Posted on 7 July 2026
Our LearnersFour Royal New Zealand Air Force kaimahi (staff) graduated at Open Polytechnic’s Christchurch graduation ceremony, fittingly held at the NZ Air Force Museum in May.
Flight Lieutenant Jodie Boyd-Ewens (second from right) and Warrant Officers from left, Treena Brown, Ngatasha Mana and Peter “Buck” Rogers all graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Management degree.
They all started their careers approximately 40 years ago and have so far provided a staggering total of 157 years of service.
According to Warrant Officer Ngatasha Mana, returning to Wigram where they started their Air Force careers was a ‘no brainer’.
“Coming back here completes the circle for us,’’ she said.
Open Polytechnic has had a long association with the NZ Defence Force and Royal NZ Air Force.
Back in 1946, 80 years ago, Open Polytechnic (then called the Technical Correspondence School) was set up to provide resettlement training, predominantly in trades and farming subjects, for returned servicemen and women following World War 2.
Since 2020, graduates of the NZDF and RNZAF’s Joint Warrant Officers Advanced Course (JWOAC) have been able to enrol into the Bachelor of Applied Management with 240 credits, leaving just six courses left to complete, to be awarded the degree.
This pathway was created in conjunction with Open Polytechnic.
Open Polytechnic also provides flexible vocational education opportunities for armed services’ veterans and family members.
Photo: Open Polytechnic graduates from left, Treena Brown, Ngatasha Mana, Jodie Boyd-Ewens and Peter Rogers at the Air Force Museum in Christchurch.