Ara students reach for stars at Aerospace event

_{Ara Aeropspace Summit volunteers with Aerospace NZ Special Projects Co-ordinator Ben Stevens (second from left) and Operations Lead Brydee Gibbins (far right)} 

Twelve Ara Institute of Canterbury students swapped the classroom for Ōtautahi’s premier conference venue this week, gaining real-world experience at the New Zealand Aerospace Summit 2025.

The students, from the Bachelor of Applied Management (Event Management) and Graduate Diploma in Event Management programmes, were embedded across the two-day space and advanced aviation event, supporting everything from delegate registration and speaker coordination to exhibitor logistics and VIP hosting.

“It’s so nice to actually experience it firsthand,” said Esther Lee, a Bachelor of Applied Management student. “It’s far better than hearing other people’s stories or reading about it in a textbook - I think it really prepares you for the real world.”

The Aerospace Summit - themed “Open Skies: Leveraging New Zealand’s Low Air Traffic and Rapid Regulatory Environment” - drew over 750 delegates and 130+ speakers from across the globe.

For Ara students, it was a chance to see theory in action and explore new corners of the event industry.

“It’s great to be doing something outside my usual experience, which has mostly been sports-focused,” said Graduate Diploma student Gareth Hunter. “It’s also enjoyable learning as a class together in the field in a real work environment.”

_{Aerospace NZ Operations lead Brydee Gibbins (left) graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Management in both Event Management and Human Resource Management in 2022}

The student placements were facilitated by Brydee Gibbins, Operations Lead at Aerospace New Zealand - and an Ara graduate herself.

“The summit is a large-scale event, offering them a diverse range of experiences and a valuable opportunity to observe how all the components of a major conference come together,” Gibbins said.

“They bring excellent energy and professionalism, and they’re always eager to assist wherever needed,” she said. “It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement: they gain real-world experience, and we benefit from a dedicated team of emerging event professionals.”

Event management tutor Andrew Hercus said the summit provided a major portion of the students’ required event project hours, and a full-spectrum view of the event industry.

“They’ve done three theory papers, and now they’re on the front line running events,” Hercus explained. “They get the whole gamut - marketing, logistics, planning, and seeing how it all plays out on the ground.” “They come back absolutely buzzing. It’s the kind of experience that motivates them and shows them what’s possible.”

Amanda Lawson, Co-ordinator of Industry Placements for Business at Ara, said industry partners value the fresh perspective students bring.
“Industry looks to our students for ideas that can improve their next conference or event,” she said. “It’s hugely valuable for both sides.”

After the summit, students will present their findings to Aerospace New Zealand staff as part of their assessment, offering feedback and suggestions for future events. “It’s also nice for current students to see someone like Brydee, who started with entry-level tasks, now running a renowned event with global reach,” Lawson added. “It shows them that with hard work and resilience, they can progress quickly.”

For Gibbins, the journey from student to summit leader began with a single volunteer shift.

“I hadn’t even considered aerospace as a career path,” she said. “But I was referred to Aerospace New Zealand by an event manager I met while volunteering. Now I’m leading operations in one of the country’s most exciting industries.”

“Work-integrated learning is essential. It connects students with employers, builds confidence and helps shape the future of our workforce.”