What NZMA does

NZMA (legal entity: New Zealand Management Academies Ltd) is a New Zealand Private Training Establishment registered with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (provider #8661), operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Up Education Limited, the largest private tertiary network in New Zealand and Australia. The company delivers vocational and applied education across at least eight verticals — trades, hospitality, cookery and baking, health, pharmacy technician, early childhood education, sport and fitness, business, animal care, and police preparation — through certificates and diplomas spanning NZQCF Levels 2 to 6. It runs more than 20 physical campuses concentrated in Auckland, Wellington, Hamilton, Christchurch, and Hastings, supplemented by an LBT (Learn by Training) satellite network in regional centres and a fully online campus. Sub-brands The Culinary Collective and New Zealand Institute of Sport (NZIS) extend NZMA's reach into culinary and sport/fitness niches, while partner-school affiliations (Yoobee, NZ School of Tourism, Elite Beauty, Cut Above Academy, Healthcare Academy NZ) operate within the wider Up Education group.

The core technology is a web-based learning management and enrolment platform supporting blended and fully online programmes, with domestic students using mainstream SaaS tools (MYOB, Xero, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace) and international students applying through UP Education's dedicated enroller.app portal. NZMA holds a Category 1 NZQA External Evaluation and Review rating from 2022 — the highest tier under that now-discontinued framework — and operates under the NZQA student fee protection regime.

NZMA's revenue is generated primarily through tuition fees, with a structurally bifurcated model: domestic students aged 16–24 typically study free under Fees Free or Youth Guarantee schemes, while international students pay full tuition (NZD 22,000–23,100 for cookery and pharmacy programmes). Ancillary revenue comes from STAR & Gateway secondary-school short courses priced per participant (NZD 180–500) and from employer recruitment services that funnel graduates into placements with named partners including ANZ, Stamford Plaza, Eden Park Catering, Jetts Fitness, City Fitness, and pharmacy employer networks. No financial results, headcount data beyond a 251–500 band, or external funding rounds are publicly disclosed.

Name

NZMA

Legal name

New Zealand Management Academies Ltd

Website

https://nzma.ac.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

NZMA is a New Zealand Private Training Establishment and subsidiary of Up Education Limited, delivering vocational certificates and diplomas across trades, hospitality, health, pharmacy, education, sport, and business at 20+ campuses and via online delivery to domestic and international students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Education and Training

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Assessment, Certification & Qualifications Frameworks (BPADAKAL)

Keywords

• Vocational education training
• Hospitality training programmes
• Construction trades training
• Pharmacy technician courses
• Early childhood education

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices18 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Domestic Student Tuition: NZMA charges tuition fees to domestic (New Zealand) students for its vocational programmes. Some courses are eligible for government-funded Fees Free or Youth Guarantee schemes, making them free for qualifying students (aged 16–24). Student loans and allowances are available through StudyLink. Fees vary significantly by programme and delivery mode (on-campus vs. online).
2. International Student Tuition: International students pay full tuition fees for NZMA programmes. Indicative international tuition for the Diploma in Cookery Advanced Level 5 is NZD $22,000 per year (plus resource/admin fees of $2,400). For the Pharmacy Technician Level 5, international tuition is $23,100. These are higher than domestic rates.
3. Student Services Levy: In addition to tuition fees, students pay a student services levy (ranging from $100–$460 depending on the programme) to cover administrative and support services.
4. STAR & Gateway Short Courses: Short courses and block courses are offered to secondary school students via the STAR and Gateway programmes. These are charged at per-person rates (e.g., $180–$500 per participant + GST for hospitality short courses; $400 per participant for health and trades block courses).
5. Recruitment Services to Employers: NZMA offers to pre-screen, select and interview candidates on behalf of employers seeking work-ready staff. Employers benefit from a pipeline of skilled graduates while NZMA facilitates placement, creating potential indirect revenue through industry partnerships and funded placements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

NZMA is a Private Training Establishment registered with NZQA that delivers vocational certificate and diploma programmes (Levels 2–6) across trades (carpentry, electrical, plumbing, painting, construction management), hospitality (cookery, baking, hospitality management, barista training), health (pharmacy technician, nursing preparation, disability support, mental health, community health), education (early childhood education), sport and fitness (personal training, sport recreation, human performance), business (administration, small business, leadership), and ancillary streams (animal care, agriculture, police preparation). Programmes are offered on-campus across 20+ New Zealand campuses plus online, with multiple intakes per year, and include STAR & Gateway secondary-school short courses.

