The Modern Apprenticeships programme enables young New Zealanders to gain nationally recognised industry qualifications while they work. It’s all about putting the talent of a new generation to work and over 9400 modern apprentices are currently in training in over 32 industries ranging from building to engineering.

For many young people, their first step towards the programme has been through information spotted on www.modernapprenticeships.co.nz, a site created under the umbrella of the Tertiary Education Commission. But was the current website talking in the right voice and did it have the type of look that this generation demands?

The existing Modern Apprenticeships website was out of date and it was difficult to update content. There was no multi-lingual capacity to suit its diverse audience, and it lacked imagery that would give it a motivational edge. It needed a voice that would create action.

EPiServer solution teams creativity with consistency
The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) knew it was talking to an audience primarily made up of 16 to 24 year olds, while at the same time the site was also delivering information to potential employers.

The goal was to make the site user friendly and engaging. TEC engaged Intergen to implement EPiServer as a consistent platform that would not only meet this challenge but also provide a platform to improve the timeliness and format of the TEC’s own web site in due course.

TEC’s web team leader, Kate Clode, highlights the reasons why EPiServer was seen as the right solution for the Modern Apprenticeship website environment.

“EPiServer was able to give us more freedom to manage content when and where we liked on the site. The ability to forward publish content has become a major timesaving tool and likewise, expired content is now taken care of efficiently," Clode says.

"Our publishers are more hands on, with all the control they need compared to the technical challenges that faced them before when they wanted to manipulate content.

“We also got a multi language capability straight out of the box and that’s vital for our audience that includes Maori and Pacific Islanders. We teamed the package with Mondo Search and have a very powerful search capability.

“To sum up how far we’ve come, I feel we’ve gained 100 percent control.”

Design something funky
Those words are what every creative team wants to hear and TEC gave Intergen a wide brief, with a focus on achieving a design that was "motivational" and "simple".

“We had high expectations but also great confidence because Intergen’s design team are web specialists, - they’re experts in online design and implementation and have a thorough knowledge of e-government guidelines,” says Clode.

Intergen’s Paul Streeter goes as far as calling it a "sexy site". For example would you like your web site background to be hot pink, denim or green? The viewer gets to choose.

There’s also an extensive use of photographic imagery and snap shot impressions from Apprentices already at work.

TEC say it was a big ask to turn the site around in a matter of weeks, but the result was achieved on time and on budget. “It was a pretty exceptional turnaround, and feedback has been overwhelmingly positive” says Clode.

The gain
As the number of Modern Apprenticeships approaches the 10,000 mark, (a 13% increase in the last 12 months), the first port of call for many thinking about their future will be an edgy, youthful website that says: "Hey training is exciting, lets put you on the road to making it happen."

TEC has also hit the refresh button on its own website, with Intergen completing a successful migration of www.tec.govt.nz onto EPiServer. Gains include improved search functions, a cleaner fresher visitor experience, and easier behind the scenes maintenance for TEC’s IT team.

For more information
Shaun Donaghey
General Manager, Auckland
Intergen
09 966-3072
021 359 061
shaun.donaghey@intergen.co.nz
www.intergen.co.nz

September 2007