A New Zealand Herald Commercial Publication
Thursday, November 19, 2015
education + careers
Decision time Parents and teens career tussle
Summer slaves
The holidays students don’t post on Instagram
Scholarship shopping
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nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Thursday, November 19, 2015
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INSIDE ec2 4
6-7
My school failure made me a better leader
Summer slaves Ant poisoning, mindless jobs, summer school — Julie Cleaver says spare a thought for hard-working students this summer because they probably won’t post about it on Instagram
8-9
Failure and rejection can be valuable learning experiences, writes Alex Malley
10 Decision time
Some teens know exactly what they want to do with their lives. For others, it can be difficult to decide which career path to follow, writes Louise Richardson
Shopping for scholarships A multitude of scholarships are available for tertiary students, but you’ve got to be in to win, writes Diana Clement
The next ec2 will be published on February 25, 2016 Advertising inquiries james.stafford@nzme.co.nz Editor Gregory Fleming gregory.fleming@nzme.co.nz Cover photo Ted Baghurst Contributing writers Julie Cleaver, Alex Malley, Louise Richardson, Diana Clement ec2 is a New Zealand Herald Custom Publication
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nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Thursday, November 19, 2015
The reality of the summer holidays for students is not often reflected on students’ Instagram posts. Picture Getty
Summer slaves Ant poisoning, mindless jobs, summer school — Julie Cleaver says spare a thought for hardworking students this summer because they probably won’t post about it on Instagram
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have no research to back this up, but I’m pretty sure summer is the most loved season by everyone — especially students. We have more than just a twoweek Christmas holiday to look forward to. University students get four months of summer vacation, and the dream of endless sandy toes and sunny days gets us through the year. For us, summer is the light at the end of the tunnel, the red tape at the end of the race, the shiny trophy at the end of the Rugby World Cup. Yet for many, it’s a massive letdown because, instead of jandals and nostalgic smelling sunscreen, many students have to find whatever work they can and slave their summers away. For students who live away from home and are too busy studying to work during the year, summer is the only time to make money. Everyone knows going to uni is expensive and summer gives people months to save for mandatory costs such as rent, food, textbooks, booze, caffeine, and other student necessities. But even if people know they
have to work all summer, it’s still a huge let-down, especially when you can’t find work and end up with a terrible odd job. For example, last year a bunch of my friends went out to the bush and spent their summer trying to wipe out unwanted ants. For eight hours a day they walked three metres, bent down to squirt out some poison, then did it again, and again, and again. Although they earned enough money to buy months’ worth of cereal and potatoes, their summer of ant baiting sounded more gruellingly repetitive than a Katy Perry song, so I’m glad I didn’t have to join them. I spent my summer dyeing — dyeing tie-dyed T-shirts, that is, then selling them at markets. Through this rather quirky experience I got to meet hundreds of new people, travel around the entire country, and attend events I never knew existed. Even though the money was inconsistent, it was still a ‘totally radical’ way to work and enjoy summer at the same time. Although a traditional retail job would have provided a more stable
income, I do not envy those who were stuck in malls all summer. Working in a stuffy, fluorescently lit, overcrowded environment full of crazy Christmas shoppers is probably lower on my list than ant baiting. One of my friends said working in retail was so bad, he continually checked social media during his long shifts as a form of escapism. Unfortunately, his idea backfired, as scrolling through endless pictures of sunset beaches and fruity cocktails just made him feel worse. What my friend was experiencing is a common phenomenon I like to call “holiday envy”. Although holiday envy has likely existed for an extremely long time, social media has taken it to a whole new level. Now the highlights of every person’s summer are right in front of our eyes 24/7, and no matter how cool your summer is, it can never compare to the highly constructed and edited photos on social media. Heck, even my own summer seems lame compared to how awesome my photos made it appear. So to avoid getting driven completely mad with holiday envy, let
me remind you that not everyone is out there having fun in the sun. Some students have to brave the unthinkable and endure months of, dare I say, summer school. Studying and sunshine are two words that should not be in the same sentence — unless it is the one I just wrote — which is why summer school is a concept that shouldn’t. I understand if someone failed a paper and absolutely has to catch up over the break. But for those who for some reason want to study in summer, I will never understand you. I guess not everyone gets their dream summer. Some students have to work instead of travel or study instead of surf — it’s the cold reality of people’s sunny desires. However, some lucky beach bums have summer holidays filled with adventure and gold-tinted selfies. If you happen to be a part of the latter category, try not to rub it in all the ant-baiting, tie-dying, retail working people’s faces. But feel free to rub it in the faces of those who choose to do summer school. They deserve it.