Product overview

NZMA is a multi-campus vocational education provider offering a portfolio of certificate and diploma programmes across trades (carpentry, electrical, plumbing, painting), hospitality (cookery, baking, hospitality management), health (nursing preparation, pharmacy, disability support, mental health), education (early childhood education, diverse learners), sport and fitness (personal training, sport recreation), business (administration, small business, leadership), animal care, and police preparation. The core NZMA brand delivers most programmes, while affiliated sub-brands New Zealand Institute of Sport handles sport and fitness offerings, The Culinary Collective manages cookery and baking, and Yoobee College covers creative programmes. STAR & Gateway enables secondary school access, the Online Campus provides flexible remote study, and integrated careers services support graduate employment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NZ Institute of Sport: Sports and fitness school under NZMA group
• The Culinary Collective
• Yoobee College of Creative Innovation
• NZ School of Tourism
• Elite Beauty
• Cut Above Academy
• Healthcare Academy NZ

Products and services

• NZMA Vocational Education Programmes (New Zealand Management Academies) A portfolio of NZQA-registered certificate and diploma programmes (Levels 2-6) across trades (carpentry, electrical, plumbing, painting, construction management, quantity surveying), hospitality (cookery, baking, hospitality management), health (nursing preparation, pharmacy technician, disability support, mental health and addiction, social and community health), education (early childhood education), sport and fitness (personal training, sport recreation, human performance), business (business administration, small business essentials, leading workplace teams), animal care, agriculture/horticulture, and police preparation. Delivered on-campus across 20+ New Zealand locations and via the online campus, with multiple intakes per year.
• New Zealand Institute of Sport (NZIS) NZMA's sport and fitness school brand delivering programmes in personal training, sport, recreation, exercise, human performance, police preparation, and Advanced Health and Fitness Coach Level 5. Offers pathways and employer partnerships including Jetts Fitness, City Fitness, Club Med and US resorts (e.g., Big Cedar Resort).
• The Culinary Collective NZMA's cooking and baking school delivering Certificate in Cookery Level 4, Certificate in Baking Level 4, and Diploma in Cookery Advanced Level 5 programmes, with internship opportunities in commercial kitchens.
• STAR & Gateway Secondary School Courses Government-funded taster and block courses (e.g., Espresso Yourself 3-day barista $180 PP + GST; Budding Barista 10-week block course $500 PP + GST; Latte Legend; Health block courses $400 PP + GST; Trades block courses $400 PP + GST; Early Childhood Education The Power of Play 4-day $220 PP + GST) offered to secondary school students through STAR and Gateway programmes.
• Online Campus Programmes Fully online delivery mode for select programmes across business (Certificate in Business Administration Level 3, Small Business Essentials Level 4, Leading Workplace Teams Level 4), horticulture (Certificate in Horticulture Level 3, Horticulture Landscape Design Level 3), pharmacy (Certificate in Pharmacy Technician Level 5 online), and Health & Fitness Personal Trainer Level 4, using a purpose-built e-learning platform.
• Careers Service (Careers Navigators) Careers navigation service supporting students with CV refinement, interview preparation, employer introductions, internship placement, and graduate job placement across NZMA's employer network including ANZ, Stamford Plaza, Eden Park Catering, pharmacy employer networks, Jetts Fitness, and City Fitness.
• Fees Free / Youth Guarantee Programmes Government-funded programmes offered free to eligible domestic students, including Fees Free (first-year tuition) and Youth Guarantee (free vocational courses for 16-24 year olds, covering Hospitality Foundation Skills, Sport Foundation Skills, Police Preparation Level 3, Health and Wellbeing Introduction Level 3).
• International Student Programmes Full-fee international student programmes delivered in cookery (Diploma in Cookery Advanced Level 5 — NZD $22,000 + NZD $2,400 admin/fee), pharmacy (Certificate in Pharmacy Technician Level 5 — NZD $23,100), and health (Health and Wellbeing Introduction Level 3 — NZD $9,975 + NZD $1,400 admin), with enrolment handled through UP Education international centres and the enroller.app/up-education portal.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates eligible for further study at universities including University of Canterbury, Manukau Institute of Technology, University of Waikato, and Ara Institute of Canterbury (for Sport & Human Performance pathway)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UP Education LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUP Education Limited is the parent company of NZMA. NZMA is described as 'an Up Education Limited company'. UP Education operates the largest network of private colleges in New Zealand and Australia, including Charles Darwin University International College, Colab, International College of Hotel Management, NZ Tertiary College, Swinburne Open Australia, UP Education, UPIC Auckland University of Technology, UPIC Victoria University of Wellington, University of Auckland International College, and University of Tasmania International Pathway College. UP Education provides shared infrastructure, marketing, international student recruitment channels, and governance for NZMA.
