Will my boss respect my qualification?
Question:
Dear eCampus NZ,
A team leader role came up at my work, but I missed out on the job, even though I know I would’ve been a great fit. I want to prove to my boss that I have what it takes so when the next opportunity comes up, it’s mine.
I’m really interested in the New Zealand Certificate in Business (Introduction to Team Leadership). I definitely need to study online – I work shifts, and there’s no way I can commit to attending classes.
Will my boss respect a qualification I get from studying online, or is it better to study face-to-face?
Ngā mihi,
Need your advice
Answer:
Kia ora,
We’re sorry to hear you missed out on getting a promotion. It sounds like you work really hard and care about what you do, so that mustn’t have felt great. It’s awesome that you’ve decided to turn this disappointment into an opportunity to upskill and prove that you’ve got what it takes to be a great leader.
You asked whether your boss would respect a qualification you gained from online study, and if studying on campus may be a better option. It’s a great question!
Firstly, it’s important to explain how learning via eCampus NZ works.
You’ll be enrolled through one of seven respected tertiary education providers – Ara, NMIT, Toi Ohomai, NorthTec, UCOL, EIT, or Otago Polytechnic, and become one of their learners. You’ll complete your study online using the eCampus NZ platform, which means that you’ll be able to work your study timetable around your shifts.
When you successfully finish your qualification, you’ll cross their stage with other on-campus and online graduates from your region, gaining the same NZQA-accredited certificate or diploma you would if you chose to study on campus.
So it’s not about whether studying on campus is better than studying online, or vice versa – it’s about choosing an option that works around you and your world. If you do live near a campus, you may even choose to study some papers on campus and others online, if you can work it around your shifts.
We hope this answers your question. Good luck with your decision – and for the record, we’d be lucky to have you in our learning community!
How do you support learners’ wellbeing?
Question:
Kia ora,
My daughter is looking into her study options for this year and she’s keen to learn online.
I’ll support whatever choice she makes – my only concern is that she’s happy and has a positive experience. And that brings me to my question – how does eCampus NZ support learners’ mental and emotional wellbeing?
Thanks,
Concerned mum
Answer:
Kia ora,
That’s a great question!
Every learner is different, so we support the wellbeing of ākonga in our learning community in a variety of ways.
Your daughter will have access to the on-campus and online support services provided by the tertiary education provider she enrols with. If she wants help with managing her physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, she just needs to chat to her student advisor, who will help her contact her enrolling institute about getting the support she needs.
Her dedicated student advisor will support her throughout her learning journey, working with her to help her see success – whether that involves teaming up to create a study schedule, helping her with time management and study skills, or supporting her when life throws curveballs that get in the way of her learning. It’s amazing the difference that this extra level of support can make.
Your daughter’s facilitators will guide her through each course, providing academic support and encouraging discussion amongst her group of learners. Connecting with others crucial to wellbeing, so it’s important to know that learning online does not mean she’ll be learning alone. Don’t take it from us – here’s what one of our recent learners had to say:
“My favourite part was getting to know the other learners in my course. As soon as I started each course, I’d introduce myself. I sent personal messages to everyone straight away. I actually made a really good friend! We did all the core papers together. We worked together all the time – we would video call to chat and talk about what we were doing. It was so good. I loved that.”
We also give learners access to their courses one week before the prior start date and give them access to a ‘Getting Started’ course to help them familiarise themselves with the online learning platform and alleviate the ‘first course jitters’.
Of course, we do have other tools and resources available to support the mental and emotional wellbeing of learners studying on the eCampus NZ platform. This one may be of interest to you and your daughter as a starting point.
Thank you for your question, and we wish your daughter the best of luck as she begins the next stage of her learning journey!
Ngā mihi nui,
eCampus NZ