Telford’s annual Open Day drew strong attendance from across Southland, Otago and beyond, while the campus also recorded consistent engagement at this year’s Mystery Creek Field Days.
More than 160 prospective students and their families attended the Open Day in late May, gaining a first-hand look at life and study on the Clutha-based campus.
Schools from across the southern region made the trip; Southland, Central Otago, South Canterbury and Dunedin were all represented, as well as local South Otago schools. Telford Marketing Officer Billie-Marie Henry said students from as far away Picton and Blenheim came independently with their parents.
“The day was a huge success; everyone turned up bang on at 10:00am and were super excited at having a day of being immersed the Telford environment; it was extremely busy.”
Visitors began the day with a guided campus tour, followed by van tours to specialised training areas across Telford’s working farm. From classrooms to on-campus accommodation, the tours provided insight into both the academic and lifestyle aspects of Telford. “We want to give prospective students a real feel for what campus life is like here; seeing our working farm environment helps them understand the hands-on nature of Telford’s programmes,” Ms Henry said.
Fine weather added to the day’s success, with the student question-and-answer panel held outdoors to accommodate the large number of attendees. The panel featured current students from across Telford’s programmes, including equine, rural animal health, farming systems and the Massey Diploma in Agriculture which Telford delivers.
Equine student Arnika Crawford said the opportunity to hear directly from students offered valuable insight and a deeper understanding of Telford for prospective learners.
“What time do you start and what things you do during the day… ... hearing it from students gives it a completely different perspective... I think it was really important because it gives a snippet of what you actually do on a daily basis at Telford.”
Arnika also reflected on the strong turnout. “I was really pleased at how many people turned up … when we did the student panel, a lot of people were interested ... so I think the questions were good and if I was there as a prospective student I would definitely … know this what I want and have a clearer view of what I was going into.”
Diploma student Jonty Lee believed his best advice was the importance of perseverance. “Give everything a go; it doesn’t matter if you muck it up; keep trying.” Having completed Farming Systems last year, Jonty is now studying the Massey Diploma in Agriculture and spoke about the academic support available at Telford. “I reached out to Kathy (Telford’s Learning Support), and she gave me some useful tips. That definitely helped me and I just made sure to study more and a lot harder.” And his efforts are already paying off. “We had our mid-term exams last week and yeah, I passed them.”
The panel also highlighted the wider student experience - living in the Clutha District, participating in local sports, and gaining part-time work locally. Students said these opportunities helped them build connections and develop skills valued by employers. Ms Henry said the student journeys were diverse. “Everyone had a different story to tell. There's no such thing as a traditional pathway… doors of opportunity start to open once you commit to Telford.”
Ms Henry thought the highlight of the day was seeing prospective students absorb themselves into the campus. ”It was very inviting for all the guests; given the success of the event, we are planning a second Open Day later in the year.”
Momentum continued at the Mystery Creek Field Days, held from 10–13 June, where Telford was positioned in the careers hub for the second consecutive year. “It was an incredibly successful location; you're in the centre of where you need to be.” Ms Henry added the stand received constant interest over the three days, connecting with students from most of the 92 schools who attended.
“The level of interest in Telford has increased. People came searching for us, saying I've been looking for the Telford stand… Our name certainly has a position in agricultural training. The difference between last year and this year is remarkable.”
Current student, Nadine Gibbons, volunteered on the stand, sharing her experiences with prospective students. “I loved seeing keen young people interested in Telford. I was able to give my student point of view on life at Telford.”
Past students also returned to support the team, speaking with visitors and sharing their own pathways into agriculture. “It was a real team effort,” Ms Henry said. “… watching our graduates talking to people … it's a legacy in itself. They're all likeminded people… they can relate to each other, and that was seamless.”
Following the Field Days, Telford was invited to speak on Hokonui Radio’s farming programme, The Muster, to reflect on the event and its outcomes.
Looking ahead, the campus is preparing for a sod-turning ceremony in early August with Hon Penny Simmonds, marking the start of significant maintenance work funded through recent government investment.
“Some of the funding is going to be used to maintain what we already have, such as a new roof on the main accommodation block. We're building on the existing structure so it can be used for generations to come. We're also keen to create new programmes that cater for our local community as well as further afield.”
Ms Henry acknowledged the contribution of industry partners and supporters.
“First and foremost, we owe a big thank you to all our host farmers and stakeholders for their ongoing support… We are building consistently on what we already have, as well as creating new things; there's a lot going on right now.”