Part I Assistance Centre

The Faculty employs current, high-achieving Part II and III students to provide free academic assistance and tutoring to Part I students on a drop-in basis, covering all Part I courses during Semester One and Semester Two.

The Part I Assistance Centre will operate in-person teaching at the Leech Study Area in Level 3, Building 401 of the Faculty of Engineering. Students will be regularly advised via email about the current mode of operation.

For Semester One and Semester Two, our opening hours (excluding breaks and public holidays) are:

  • Sessions hosted at the Leech Study Area - Monday to Friday, 2-5pm (starting second week of semester, during teaching weeks only)

Our mentors

Part I Assistance Centre mentors
Part I Assistance Centre mentors.

Our cohort of mentors are happy to help you. They receive training and maintain close contact with course coordinators for all Part I courses throughout the semester. They will have resources on hand, including copies of course books, to help you with any of your queries.

We encourage you to take advantage of this service whether you're struggling or not - after all, they can just as easily help you turn that ‘B’ into an ‘A+’ as they can help you with a pass when you risk a fail. While we can’t help you with your actual assignments, we can guide you through similar example problems in your course handbooks.

The mentors are also happy to speak with you about your choice of specialisation for Part II. They can offer insights into what their own specialisation involves, why they chose it and what’s good about it.

Becoming a mentor

Part I Assistance peer mentors provide academic support to our Part I students. We look to our most academically able students - with a GPA of 6.0 or above - to help support other Engineering students in their transition to university life.

All current Part II and III students are welcome to apply. However, those in specialisations related to Part I first semester papers may be favoured.

Semester One 2024

  • ENGGEN 121 Engineering Mechanics
  • ENGGEN 140 Fundamentals of Engineering in Society.
  • ENGSCI 111 Mathematical Modelling 1
  • ENGGEN 115 Principles of Engineering Design

Semester Two 2024

  • CHEMMAT 121 Materials Science
  • ELECTENG 101 Electrical and Digital Systems
  • ENGGEN 131 Engineering Computation and Software Development
  • ENGGEN 115 Principles of Engineering Design

In recognition of the contribution peer mentors make, the Faculty and Department provides the following support to ensure your experience as a Part I Mentor is as positive as possible:

  • Training
  • Close collaboration with members of the Part I Course teams
  • Payment for the hours spent as a Part I Mentor (with a rate of $25 per hour)

Appointment is not guaranteed, as applications for the role of Part I Mentors usually exceed the number of shifts available. Appointments are made on a semester-by-semester basis and based on a combination of your application, availability and agreement to the following conditions:

  • Availability for and attendance at Part I Mentor training and paid feedback sessions
  • Availability for a minimum of a single two-hour shift per week
  • Commitment to completing a brief online summary of mentoring activity after the end of each shift on Ed Discussion
  • Commitment to maintaining accurate records of all assistance provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of Part I Assistance Centre
  • Commitment to help promote the services of the Part I Assistance Centre through brief presentations to first-year students
  • Commitment to wearing branded clothing during your shifts to help promote the visibility of the Part I Assistance Centre service

Previous experience in mentoring in groups such as Uniguides, STEPS, SPIES or HKESA, or tutoring for private organisation, is essential.

If you’re interested in becoming a Peer Mentor or would like more information, get in touch with Student Support Adviser, Lil Atalili lil.atalili@auckland.ac.nz