NMIT toasts success at the Marlborough Wine Show
phenomenal results for student winemakers at the renowned awards
Staff and students get prime ministerial attention
It’s not often you get to offer the Prime Minister a canape, but the Te Pūkenga | NMIT Marlborough Trades Academy and Foundation students took it in their stride at the recent opening of The New Zealand Wine Centre - Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa.
Front: Ngarita Warden (Viticulture and wine tutor), Laura Main, Lillie Evans-Gallagher, Olina Anderson and Jaimee Noble (Level 2 hospitality tutor).
Bottom left: International student Jianhang Zhou was one of the Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine students who helped serve guests at the official opening of The New Zealand Wine Centre - Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa. He also got to meet the New Zealand PM and took a ‘selfie’ with her.
Bottom right: The New Zealand Wine Centre - Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa.
Prime Minister Rt. Hon Jacinda Ardern, and many other dignitaries and representatives from the wine, research and viticulture sectors gathered on the Te Pūkenga | NMIT Marlborough Campus to celebrate the opening of the facility, which sits alongside the wine and viticulture teaching and research facilities of NMIT, Plant and Food Research and the Bragato Institute.
The Prime Minister enjoyed her visit to Marlborough to officially open Centre which she said, ‘will help us continue to lead the way with new technology and innovation in the way we produce wine’.
The Trades Academy and Foundation students played a big role on the day helping to set up and serve food, with support from the Viticulture and Wine degree students and tutors who served drinks.
During the event Jacinda took time to thank the students individually.
Being able to meet the Prime minister of New Zealand within the first couple of months of study was particularly impressive for the new NMIT international students.
Jianhang Zhou, is studying viticulture and wine on an exchange programme with NMIT. He has completed two years of his Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine degree in China and is in Marlborough for his third year.
He took the opportunity to get a ‘selfie’ with Jacinda and said helping at the event was very exciting and a great opportunity.
