They may be on opposite ends of the world map and in different hemispheres, separated by more than 13,000 kilometres and 18 hours between them, but the renowned wine region of Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand has never seemed closer for aspiring winemakers at Niagara College.

That’s because one of New Zealand’s top wine schools, the Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT), has embarked on its first Canadian partnership with Niagara College (NC), home of Canada’s first Teaching Winery. Thanks to the new agreement, graduates from the NC’s Winery and Viticulture Technician diploma program are now eligible to complete EIT’s Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science degree – a three-year program – in just one-and-a-half years, while gaining exposure to new wine styles, viticulture practices and new experiences in the Southern Hemisphere.

“We are pleased to offer our wine students this exciting new international learning pathway,” said Craig Youdale, dean of Niagara College’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute. “The hands-on applied learning experience they gain at NC promises our students a smooth academic transition into EIT’s bachelor program, where they can build on their studies and experience in one of New Zealand’s top wine destinations.”

EIT is located within the premium winegrowing region of Hawke’s Bay, which is highly regarded as the oldest and one of the largest wine regions in New Zealand, offering a diversity of production, grape varietals and wine styles. It is one of the top tertiary institutes in New Zealand, and a highly respected provider of professional and applied vocational education.

“The New Zealand and Canadian Cool Climate Wine industries have much in common in varietal wines produced and winegrowing but also have been in parallel with impressive development and growth over the last 30 years,” said Sue Blackmore, head of the School of Viticulture and Wine Science at EIT. “Relationship building between Niagara College Canada and Eastern Institute of Technology is a natural extension of the synergies that exist between the two countries’ wine industries and will offer exciting opportunities for students of both institutions.”

With a number of global partners that focus on wine and viticulture – including institutions in China, the U.K., Germany, Italy, and Argentina – NC was considered a natural fit for a partnership with EIT.

The new partnership marks the first academic pathway opportunity to New Zealand for students at Niagara College.

“This new pathway with EIT is another example of NC’s commitment to ensure our students are offered unique international opportunities at all stages of their NC learning journey, including after graduation,” said NC’s senior vice president, International, Sean Kennedy.

NC has been a leader in applied education for over 50 years in the heart of Ontario’s thriving wine and hospitality industries. With wine programs based at its recently renamed Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake, NC is home to Canada’s first and only commercial Teaching Winery along with an on-campus 40-acre vineyard, located in the largest wine-producing region in Canada.

Synergies between NC and EIT include world-class teaching and learning facilities, and a supportive rapport between faculty and students, as well as a complementary ethos of combining practical hands-on experience with theoretical learning.

Students enrolled in EIT’s Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Studies program take part in commercial vintage practices and research which provide direct contact and networking with the New Zealand industry. Students have an opportunity to complete a commercial vintage and a research project in collaboration with an industry partner. Course work topics include wine business, sustainability issues, sensory palate development, winery engineering, advanced viticulture practices, and wine chemistry.

With two entry points, Niagara College students will have the option of beginning their studies at EIT in either February or July.

The new agreement may only be the beginning. Both postsecondary institutions note the potential for additional collaboration in the future, such as opportunities for EIT students to gain study and practical experience in Canada, as well as staff exchange and professional development.

Top photo: Visitors from New Zealand’s Eastern Institute of Technology stand with representatives from Niagara College’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute at the Wine Visitor + Education Centre, located at NC’s Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake, on January 28, 2020. From left: Gary Torraville (assistant dean, NC’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute); Fred Koenders (executive dean of Commerce, EIT); Sue Blackmore (head of school Viticulture and Wine Science, EIT); Craig Youdale (dean, NC’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute); and Taylor Eubanks (senior administrator, Compliance and International Partnerships, EIT).

 

The Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) is one of New Zealand’s top tertiary institutes and is ranked as a category 1 institution by the New Zealand Tertiary Education Commission and Ministry of Education. As a highly respected provider of professional and applied vocational education, EIT welcomed over 10,000 students in 2019, including 1,200 international students from 50 different countries.

 EIT offers over 150 qualifications, which have been developed in response to global industry needs. It offers programmes at certificate, diploma, bachelor’s, graduate diploma, postgraduate diploma and master’s degree level. Visit eit.ac.nz.

Niagara College’s Teaching Winery is the first and only commercial teaching winery in Canada. It is located at the College’s Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus, along with the NC Teaching Brewery and – the latest addition in September 2018 – the NC Teaching Distillery which were also the first of their kind in Canada.

Niagara College offers more than 130 diploma, bachelor degree and advanced level programs; as well as more than 600 credit, vocational and general interest Part-Time Studies courses. Areas of specialization include food and wine sciences, advanced technology, media, applied health and community safety, supported by unique learning enterprises in food, wine, beer, distilling, horticulture and esthetics. For more information visit niagaracollege.ca.

