Kia ora and welcome to the February edition of We are OPAIC 

In this month’s edition, we celebrate the achievements of our graduates, who are making strides in their careers beyond OPAIC. We also share some positive student survey feedback, an exciting academic partnership, and highlights from Orientation and our Lunar New Year celebrations. Plus, we bring you the new initiatives from the Employability Centre, and introduce our newest staff members.

Success Stories 

Graduate plans AI research in United States

Information Technology graduate Nijendra Giri is heading to the United States on a scholarship to pursue a master's degree researching Artificial Intelligence. He plans to return to Nepal one day and apply his knowledge to help tackle his country’s technological challenges and drive economic growth. 

Ishant debuts in Hollywood horror

OPAIC graduate Ishant Ghulyani has made his Hollywood debut in the new movie Wolf Man. The werewolf horror was released just last month and is now screening at local cinemas. Ishant studied the Graduate Diploma in Applied Management with us in 2019 and went on to work at the High Commission of India in Wellington.

Graduate applies business skills to sustainability

Business graduate Karl Tan Ipong is using his degree to drive meaningful change. His journey reflects one of our key aims of equipping graduates to take action towards a more sustainable future. Karl works as the Corporate Sustainability Advisor for FUJIFILM Business Innovation New Zealand.

Upcoming Events

Events to look forward to

We have several exciting events coming up soon, providing great opportunities to connect, learn, and grow. You can find more details and see the full list of upcoming events at the link below.

Talk of the Campus

OPAIC kicks off 2025 with Orientation events

OPAIC has officially welcomed its new students for the first study block of 2025. Orientation activities included a formal welcome, an introduction to teams, an employability session, an academic overview, and an insurance presentation.

OPAIC learners share positive experiences in survey

Feedback was positive in the latest OPAIC Learner Opinion Survey. A total of 865 students were invited to take part, and 320 students responded, which was a 37 percent response rate. Overall, 73 percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they are satisfied with their overall experience at OPAIC.

Highlights of the positive feedback include:

• A supportive learning environment with friendly and professional lecturers.
• High-quality programmes that provide valuable skills.
• Excellent support services from Learning Support, Student Success, IT and Employability teams. 
• Convenient location with easy access to public transportation.

Need some extra learning support?

Peer tutors and Learning Support are available on Level 8 to assist with your learning needs, whether it’s understanding course material, improving study skills, or getting academic guidance. Send them an email or pop in and see them on Level 8. Check the poster above to see who’s available and what programmes they can help you with.

Growing partnerships through global knowledge exchange

An applied mathematics expert from China visited OPAIC recently, sparking valuable discussions and paving the way for an ongoing partnership. Dr Xiwen Lu from East China University of Science and Technology is a professor and doctoral supervisor. 

Celebrating Lunar New Year

The Lunar New Year fell before students returned to the campus, but that didn’t stop our staff from celebrating. We came together to honour the vibrant tradition and welcome in the Year of the Snake with traditional Chinese cuisine and snacks, and fun activities and games. It was a great chance for colleagues to connect. Thank you to our colleagues who organised the event.

New Staff

Jessica Fifita-Tu'ipulotu

People & Development Coordinator

Jessica holds a Bachelor of Business Management as well as a Master of Business Management with a Human Resources major from AUT.

Jessica has over seven years of experience in the government and private sectors working in the recruitment space.

She has been responsible for end-to-end recruitment, working closely with hiring managers and providing support, advice and guidance. She has also provided general HR support to the various organisations and businesses she has worked with.

Her goal for each learner is that they will embrace their journey and learn to treat challenges and pitfalls as learning curves which will allow them to upskill.

Outside of work, Jessica loves spending time with family and socialising with friends over a gin and soda.

Shikha Shethia

Sessional Lecturer – Applied Management

Shikha holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Information Systems and Operations Management from the University of Auckland. She also has a Bachelor of Business (Honours) from Auckland University of Technology. She has recently submitted her PhD thesis for examination at AUT. 

Shikha has worked as a Teaching Assistant and Workshop Leader at AUT over the past six years. Her research relates to digital accessibility and technology for social inclusion. 

Shikha recognises that each student has a unique background and learning pace, and she aims to create an inclusive and engaging learning environment that caters to everyone. 

Her interests outside of work include playing badminton and running marathons. 

