Otago Polytechnic and the University of Otago College of Education joined forces last year in a project called Capable Teachers, designed to inspire career changes into technology teaching.
Project leader Don Lawson said there was a "perceived need" for more qualified technology teachers in New Zealand schools.
The project would enable those already working in the industry to gain a qualification, or allow those with satisfactory industry experience to have accelerated entry into teaching by, potentially, completing a degree and teaching diploma in two years instead of four.
The project received funding from the Dunedin City Council economic development unit and it was hoped it would turn the city into a "centre of technology excellence", Mr Lawson said.
After a campaign last year, about 20 people are seeking enrolment in the third year of the newly approved culinary arts degree.
Those entering this degree are undergoing an interview and profiling process and will descend on Dunedin from all over New Zealand for the first block course at the end of next month.
"It's going to be really super exciting to have these chefs coming to Dunedin," Mr Lawson said.
Many of them were executive and senior chefs who would remain in their present jobs, completing the course through correspondence and attending block courses during the year.
While some of those chefs were simply looking to gain an official qualification, others were driven to become teachers.
"In mid-life, chefs can get totally burnt out and many of those people still have a huge passion for food and can see, through teaching, a pathway to share that passion," Mr Lawson said.
A further 12 people had been creating portfolios to gain entry into the third year of bachelor of design courses, both product and fashion.
Enrolment numbers for both courses would be confirmed in a couple of weeks, Mr Lawson said.
