The new entity, created in May, brings together the South Seas Film and Television School, Animation College, Design and Arts (Canterbury), AMES – The Institute of IT, and the Yoobee School of Design under a single brand name.

“I’m seeing real growth in animation and a lot of the technology side”

“As one brand we can strengthen relationships, and enable greater pathway options for students and stronger educational outcomes,” explained Yoobee Colleges chief executive Ana Maria Rivera.

“We have some of the best creative educators in New Zealand on board for the joint purpose of training the country’s top creatives and IT professionals, and getting them into rewarding careers.”

Speaking with The PIE News, Rivera said Yoobee was chosen as the new provider’s new name as it was the biggest of the five schools and the strongest brand name, adding a single name also helped articulate pathways to students better.

“We always felt that with the rebrand, it gives us a bit more brand recognition in the market,” she said.

“It’s a bigger, stronger brand and it can still have its own speciality, but if we just refer to ourselves as one name, it’s a lot clearer than five different schools.”

Currently hosting 1,800 international and domestic students, Rivera said there was steady demand from overseas students wanting to study creative industries in New Zealand.

“I’m seeing real growth in animation in particular and a lot of the technology side,” she said.

“As… larger productions are moving to New Zealand, I’ve started to see a lot of the demand from our international students is coming into these particular schools.”

In early 2018, Education New Zealand co-funded the feature film Mortal Engines to promote creative industries to prospective international students.