New Kiwi website aimed to help school leavers

A new website has been launched targeted at New Zealand school leavers, designed to provide information abut options after high school.

The free SchoolLeaver.nz site aims to assist the 65,000 students who finish school each year. It provides students and their parents with information and links to university, polytechnic and ITO study and private training courses offered in New Zealand.

 "It's never been more important for school leavers to have as much information as they can get hold off when deciding on their next step after school," says SchoolLeaver.nz director Tim Greene.

"Nearly 70% of school leavers go on to tertiary study or vocational training courses, but for a large number, school's over. Having useful information there to help all students, regardless of what options they choose, is the key point behind SchoolLeaver.nz," he explains.

In addition to core study and training information, SchoolLeaver.nz provides a range of information and guides for students and their families. Details on tertiary and training institutions are featured, while other topics SchoolLeaver features to help students include money (student loans, allowances, scholarships, banking, tax, KiwiSaver), accommodation (hostels, flatting, home stays), job hunting (resume preparation, how-tos), gap years, and personal lifestyle info (health, sport after school, physical and online safety).

The site features a bespoke news feed, with news related to tertiary study, training, new courses, work opportunities and the employment landscape current students may face.

Greene says SchoolLeaver.nz has been designed as a desktop/tablet/mobile responsive website as opposed to an app.

"These formats mean parents are more likely to view or use the site, simplifying easy two-way dialogue between students and parents, and importantly, between students and their career advisors," he says.

"The range of formats allows students to share with friends or be helped in their explorations if that works for them.

According to Greene, teachers in a number of locations around the country have viewed SchoolLeaver.nz and have rated highly its 'one-stop-shop' comprehensive nature, and the fact that the site can help all students, not just the most academically able, was also highly valued.

"These attributes will help SchoolLeaver.nz earn its place among the tool kits students use to base their post secondary school choices on," says Greene.