and programmes, ensuring that Telford remains a leader in agricultural and rural training,” she said.
Ms Whitaker continued with more positives for the coming year: the return of the Zero Fees Scheme to all domestic students enrolling at Telford in 2026, and importantly, SIT’s return to independence from January 1st, 2026. “Regional decision-making means we can tailor programmes, invest strategically, and ensure that the Telford Campus will thrive in ways that matter most to the people who live and work here,” she said. She concluded with reminding the new graduates they represented the future of New Zealand’s primary sector, the backbone of the economy.
After the ceremony, attendees reconvened at Telford Gymnasium for a substantial afternoon tea, where the new graduates and their families had time to unwind and mingle with staff.
Telford is a campus of Southern Institute of Technology