Enlighten Designs and Our Bond with Waikato’s Institutions

Education and community building have been working hand-in-hand even way back then. With the advent of technology, the way we do things may have changed, but essentially, the roles remained the same. Enlighten Designs is not a stranger to this truth, and that’s why our advocacy in the field of education remains one of our main focuses.

Here's how we're making a difference right here in the Waikato and beyond.

Our Ties with Waikato University

For Enlighten, education is an avenue where technology can truly make an impact. It also presents an opportunity for lasting partnerships.

Many of our brightest team members are proud graduates of the University of Waikato, and their stories reflect the power of practical learning and real-world collaboration. Take two of our most talented developers. 

There’s Simon, who credits his formal computer science education with giving him a strong technical foundation. And then there’s Declan, whose experience working on client-focused, team-based projects at university taught him the importance of understanding customer goals and collaborating effectively.

Both of them saw how education can be the bridge to a successful, fulfilling career in tech, and we're absolutely thrilled to have them as part of the Enlighten family. 

Our Work with the Smart Waikato SSEP Program

We're also proud supporters of the Smart Waikato Secondary School-Employer Partnerships (SSEP) program, an initiative that brings classrooms and companies together to inspire the next generation.

SSEP runs in a growing number of Waikato schools and connects employer groups like Enlighten Designs with school faculties to make learning more relevant and engaging. By sharing real-world ICT challenges and experiences with students as young as year 9, we help open their eyes to the possibilities of a career in technology.

In 2017 alone, Smart Waikato tripled the number of SSEP programs in the region, which was an indicator of even more growth. It was a point of pride to be featured in SSEP's video as we mentor 117 Year 10 ICT students and help them see a future for themselves in the digital world.

Programs like SSEP are what hold entire communities together. Apart from the help it provides students in their career path, it also ensures local businesses have access to homegrown talent.

The Impact of Innovation at Wintec

Our commitment to improving educational institutions wouldn’t be complete without highlighting the work we’ve done with Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec). When Wintec set out to transform their online presence, they partnered with us to reimagine how students engage with their school throughout the entire journey. We worked together on everything around the whole student experience.

We delivered a new website built on Progress Sitefinity, designed to be accessible, user-friendly, and empowering for over 20,000 students across 60 countries. It was the first time that Wintec's marketers could update content without relying on IT. This new website also let them focus on supporting students and telling Wintec's story, which was the focus from the start.

Beyond that, a self-service Business Intelligence solution was also implemented. Thanks to it, Wintec broke down departmental silos and created a single source of truth for student data. This made it easier for staff to make timely decisions and enabled better student retention, meaning more students could stay on track to achieve their goals.

The innovative "My Learning" student portal took things even further. Students could start their applications on any device, pick up where they left off, and access everything they needed throughout their studies. Higher application rates, happier students, and a more connected campus community followed.

Wintec's customer satisfaction scores soared to the mid-90% range, operating costs dropped, and communication improved across the board. This demonstrates that when technology is designed with people in mind, everyone wins.

The Bigger Picture

The work that Enlighten has done with Waikato's educational institutions can be viewed as case studies. While that's correct, we see the same projects as our own way of investing in the future. We believe that it's the smallest seed of investment in education and community programs that bears the most incredible results.

Enlighten Designs is committed to empowering the next generation of innovators, thinkers, and leaders. If you want to learn more about the work we do, check out the services we provide here and let’s build a brighter future together.