• The Culinary CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Culinary Collective is one of NZMA's trading names and is described as NZMA's 'cooking and baking school'. It is the brand under which all cookery, baking, and hospitality programmes are delivered. The Culinary Collective positions itself as 'New Zealand's culinary school'.
• New Zealand Institute of Sport (NZIS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNZIS (New Zealand Institute of Sport) is one of NZMA's trading names and is described as NZMA's 'Sport & Fitness School'. It is the brand under which sport, recreation, personal training, police preparation, and related programmes are delivered.
• Jetts FitnessminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNZMA has a partnership with Jetts Fitness Centres (over 50 locations across Aotearoa New Zealand) to provide Health & Fitness Personal Trainer Level 4 students with a free gym membership during their programme — 4 months for on-campus students and 6 months for online students.
• City FitnessminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNZMA has a partnership with City Fitness to provide Health & Fitness Personal Trainer Level 4 students with exclusive industry insights and a guaranteed interview (subject to job availability) at City Fitness gyms.
• Pharmacy Employer NetworkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNZMA has pharmacy employer partnerships providing Pharmacy Technician Level 3 and Level 5 students with guaranteed interviews (subject to job availability) with pharmacy employers. Students may be recruited as part-time employees while continuing their studies, providing real-world experience and industry exposure.
• ANZ BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerANZ bank is a notable employer partner of NZMA. ANZ has hired NZMA graduates from business, hospitality, and retail programmes, and provides testimonial endorsements of NZMA's quality of graduates.
• Stamford PlazaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerStamford Plaza hotel (a major Auckland hotel) has hired NZMA hospitality graduates and provides testimonial endorsements of NZMA's programmes.
• Eden Park CateringminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEden Park Catering (the catering operator of Eden Park stadium in Auckland) has an ongoing relationship with NZMA, hiring hospitality students each year and noting the quality and standard of students engaged.
• Club Med and USA Resorts (Big Cedar Resort, Missouri)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNZMA (through NZIS) offers Advanced Health and Fitness Coach Level 5 students the opportunity to explore exclusive career opportunities with Club Med and resorts in the USA, including Big Cedar Resort in Missouri.
• NZQA (New Zealand Qualifications Authority)coreOthersNZMA is a registered Private Training Establishment (PTE) with NZQA (provider number 8661). NZMA operates under NZQA's regulatory framework, including the student fee protection policy, Code of Practice, and quality assurance requirements. NZMA received Category 1 in the NZQA External Evaluation and Review (EER) system in 2022.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology: Bay of Plenty/Waikato-region polytechnic offering vocational programs in trades, hospitality, sport, health and business to domestic and international students. Comparable scope, regulatory framework and target segments.
• Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT): Large South Auckland polytechnic offering vocational programs in trades, hospitality, health, early childhood and business. Directly competes for the same South Auckland student demographic that NZMA's Manukau campus serves.
• Skills Group: NZ private training establishment focused on industry/trades training (construction, mechanical, manufacturing). Comparable in private PTE model, NZQA-regulated qualifications, and trades-focused delivery.
• Swinburne Open Australia: Sister Up Education institution delivering online and pathway programs from Australia to international and domestic students. Comparable online delivery model, NZQA-equivalent regulatory setting, and Up Education shared services.
• International College of Hotel Management (ICHM): Sister institution under Up Education delivering hospitality, hotel and culinary management programs across NZ and Australia. Comparable in scale, regulatory framework, target segments (international and domestic students), and culinary/hospitality focus.
• Ara Institute of Canterbury: Canterbury-region public polytechnic delivering vocational and applied learning across hospitality, trades, health, sport and business. Comparable scope and qualification levels to NZMA's Christchurch campus portfolio.
• Yoobee College of Creative Innovation: Sister Up Education brand delivering NZQA-registered vocational programs in creative and digital fields. Shares the same NZQA PTE registration framework, government-funded scheme access, and multi-campus private provider model as NZMA.
• Wintec (Waikato Institute of Technology): NZ's Waikato-region public polytechnic delivering vocational certificates and diplomas across trades, hospitality, health, sport and business. Comparable in program mix, NZQA qualification framework and target student segments, though publicly funded.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/studynzma
• YouTubeyoutube.com/studynzma
• Facebookfacebook.com/studynzma
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nzma
• Instagraminstagram.com/studynzma

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NZMA