Why work at Ara?
Ara Institute of Canterbury is a dynamic environment where, together with your colleagues, you will respond to the needs of students and employers within the Canterbury region. This makes Ara a stimulating and engaging place to work.
To ensure you are well supported professionally when you work with us, you will be encouraged to participate in ongoing training and development. Each employee is encouraged to discuss specific professional development requirements with their leader to build capability and support their career development. Employees are afforded both time and allocated funds to achieve goals aligned to their role and aspirations.
Employees with over six months service (conditions apply) may be eligible for a substantial discount on Ara courses.
The institute is a member of the Canterbury Tertiary Alliance, which means that as an employee, you may be eligible to access fee discounts at our partner tertiary institutions in Canterbury.
The Financial Support for Obtaining Higher Qualifications Policy applies to employees whose role and position requires a higher level qualification.
If you’re a permanent employee and employed for fifteen or more hours per week, you are covered by income protection insurance, up until the age of 65.
Group discounted membership to Southern Cross is available to employees and their families.
Our Recreation Centre at the City campus in Christchurch provides a modern, well-equipped gym and weights room with memberships available to employees and students at discounted prices. Employees also have access to free group fitness classes.
Our Health Centre, located at the City campus in Christchurch, provides an accessible and competitively priced health service. Although primarily established for students, employees can access nurses, a general practitioner (GP) and counsellors. Free annual influenza vaccinations are available for employees (conditions may apply).
Confidential counselling services are available to employees through the Organisational Counselling Programme (OCP) and Vitae, independent services offering employees access to voluntary, safe and professional counselling assistance. The service is free (for up to three sessions per issue).
Students and employees from the Department of Hospitality, Business and Service Industries run Visions Pantry, an on-site cafe at the City campus in Christchurch which serves a range of food and beverages to enjoy on site or to take away.
Visions on Campus Restaurant (City campus, Christchurch) opens for lunch and evening dining, while Starz Restaurant (Timaru campus) opens for breakfast and evening dining at specified times throughout the year. Opening times are promoted online and throughout the campus.
Each campus has a staff room for the use of all employees and most sections have facilities for making refreshments. There are a number of food outlets on site at the City campus and the Woolston campus has a café serving a range of food. In Timaru there are cafés, shops and supermarkets within walking distance of the campus, while the Ashburton and Oamaru campuses are just a few minutes' drive away from the main street.
Car parking (either free or low cost) is available at or near all campus locations. You can learn more about parking, and other options for travelling to and from our campus locations, here.
Te Whare Manaaki o nga Tamariki
This Ara-operated Early Learning Centre is available to all employees and has an excellent reputation for high quality care. All employees working in the centre have an early childhood education qualification and places are highly sought after.
Te Waka Huruhurumanu ki Ōtautahi
This is a bilingual Early Learning Centre for children from six months to five years. The centre offers high quality care and education with emphasis on using Te Reo Māori. Although not operated by Ara, it is on the City campus and is available to employees and students.
The Ara library has a wide range of publications, resources and Learning Services available to employees.