The Skillsup programme equips Foundation students with the necessary life skills to thrive while living and studying abroad.
Earlier this year, five of Nguyen Sieu's Foundation students underwent Nguyen Sieu School's flagship Skillsup programme. The Skillsup programme ran for six weeks across December 2018 and January 2019.
Conceptualised by Nguyen Sieu School's International Office, the programme is designed to help students transition to the next phase of the Foundation programme in New Zealand. The International Foundation Pathway commenced its first class in July 2018.
Having completed the first six months of study at Nguyen Sieu School in Hanoi, the students will proceed to the second phase of their Foundation studies at Massey University's Palmerston North campus for a further four months.
For all of this year's students, the move to New Zealand will be their first time living abroad. Skillsup has thus been designed to help students move easily between living and studying at home in Vietnam, where they are comfortable and cared for by their family, to managing their own studies, living and financial conditions independently in a foreign country.
The Skillsup programme covers three themes: Flatting, Traffic Safety, Cooking.
Flatting
While students will be placed in homestays for their first three months at Massey University, they will eventually move on to renting their own apartments or houses. Mr. Nguyen Hoang Tuan, who coordinates the Foundation programme, drew from his own experience living and studying in New Zealand for over two years, to plan and conduct sessions on topics such as how to find rentals, issues to consider when renting acccomodation, and managing personal finances, with a focus on the difference between the Vietnamese and New Zealand culture on such matters.
Traffic Safety and Road Code
Given the vastly different culture and system of traffic in New Zealand, the Road Safety course provided essential knowledge on road safety in New Zealand, the New Zealand Road Code, as well as introduced students to the process to get a Learner license from the New Zealand Transport Agency.
Cooking
The highlight of the Skillsup programme might have been the twelve cooking classes, where students whipped up Vietnamese and international dishes, drinks and desserts with the guidance of professional cooks. Students learnt different cooking methods, the uses of different ingredients and spices, preparation techniques, as well as the importance of a nutritious diet.
The first batch of five Foundation students will leave Hanoi to embark on the exciting next phase of their lives in Palmerston North on 18 February 2019. Follow this space to keep updated on their activities at school and at home!