Although they earned enough money to buy months’ worth of cereal and potatoes, their summer of ant baiting sounded more gruellingly repetitive than a Katy Perry song
■ Julie Cleaver is an AUT journalism student.
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nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Thursday, November 19, 2015
My school failure made me a better leader Failure and rejection can be valuable learning experiences, writes Alex Malley
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uring my final year of school I was suspended. The crime: sneaking out of school grounds at lunchtime to meet a girl in the city. No sooner had I returned to class than I was summoned to the headmaster’s office and handed the suspension letter. For the second time that day I left school, only this time I was reeling with sickening panic. Although I’d never been the best behaved student — my report cards were typically littered with references to “disruptive behaviour” — being suspended had catapulted me to a whole other level. And I was in my final year, exams weren’t far away — the consequences of my errant behaviour couldn’t have peaked at a worse possible time. My world had ended, I was sure of it. It was midway through my weeklong exile that the nagging feelings of despair took an unexpected turn. Sitting in the public library (where I hid every day, having not confessed my monumental sin to my Dad) for reasons I didn’t understand at the time, I was struck by a wave of inspiration. I grabbed a pen and paper and wrote a pledge to myself: I would become a teacher and lead a class that students wanted to attend. I kept that note and, at the height of my career as a university educator some years later, proudly attached it to a national teaching award submission, which I subsequently won. I speak to people all over the world about that story because, with the benefit of age and experience, I now understand why I made that promise to myself at the tender
age of 17. Being suspended was indicative of how a negative experience can stimulate enlightenment. It can reveal the best way forward and motivate you towards it. Moments of adversity, failure, rejection, they force you to think differently about yourself. They disrupt your usual outlook, which is often healthy and, as it was in my case, even necessary. Today when I am confronted by undesirable situations and, trust me, as the leader of a multinational business this is hardly unusual, I tackle them with a clear, positive focus because I know that they are an opportunity to recalibrate. They’re certainly not to be feared or embarrassed by. Failure, adversity, rejection: the depth and duration of their blow to your confidence is up to you. This is true no matter your station in life. At school, university or in the workplace, time and again I see people “kicking stones” or blaming others when something doesn’t turn out the way they wanted it to. They dwell on the negatives, become resentful, let it permanently collar their self-belief. This is so unfortunate because failures are just bumps in the long road of life: their design is to unsettle your progress momentarily, not indefinitely — unless you let them. I remind myself and others of that every time we’re confronted by an undesirable situation. A lot of it comes down to the level of expectation you have of yourself. We all want things to go right, we all want to avoid disappointment, which naturally makes falling short difficult to accept. While setting high expectations of oneself is a great personal
Alex Malley: chief executive of CPA Australia and author of the bestselling book, The Naked CEO
motivator, ensure you’re not trying to reach the unattainable. This is a common issue I see in young people who, out of eagerness to impress their colleagues and advance their careers as quickly as possible, commit to more than they can handle and miss their mark as a consequence. Embrace ambition, but ensure it’s not of the blind variety. Consider and set realistic goals for yourself. Hasten slowly, carefully — this will minimise the chances of any self-induced letdown. It’s the moments of strife that provide the purest insight into the character of the people working with me. I’ll either see the best or worst in an individual. I constantly look for and appreci-
ate the staff member who can maintain a cool head. This comes naturally to some, it takes a lot to faze them; whereas others develop a thicker skin over time. Either way, I can’t emphasise enough how much value leaders place on someone who can address a difficult issue with a composed, solution-guided focus. If I had to rank that on the employee value scale, it would certainly occupy a top spot. One thing you can count on in life is that irrespective of the effort you put in, things aren’t always going to eventuate the way you hoped. If you can find a way of accepting that inevitability then when issues arise, you’ll be grounded by a far more advantageous mindset — you’ll know it’s just one of those times where your fortitude will be tested. Make that attitude your default setting and over time you will likely find problems much easier to overcome. I know I did. And that attitude can be infectious. People will often emulate it: a cornerstone of inspirational leadership. The earlier you start developing and prioritising that approach, the better leader you will ultimately become. I challenge you to never let adversity, failure or rejection anchor your progress in life. Grasp them, squeeze every lesson you can out of them and apply them to navigate toward future success. As a suspended schoolboy who went on to become a disruptive chief executive, author and television host, I believe negative experiences can be your best compass in life.