 

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Julie Greco

Communications Consultant

Office: 905 641-2252 ext. 7368

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Andrea Jackson

International Senior Marketing Communications Officer

Office: +64 6 830 1043

[email protected]

 

After weeks of preparation, a team of NC students were in the market for success at one of Canada’s most prestigious college marketing competitions – and brought home hardware to prove it.

The team of three second-year Business – Sales and Marketing students including Katherine Heykoop (St. Catharines), Niall Cain (Niagara-on-the-Lake) and Natalie Piccirillo (Niagara Falls) placed third in their division at the Scotiabank Vanier College 2020 National Marketing Case Competition, which was held in Montreal from February 8-9. The weekend case competition drew top marketing students from 25 colleges across Canada.

The competition is fierce, with students competitors from across Canada eager to showcase their skills and abilities, but NC’s team stepped up to the challenge, noted Terri Champion, professor and coordinator of the Business – Sales and Marketing program, who coached the team with School of Business Management professor Malcom Howe.

“Placing third overall in their division is an amazing accomplishment,” said Champion. “We couldn’t be happier with our team and we know they will go on to do great things in the future. Their efforts and enthusiasm are a great example of the great things happening in the School of Business at Niagara.”

During the case competition, student teams are isolated for three hours to analyze a marketing problem, develop a presentation and then present a marketing plan to a panel of judges. The teams were judged on the value of their recommendations, creativity, practicality and the quality of their presentation skills.

“The competition is a very unique learning opportunity, a great example of experiential learning that provides students with the opportunity to showcase the skills and knowledge they have gained from their program of study, as well as well as push themselves outside of their comfort zone by stepping up to compete in a pressure-cooker environment,” said Champion.

“Our team delivered a well-thought-out, persuasive presentation and were able to successfully defend their strategies during the Q and A period. In addition to that, they were one of the most outgoing and social teams at the weekend competition, making friends with competitors from across Canada and cheering on the other schools that advanced to the final round.”

For Heykoop, competing in the Vanier competition has been a goal even before she enrolled at NC – from the time she watched a video about NC students participating in the competition, which was posted to the College website.

“I told my friends and family ‘I’m going to compete in this, I don’t know how but I am going to make it happen,'” she recalled. “I really wanted to set high goals for myself because it was my second chance coming back to school and Vanier seemed like the ultimate challenge, it seemed impossible and that’s what made it so appealing.”

Heykoop now has two Vanier competitions under her belt, as well as two Ontario College Marketing Competitions. She won first place (Pearson Marketing Award) at OCMC 2019 and won first place her first year as well. She also received the Tyler Santing Spirit Award, granted annually to an outstanding Sales and Marketing student, in spring 2019. Competing at the national level has equipped her with confidence.

“Niagara College provided an opportunity to step outside of my comfort zone and, in doing so, I went from looking at others in admiration thinking, ‘wow that person is really capable to do that,’ to being able to see myself that way,” said Heykoop. “Participating in this competition has given me the courage to overcome situations I’ve found intimidating and I know this skill will be an asset to any company.”

For Piccirillo, the experience proved that hard work and dedication pay off.

“It really is a pressure cooker, and to actually be able to perform, and perform well, under such pressure to me is an accomplishment on its own,” she said. “I feel like I will be able to handle any task thrown my way when it comes to a new work environment.”

Piccirillo and Cain also partnered at OCMC 2019 and captured third place in the retail case category.

One of the aspects she valued most about the experience was the opportunity to network at the event.

“Many people don’t take advantage of this, but that little added touch of kindness or just simply not being afraid to start a conversation can go a long way, ” she said. “You never know where a connection will be five to 10 years from now … I always try to look at the big picture with these opportunities.”

Cain was interested in competing at Vanier because he wanted to see what it takes to compete at the national level. The experience taught him a lot.

“I feel like the challenges within the Vanier cases are very realistic and require very well thought out, detailed solutions with numbers to back up your recommendations,” he said. “Overall, the Vanier format does a great job of preparing you for real-world business challenges. ”

He noted that he was pleased with the team’s third-place finish within the division, and was proud of his team’s accomplishments.

Cain, as well as his teammates, noted how grateful he was for the support of their coaches.

“The work they put in to aid us in our success at Vainer was nothing short of amazing. It was truly a pleasure to get to know both of them better over the last couple of months,” he said. “It’s amazing to see two people who are so clearly committed to making our college experiences just that much better.”

For participating students and their coaches, the Vanier competition was on the heels of the Ontario Colleges Marketing Competition 2019, hosted by Niagara College. The event was held November 21-22 in Niagara Falls. Champion and Howe co-organized the provincial competition, which drew top marketing students from across the province.  View Nov. 19, 2019 news release here.

