Record crowds explore future study options at Ara Open Day

_{Expert guides took visitors on tours across campuses and to information sessions for all subject areas.}

Close to 1,550 prospective learners along with whānau and friends came to Ara Institute of Canterbury's campuses on Thursday, making it one of the biggest Open Days in the institution's history.

Visitors explored study options across a wide range of subject areas, attended information sessions, toured teaching facilities and met kaimahi (staff) and current ākonga (students) to learn more about potential career pathways.

Ara Community and Outreach Marketing manager Blair Kaad said the strong turnout highlighted the value of seeing a campus first-hand and having face-to-face conversations about study options.

"We knew it was going to be busy, but the response was incredible. Some of our information sessions and tours were packed, but what really stood out was our team having meaningful one-on-one conversations with prospective learners and their whānau," Kaad said.

Across the Ara's City, Woolston Trades and Timaru campuses, visitors experienced hands-on activities, explored specialist learning environments and spoke directly with tutors, support kaimahi and current learners.

Kaad said one of the most encouraging outcomes was the number of people keen to continue those conversations.

"We've already heard from people who would like to come back for individual campus tours and more detailed kōrero. Open Day is often the first step. It's a chance to get a feel for Ara, then come back and spend more time exploring the options that interest you."

Supporting record crowds required a coordinated effort from kaimahi right across the organisation, with teams adapting throughout the day to ensure visitors had a smooth and positive experience.

"A huge thank you goes to everyone involved. They were incredibly flexible, whether that meant delivering presentations, answering questions, running activities or splitting tours into smaller groups so people could get the most from the experience.

"When you're dealing with those kinds of numbers, things can get challenging quickly, but our people stepped up and made sure visitors felt welcome and supported."

His message was echoed by Ara Chief Executive Darren Mitchell who thanked all involved for helping create such a successful event.

"It was fantastic to see the City Campus buzzing with so many new faces. Our kaimahi did an incredible job sharing their knowledge and showcasing the wide range of opportunities available at Ara," Mitchcell said.

While pleased with the success of the event, Kaad said Ara would continue seeking feedback from attendees and staff.

"We're always looking at ways we can improve, and we'll take on board the feedback we receive. But we're really pleased with how the day went and how our people responded to what was unprecedented demand."

Although many visitors were exploring study options for 2027 and beyond, a number of Ara programmes are still accepting applications for Semester Two this year.  

Prospective learners can arrange an individual campus visit or find out more about study pathways, funding and support options by contacting info@ara.ac.nz