Enrolled students will study one and a half days   a week over 35 weeks and gain a New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) approved level 3 Certificate. Coursework will be taught by professional Yoobee tutors in the familiar and supportive environment of the Manurewa campus. The initiative is part of the high schools Business Administration Academy.

Yoobee is giving Manurewa students a unique opportunity to explore all elements of design, illuminating the exciting career pathway options available in the field, and enabling them to accelerate their design career, says Ruth Cooper, General Manager of Education at Yoobee. The arrangement enables Yoobee to engage more effectively with the rapidly growing South Auckland student market, and supports the governments Better Public Service programme on Maori and Pacific Island achievement.

iCreate is a foundation programme that connects creativity with digital technology. Using still and video cameras and computers, students produce a wide range of original art that combines traditional and digital media. They learn digital illustration techniques as well as how to create images and pages suitable for web publication, how to capture and edit video, and how to create and animate 2D and 3D objects. This work is complemented by a wide range of art and creative practices to further enhance a students skills base. 

A level 3 certification is the prerequisite for level 5 and 6 diplomas at Yoobee in Graphic Design, Digital Video and Animation, Web Development and Gaming, and 80% of iCreate graduates progress to a higher level diploma.  The course normally costs $1,035 for domestic students, but fees have been waived for the Manurewa High School programme.

The partnership with Yoobee brings cutting edge technical training to Manurewa students, says Sam Evanson, Head of Technology at Manurewa High School. We believe this innovative public-private sector partnership will help prepare and encourage our students to pursue further tertiary education in fields with high demand for skilled knowledge workers.