Students from Toi Ohomai Certificate in Distribution Programme visited the BPM factory this morning. This is the first of many site visits the students will undertake as part of their studies. The visits give them an actual view of how logistics and distribution processes work in businesses across the Waikato. The hands-on, practical course provides a formal qualification in an area that has a significant shortage of qualified people.
Academic staff member Matt Mindham of the Logistics Training Centre at Toi Ohomai who teachers on the course believes Tokoroa is a great place for students to learn these skills. He believes there is real potential for Tokoroa to become a major distribution hub/ Inland Port for the North Island of New Zealand.
The students come from all walks of life; from mums looking to return to the workforce, to others using it as a stepping stone to other learning pathways. Jimmy Jack, a student of this course says he is wanting to complete the Road Transport HVO Course and get employed as a truck driver.
Graduates have an 80% employment rate on completion of the programme and can go into numerous roles in business, anything that handles inventory to forklift driving, picking, packing or retail businesses.
BPM Production Supervisor Tama Luke showed the students around the factory while Matt and Anthony showed off their impressive forklift-operating expertise loading containers with pallets of product. We hope the students enjoyed their visit. It was great to meet them as well as providing us with an opportunity to connect with our Tokoroa community.