It’s proving to be a vintage year for cultivating partnerships in Niagara.

Thanks to a new agreement, Niagara College’s Teaching Winery will take over operations at a Niagara-on-the-Lake vineyard property owned by Canopy Growth (“Canopy Growth” or the “Company”) (TSX:WEED, NYSE:CGC), sowing the seeds for an environmentally sustainable site and new learning opportunities for the College’s wine students.

Canopy Growth announced today that the Concession 5 Vineyard, located next to its Tweed Farms greenhouses in Niagara-on-the-Lake, will be leased to Niagara College, to be operated by the NC Learning Enterprise Corporation (NCLEC). The College – which is home to the first and only commercial Teaching Winery in Canada, as well the first Commercial Cannabis Production program in the country – is committed to maintaining the vineyard according to environmentally and socially sustainable.

Canopy Growth, known as one of the world’s largest diversified cannabis companies, acquired Concession 5 Vineyard in May 2019 and was seeking to partner with an experienced grape grower committed to maintaining the property in a sustainable manner. It found a trusted partner in Niagara College, which has been a leader in wine education for 20 years and has been running a Teaching Winery and vineyards on its recently renamed Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake since 2002.

“Ensuring the vineyard continued to operate in a sustainable manner was very important to Canopy Growth as well as the community of Niagara-on-the-Lake,” said Jeff Ryan, vice president of Government and Stakeholder Relations at Canopy Growth. “This partnership maintains the historical use of the property and we could not be more satisfied that it will become a hub for learning to be enjoyed by Niagara College’s students for decades to come.“

“With grape growing and wine production integral to Niagara’s economy, we applaud Canopy Growth’s decision to preserve the vineyards on this Niagara-on-the-Lake property,” said College president Dan Patterson. “We are proud to be a part of this historic new partnership that bridges Niagara’s established wine industry with its emerging cannabis production industry, and we’re dedicated to applying our expertise in a manner that will benefit our students and the community.”

Steve Gill, general manager of NCLEC– including the Teaching Winery, Teaching Brewery, and Teaching Distillery – noted the importance of the wine and cannabis production sectors working together in Niagara and pointed to the new partnership as a testament to what can be achieved.
“This partnership is a win-win-win,” said Gill. “Our wine students gain experience at a second Niagara vineyard, Canopy benefits from our dedication to minimizing impact on its greenhouse operations, and Niagara-on-the-Lake residents gain good neighbours through our commitment to maintaining the vineyards with sustainable farming practices.”

While the NCLEC will not operate retail on the Concession 5 property, the new space will become a secondary production site for the College’s Teaching Winery and will enhance learning opportunities for students in the College’s Winery and Viticulture Technician program.

Students will be exposed to additional environmentally and socially sustainable practices on the Concession 5 site, as well as a different terroir and different grape varietals than the College’s existing on-campus Teaching Winery. Concession 5 Vineyard is located on the fertile sub-appellation of Four Mile Creek – while NC’s on-campus vineyards is located in St. David’s Bench – and its vineyards contain grape varietals that aren’t grown at the College’s Teaching Vineyards, such as Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir.

College winemaker Gavin Robertson noted that farming practices will be implemented on the property that exclude any chemical herbicides or insecticides and will use mechanical or cultural means to control weeds and insects. He noted that the Teaching Winery has been employing many sustainable practices on campus – since it shares a small area with a greenhouse, vegetable gardens, and a bee yard at the College – and the new partnership is an opportunity to expand their efforts at a different location.

“Through this collaboration with Canopy Growth, we are enhancing our understanding of sustainable farming practices and the social licence to operate as responsible land stewards in the context of the Ontario grape industry in a way that also benefits how we operate our campus vineyard,” said Robertson, who is also an alumnus of the Winery and Viticulture Technician program (2011). “This knowledge also translates to the curriculum level and has increased our capacity to deliver lessons in sustainable farming to our students.”

Second-year Winery and Viticulture Technician student Sydney Neumann values the hands-on experience she is gaining at the Teaching Winery where she works on wine projects and participates in winery operations as well as vineyard work. She was thrilled to hear that students will have access to a second vineyard where they can enhance their learning of viticulture practices.

“In my first year, we had the opportunity of harvesting Pinot Noir from this site and it was a great way to get my hands dirty so early in the program,” she said. “I know the new vineyard will provide a place for practical learning of viticulture and get students active in watching a vine growth cycle, pruning, scouting, harvesting, and other practices … this sort of learning is what inspires me and is, what I believe, will inspire other students.”

Neumann also believes it is important that the vineyard will be maintained in an environmentally sustainable manner.

“It is essential to teach students how to work in a vineyard in a sustainable fashion that doesn’t negatively impact the environment,” she said. “I, like many others, strongly believe this is the future of the industry.”

Here’s to Future (Educational) Growth.