A negative experience can stimulate enlightenment; it can reveal the best way forward and motivate you towards it
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nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Thursday, November 19, 2015
Decision time
Some teens know exactly what they want to do with their lives. For others, it can be difficult to decide which career path to follow, writes Louise Richardson School leaver William Cowie (17) isn’t sure what he wants to do as a career, despite advice from his mother (writer Louise Richardson).
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The important thing is to be adaptable and sell yourself well.
Peter Richardson, William’s grandfather
“I thought that with law I should be safe but sometimes I do wonder if I’m doing the right thing.” Isaac’s determined to be philosophical, though. “If you listened to all that doom and gloom stuff, you’d never get anywhere,” he says firmly. Josh, meanwhile, wants to get into media studies. He’s worked out that if he can find a way to make money on digital advertising platforms he’ll be the most popular man in town. “And at least it’s an industry that will never be boring.” Cam’s the most organised. He knows exactly what he’s going to be doing, starting with a three-year performing arts degree at Manukau Institute of Technology, then a twoyear teaching course, paying his way by working as a barista.
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nd as for William? Well, he’s still not sure. Like thousands of other teenage boys, he’d love gaming to be a paid occupation, but accepts this probably won’t happen. He can find his way around a computer reasonably well and I often see him multi-tasking on several devices at once. We’ve decided to explore this possibility a bit further so we’re back at the careers office at MAGS where Kubi Witten-Hannah is a mine of information. “I started off as a truck driver before I got into teaching, and eventually settled on the careers field,” he says. “You can never have too many skills.” He sees the IT profession as a good bet in a changing world. “Your cellphone today probably has more power than the com-
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round the country this month, as final NCEA Year 13 exams take place, parents are asking where the years have gone and wondering how that adorable excited fiveyear-old, setting off to school for the first time, has managed to become a big, sometimes grumpy, but still loveable teen. That’s the case for us as our firstborn, William, finishes his year at Albert Grammar School. He’s had the benefit of an excellent education, a disciplinary framework and talented teachers. He was never a great sportsman or a joiner of clubs and his favourite pastime is computer gaming; but by and large his school experience has been positive. Now, there’s a big question hanging in the air. “What are you going to do with your life, William?” We asked quietly at first, but now that the leavers’ assembly has almost been and gone it’s getting more urgent. Some of his friends have firm plans. Isaac’s going to train in hospitality. He is keen to travel and figures that bartending will always be a useful skill. “I just hope they don’t introduce alcohol vending machines into pubs,” he says. His long-term dream involves being an actor. “But I think I’ll be a better one when I’ve lived a little.” Luke’s the brainy member of the gang, they all say. He’s hoping to get into Auckland University to study law. Naturally he, too, has heard talk about technology taking the place of people in the workforce.
get a part-time job to supplement our contributions.