Udara Samaratunge

Sessional Lecturer - IT

Udara holds an M.Sc. in Enterprise Application Development (EAD) which he passed with Distinction. He also won the best performer award at Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) in the United Kingdom.

Udara has completed a B.Sc. in Information Technology with honours at the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) as well as a B.Sc. in Information Technology at Curtin University.

Udara is an Oracle Certified Professional Java Programmer (OCPJP). He also holds a certification in teaching in higher education, as well as some AWS certifications.

With more than five years of industry experience as a Software Engineer and Technical Consultant, Udara has contributed to enterprise-scale project development for clients in the UK, USA, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand.

Saranga Weerawardana

Sessional Lecturer - Construction

Saranga is a Chartered Quantity Surveyor with over 18 years of experience in large and complex international projects across Abu Dhabi, Qatar, and Sri Lanka.

Her expertise spans pre and post contract quantity surveying, contract administration, procurement, and commercial management in the building and infrastructure sectors.

She has worked with contractors, consultants, and government bodies, handling high-value projects such as the Lusail Plaza Towers in Qatar, major wastewater and flood mitigation projects in Sri Lanka, and large-scale developments in the UAE.

Saranga holds an M.Sc. in Construction Law and Dispute Resolution and another M.Sc. in Project Management, from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. She also has a B.Sc. (Hons) in Quantity Surveying.

Sonia Gul

Sessional Lecturer - IT

Sonia holds a Ph.D. in Telecommunications from the Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand. Additionally, she earned a Master of Science in Computer Science and a Bachelor of Computer Science from Lahore College for Women University, Pakistan.

Sonia has over 20 years of experience in information technology, networking, and computer science. Her roles have included teaching, research, curriculum development, and leadership at institutions such as King Faisal University, Auckland University of Technology (AUT), Unitec, and Cornell Institute of Business and Technology.

Additionally, she has contributed to network research, IoT advancements, and AI-driven solutions, with a strong focus on bridging academia and industry needs.

Employability Centre

New year brings fresh career initiatives at AIC

During Orientation, the Employability team held an in-depth session introducing students to the employability services booking system, workshops, events, and all the one-on-one services available to them. 

We also had guest speaker Tom Wu from Go Bear AI, who shared valuable insights and tools to support students in their job-hunting journey. 

A major shake-up to Employability is the new workshop schedule. Workshops will now take place on Tuesdays, with both morning and afternoon sessions to accommodate more students. These sessions are specifically designed to help students become work ready. 

AIC joins NZAGE: expanding opportunities for our graduates 

We are proud to be the first tertiary provider in the ITP/PTE sector to join NZAGE, giving our students broader access to top New Zealand employers offering graduate programmes and roles. This membership strengthens our Employability Centre’s ability to connect graduates with exciting career opportunities.

The New Zealand Association of Graduate Employers (NZAGE) is a national not-for-profit organization established in 2011 to enhance and develop the early talent recruitment industry in New Zealand. Their mission is to educate and support New Zealand organisations in delivering world-class early careers programmes.

Master’s students gain industry experience through summer internships

During the summer break, four of our Master of Applied Management students successfully completed internships in the logistics, hospitality, and tech sales industries, gaining valuable hands-on experience and industry insights.

These internships provided our students with practical exposure, professional networking, and key industry skills—crucial stepping stones as they advance in their careers. See what students had to say about their internships below.

Applied Management students kick off internship-based capstone course

Eight undergraduate Applied Management students are gearing up to begin their Internship Projects in Week 1, marking a significant milestone in their academic journey. This capstone course is designed to integrate classroom learning with real-world industry experience, allowing students to apply their skills in professional settings.

The students will take on diverse roles across multiple industries, including:

• Office Administrator
• Digital Marketing Intern
• Customer Support and Transactions Intern
• Data Security Intern
• Front Desk Intern
• Operations Assistant Manager
• Business Management Intern
• E-commerce and Marketing Intern

Their host organisations range from charity trusts, digital marketing agencies, and financial services firms to IT startups, hotels, retail businesses, construction firms, and top-tier e-commerce companies in Auckland.

Through these internships, students will not only gain hands-on industry experience but also conduct research that contributes to their final qualification. This practical exposure enhances their employability skills, industry connections, and problem-solving abilities, preparing them for a seamless transition into the workforce.