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History

Bay of Plenty Polytechnic was established in 1982 as a local community college, providing training mainly in trades, horticulture, agriculture and business. The Polytechnic has come a long way since then, with over 12,000 students taking certificate, diploma and degree programmes in a range of areas.
Here are a few milestones along the way:

21 September 1982
Official opening of Bay of Plenty Community College

  • 15 staff
Sign for Bay of Plenty Community College

1988
Name changed to Bay of Plenty Polytechnic
Completion of Rex Williams Student Amenities Centre, including a childcare centre and a cafe
Building of the Atrium
Development of fashion, textile, hospitality, tourism and television training programmes, the latter fully equipped with studio and editing suites

1991
Construction of the downtown Bongard Centre for business, computing and hairdressing programmes

  • 1,159 EFTS
  • 219 staff
Bongard Centre

1997
Transformation of horticulture centre into hospitality studies centre including the commercial training restaurant the “Atrium Restaurant”
Set-up video-conferencing unit at Bongard Centre to facilitate distance learning
Establishment of school structure with five schools: Business Studies, Education and Social Sciences, Retail and Design, Industrial Trades and Applied Science, and Tutara Wananga

  • 1,426 EFTS
  • 118 staff

2000
Opening of Te Aongahoro (Student Learning Centre – Library, Education Development Centre, Copy Centre, small café and also some lecture theatres)
Tauranga Moana bestowed the designation of Te Kuratini o Poike
Commencement of first full-time evening programmes in business and computing

  • 1,892 EFTS, 3,947 students
  • 213 staff
Te Aongahono - Learning Centre

2003
Opening of Pacific Coast Applied Research Centre and introduced Pacific Coast Scholarship
Opening of Te Pare a Ruahine - the Aquatic Centre
Commencement of free introductory programme in Te Reo Maori through four ½ hour weekly radio broadcasts on Moana AM over ten weeks

  • 2,703 EFTS, 17,964 students (reflects increase in part-time programme enrolment)
  • 278 FTE staff

2007
25th jubilee

  • 3,000 EFTS, 13,707 students
  • 338 FTE staff

2008
Establishment of a formal partnership with the University of Waikato sharing facilities and expertise, to offer pathways, certificates, diplomas and degrees raising the skill levels in the Bay of Plenty

  • 2,952 EFTS, 9,689 students
  • 341 FTE staff

2010
Opening of a purpose-build engineering and welding facility, the largest training building of its kind in the country
Opening of Maharaia, the new building manifesting the partnership between Bay of Plenty Polytechnic and the University of Waikato
Refurbishment of the Automotive facilities
Establishment of Ahumoana a Toi Aquaculture Centre
Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi joins Bay of Plenty Polytechnic’s tertiary partnership with the University of Waikato

  • 3,374 EFTS, 9,443 students
  • 375 FTE staff