A hairdressing and beauty therapy tutor has been named as one of New Zealand's top 10 tertiary teachers.
Julia Bruce, of the Centre for Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy at Waikato Institute of Technology, received $20,000 in the Tertiary Teaching Excellence Awards, announced on Wednesday night.
This year's awards have gone to teachers in fields as varied as psychology, computer science and catering.
The Centre for Tertiary Teaching Excellence, which organised the awards, says New Zealand needs a spectrum of skills and academic attainment and the awards recognise inspirational teachers at whatever level they are involved in.
The centre's director, Peter Coolbear, says it is a sign of the times that a hairdressing and beauty therapy tutor is ranked alongside university lecturers.
He says the teaching of trades, professions and high academic levels should be valued equally.
Common characteristics among recipients included enthusiasm and caring about student achievement. Mr Coolbear says the 10 teachers were rewarded for their hard work, inspiration and commitment to students.
The Prime Minister's Supreme Award of $30,000 went to Dr Lisa Emerson, from the School of English and Media Studies at Massey University.
