Mountain Education Centre of New Zealand
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The Mountain Education Centre of New Zealand (MECNZ) is a division of Tai Poutini Polytechnic, located in Wanaka, New Zealand. Courses are run in ski tuning and snowblasting training, as well as being the home of the Ski Patrol Programme.
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[edit] Certificate in Ski Patrol
The Certificate in Ski Patrol course is based at the Treble Cone ski area, only a short 40-minute drive to the town of Wanaka. Training happens on the mountain, providing the best environment to learn the skills needed for a career in ski patrolling.
The course is run once a year, from March through to September normally; with the first two terms consisting primarily of classroom-based teaching (theory) and the second two terms on the mountain learning practical skills and doing work experience.
The price is NZD$14,000 for international students, and NZD$5,130 to Australian and New Zealand students due to government subsidization.
[edit] Ski Tuning
[edit] Recreational
The ski and snowboard tuning course for recreational skiers and boarders is held in Wanaka from the 13th - 15th June 2006. It is designed to teach students the skills needed to do their own repairs and tuning of their equipment. There are three courses run daily that give a basic introduction to the skills required.
[edit] Technician
MECNZ also offers courses in ski tuning that delve deeper into the profession to set up students for work in ski-tuning workshops as assistant technicians. It is an intensive five day course that's held in Wanaka and runs from the 22nd to 26th May 2006.
[edit] Snowblasting Training
This course is designed to train students in the safe management and handling of explosives and to give them the knowledge of the various regulations that came out in 2003 regarding the safe use of explosives. To obtain a Test Certificate as an Approved Handler a student needs to prove to a Test Certifier that they can safely handle the explosives and to demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the relevant provisions of the HSNO Act and regulations.
Courses are held in Methven from the 30th May to 1st June 2005, Whakapapa from the 8th to 10th June 2005 and Wanaka from the 14th to 16th June 2005.
[edit] Mountain and Ski Guides Winter Workshop
This is a seminar for all current and practicing Mountain and Ski Guides, to teach them new transceiver search techniques that have come out of the Northern Hemisphere for locating up to 6 burials in 10 minutes. It is recommended for all current practicing Mountain and Ski Guides working with guests and/or clients in the backcountry where transceivers would be used.
Following on from previous NZMGA seminars, the course will also focus on effective snow anchors in the winter snow pack, using skis or snowboards.
The course will be held on the 1st and 2nd July 2006. For more information [1]
[edit] Mountain Safety Avalanche Seminar
A mountain safety/avalanche seminar was held in 2005 jointly between MECNZ and the Snow and Avalanche Committee of the NZ Mountain Safety Council. It was held in Methven. No seminar is planned for 2006.
