Polytechnic communications director Mike Waddell made that comment yesterday.
More than 350 people graduated from the polytechnic in person and about 650 others in absentia, in a ceremony at the Dunedin Town Hall at 3pm.
Mr Waddell said the graduation itself was strongly beneficial for Dunedin economically, and was an ''excellent'' experience for graduates and their many out-of-town parents and relatives.
He noted that the polytechnic was projecting a student roll growth this year of nearly 7% - up to 4561 equivalent full-time students this year, from last year's final tally of 4269 Efts.
The polytechnic was celebrating its 50th anniversary next year and was gaining growing recognition for its importance in the city, he said.
Rising numbers of students throughout the country were studying through distance-taught programmes from the polytechnic.
Also contributing to overall student roll growth was the polytechnic's ''assessment of prior learning'' approach, undertaken through Capable NZ.
This approach recognised the vocational skills students had already gained in the workplace.
The ''transformational learning'' offered by the polytechnic was clearly ''making a difference to people's lives'', helping people to find productive work, and strengthening city businesses through their skills, he said.
Sophie Barker, a business development adviser at Enterprise Dunedin, said the latest graduation had boosted the city economy through spending on accommodation and hospitality.
Out-of-town polytechnic graduates also became valuable ambassadors for the city when they moved to other places, she said.