Aviators return to their Wigram roots to celebrate academic achievement

Flight Lieutenant Jodie Boyd-Ewens, MNZM, and Warrant Officers Treena Brown, Ngatasha Mana and Peter “Buck” Rogers recently marked their achievement at a graduation ceremony at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, in Wigram, Christchurch.

For many aviators RNZAF Base Wigram was known as the “home of New Zealand military aviation” and where much of the RNZAF’s support and technical trade and flying training took place prior to the base’s closure in 1995.

They all started their careers about 40 years ago and in total, the group has so far delivered a total of 157 years of service.

“For all of us, Wigram holds a special place in our hearts, particularly from the formative years of our careers - and we all still bleed Air Force, even at this stage of our careers,” Flight Lieutenant Boyd-Ewens said.

While it was challenging to fit in study with working full-time, family and daily life commitments, it was “really rewarding” to have completed the academic work, she said.

“When the opportunity presented itself to graduate at the Air Force Museum, it felt like a fitting chance to celebrate this achievement and reflect on our respective journeys within Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa (RNZAF) and the profession of arms.”

Warrant Officer Brown said she was proud of gaining the qualification, but undertaking tertiary study with little previous experience was a challenge.

“Balancing part-time study with full-time work as well as juggling postings and family commitments along the way wasn’t always easy, but it made achieving the degree even more rewarding.

“One of the things that helped was realising I wasn’t the only one. Knowing there were others returning to study later in their careers, all juggling work, family and life commitments, was encouraging. The friendly banter along the way certainly reminded us we were all navigating the same challenges.”

It was rewarding to be able to use her decades of military experience and knowledge and apply it to a recognised academic qualification, Warrant Officer Brown said.

“It’s an achievement that reflects both the experience I’ve gained throughout my career and the effort it took to get back into studying.”

Warrant Officer Mana said she was grateful for the acknowledgement from the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and Open Polytech recognising their prior learning.

“It was a privilege to have been given the opportunity to take on the study that not everyone has an opportunity to do. I’m so proud to have seen it through to get the tohu (qualification).

“Although it was an individual effort, knowing we were all on the same haerenga (journey), created an accountability to each other to see it through.”

Warrant Officer Rogers said tertiary education had become an essential requirement for senior enlisted personnel seeking advancement to the highest levels of leadership.

“I consider myself fortunate to have been afforded this opportunity and recognised my responsibility to make the most of it.”

Open Polytechnic has had a long association with the NZDF and the RNZAF.

In 1946 the 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 II.

Since 2020, graduates of the NZDF and RNZAF’s Joint Warrant Officers Advanced Course have been able to enrol into the Bachelor of Applied Management with 240 credits, leaving just six papers left to complete, to be awarded the degree.