I am an experienced vocational education manager with a background in design and photography and a passion for technology and education.
I have experience developing programmes of study to meet the requirements of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. Including building curriculum, assessment design and creating delivery resources.
My roles have often had me facilitating the integration of new programmes, qualifications, systems and processes.
I’m adaptable and capable across a range of design and education portfolios.
I’m an avid foodie, as my Instagram might suggest. I love making things and learning about new technologies.
I’ve worked with Arduino micro-controllers and experimented with home automation. I’ve built my own sous vide machine, and I’m a semi-regular beer brewer.
Key Capabilities
- Learning design
- Staff management
- performance and development
- SMART goals
- Programme development
- Pastoral Care
- Lesson planning
- Learning management systems.
Design for print and digital production
- Adobe Creative Suite (software)
- Layout design
- Typography
- Pre-Press
- printing techniques
- Photography & Videography
- HTML & CSS
- Video editing (Davinci Resolve).
IT and other technology
- Apple Mac and PC maintenance
- Networking
- Deployment
- Live streaming.
Current experience
Up Education – Eddy (2 years) Learning Designer
Previous experience at Yoobee Colleges
Jan 2016–Present (4 years 6 months+) Head of Faculty – Design, Web & ICT
Facilitating and coordinating the delivery of our Creative, Web, Graphics, User Experience, and ICT based programmes – while attending to the pastoral care needs of up to 200 students within the faculty.
Scheduling the learning hours for up to 12 full-time courses and managing the performance, development, and delivery hours for 13 team members.
Continued engagement with NZQA in relation to qualification review of Digital Media and Creative Arts.
Successfully transitioned the faculty to an online delivery model during the 2020 Covid-19 lock-down period.
Contributing to the External Evaluation Review (EER) process to maintain Yoobee’s category one status.
Mar 2014–Apr 2016 (2 years 2 months) National Programme Manager – Graphic Design
Primarily responsible for maintaining the quality, consistency and industry relevance of programmes we delivered by exercising curriculum leadership. I contributed to the development of programme documentation and learning resources for Yoobee’s first post-TRoQ qualifications. Developing learning outcomes and assessments to meet the requirements of the newly developed NZQA qualifications.
I was an active member of the TRoQ working group for Digital Media and Creative Arts, helping create the level 4 to 6 qualifications.
Contributing to the evaluation process to maintain Yoobee’s category one status.
Sep 2012–Mar 2014 (1 year 7 months) Head of Department – Graphic Design
Working with the National Programme Manager to maintain the quality and consistency of programme delivery. Providing leadership to tutoring staff and guidance for students while delivering the full-time level 6 diploma in Graphic Design.
Feb 2010–Sep 2012 (2 years 8 months) Tutor – Graphic Design
Responsible for the delivery of Yoobee’s 41-week full-time Graphic Design Diploma. Lesson planning and delivery resources development.
Other experience
Overnightpost – Digital production manager Nov 2008–Feb 2010 (1 year 4 months)
Professional photo post-processing. Retouching and composition work for local and international clients.
Natcoll Design Technology (now Yoobee Colleges) – Tutor – Graphic Design, IT Technician Mar 2005–Nov 2008 (3 years 9 months)
Responsible for the delivery of Natcoll’s 41-week full-time Graphic Design Diploma.
Lesson planning and delivery resources development.
Hardware maintenance, network management, deployment and general troubleshooting for over 150 Apple Macs and PC using on an Active Directory domain controller.
Education
2022 Open Polytechnic
New Zealand Certificate in Education Technology (Advanced Practitioner) (Level 6)
2013 Tai Poutini Polytechnic
Certificate in Adult Education and Training, Adult and Continuing Education and Teaching (level 4)
2003 Natcoll Design Technology
Diploma in Computer Graphic Design (level 6)
1995–1999 Motueka High School
testimonials
Chester is a great manager who really understands how to get the best out of his team. I worked under Chester for 3 years at Yoobee Colleges and he really helped me grow as a developer and an educator. He is innovative, organised as well as helpful and is always open to ideas. I had a great time working under Chester and would highly recommend him as a manager.
– Richard
I was interviewed & supervised by Chester as a Tutor - Web & UX in the Faculty of Design, Web & ICT while he was the head of the faculty.
Chester's leadership was professional. He was an able administrator who facilitated smooth delivery of content in the classroom, and addressed the concerns of students and tutors.
He always showed interest in the instructional design of the content. He took the feedback of students carefully and worked on the way, assessments were designed. There is no doubt, he would be a best learning designer. I wish him all the best in his current position.
– Beula