| News Release Award for Excellence in
Engineering Journalism 2007
...for the article “Engineering a Future” printed in the New Zealand Education Review and The New Zealand Herald John’s article is a well-researched and balanced examination of the current workforce crisis facing engineering in New Zealand – and the challenges the education sector faces in trying to meet the needs of the country’s industry. New Zealand produces less than half the number of engineering degree graduates of other OECD countries; at diploma and certificate level, the picture is even worse. In the workplace, there is a critical shortage of skilled staff. John talks to education providers about solutions and finds it is not a simple matter of increasing the intake of students. He also canvasses the thorny issue of competition between tertiary education providers. Readers are well served by John’s thorough reporting and narrative style. The story could have been dry and uninteresting; instead it is an engaging appraisal of a subject that should be a concern to all New Zealanders.
|