You can never have too many skills. Kubi Witten-Hannah, Mt Albert Grammar School careers officer
puters they used to send men to the moon. “If you can keep up with technology, the possibilities are endless.” A few months ago Kubi had suggested Techtorium, an IT and computer training institute in Newmarket as a possible starting point. So William and his father David — an IT professional — have checked it out. David liked what he saw. “Yes, it’s very well-regarded,” Kubi says. “My own son went there and he’s now working for Apple in California.” “What did you think of it?” he asks William. “It looks good,” our son replies, with genuine interest. “William and I have had a few chats and I think he wants some time out from study. “The course there is hands-on so it might make a nice change for him,” Kubi explains to us.
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“At the end of the day, nothing you do in the IT area will ever be wasted.” There’s another idea that William has been considering though. It involves attending Auckland University and studying sociology, criminology, psychology and other related subjects for a BA, with a view to helping teens who are addicted to gaming. “I’d understand exactly how they feel,” he says. “But I just need a bit of a break first.” So, at the moment we look set for him to have a year at The Techtorium. Then, depending on his NCEA marks, for which he is relying on his final exams, a BA might be possible. As parents, we’re keen to ensure he doesn’t need a big student loan. We figure that his generation have little enough hope of owning their own homes without incurring debt at this early stage. Of course we’re hoping he might
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y father, Peter Richardson, has been a valuable source of advice. He started out doing an electrical apprenticeship in the late 1950s in Invercargill, then spent many years travelling the world. As a young Kiwi in London he was prepared to do anything. He swears he was the only bearded tea lady pushing the refreshment trolley at a London City bank and at night he was the projectionist in a Trafalgar Square cinema. He spent time as a courier, riding the Tube carrying large, importantlooking envelopes to swanky Mayfair addresses, and worked for a while in the Singer sewing machine warehouse, packaging parts. “Never too fussy, never too proud,” he says. Back home, he joined the public service and ran a provincial office of the New Zealand Employment Service for many years. “They say people will do any number of different jobs in their lifetime as if it’s something new, but that’s often been the way,” he says. At 75, he’s still in the workforce and, ironically, now involved in the aged care sector through the local DHB. On the side, he’s a popular radio host and does advertising voiceovers. His advice to William is simple: “The days of working all your life for the same company are gone. “The important thing is to be adaptable and sell yourself well. “I’d like to see a drone doing everything I’ve done.”
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nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Thursday, November 19, 2015
Shopping for sscholarships A multitude of scholarships are available for tertiary students but you’ve got to be in to win, writes Diana Clement
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ade Leung left Auckland University with zero debt. That’s thanks mostly to the large number of scholarships the engineering student applied for and won. Leung received more than $52,000 in scholarships during her time at the University of Auckland. Sums ranged from $30,000 for the New Zealand premier scholar award to $4000 from the Institution of Professional Engineers. Some, such as the Edna Waddell Undergraduate Scholarship for women in technology and engineering, were for female students only. “I am very grateful (that) I came out of university without the financial burden (of student debt) when a lot of people around me have that debt,” says Leung. She won around twothirds of the scholarships she applied for. Leung’s family and her school, St Cuthbert’s College, encouraged her to apply for scholarships. The return on investment of time was huge. The first few applications, completed while studying for NCEA Level 3, took several hours each. After the first few, the process became quicker. Most required only a written application. One, the Beca & Rotary Club of Auckland Scholarship, required a face-toface interview. Not all the scholarships were based solely on Leung’s academic results. Others also took into account her service track record and extracurricular activities. Beca, for example, looks at students’ character and what they’re giving back to the community. “Essentially we’re looking for people that have the ability to communicate and impact change,” says David Carter, Beca’s group director of practice development. Leung is a public speaker who presented at TEDx Youth Auckland. At university she became chief executive of the P3 Foundation, a youth charity against extreme poverty, and was also involved in Engineers Without Borders NZ, which provides humanitarian engineering. It may sound difficult to compete with such an accomplished student. However many scholarships are awarded to more than one student each year; Beca’s were given to nine last year. Some have specific requirements. Recipients of KiwiRail Group Scholarships must be children of its employees. The $2000 awards can be used at polytechnic as well as university and KiwiRail is considering incorporating scholarships into its cadet, apprentice and graduate programmes. This year’s recipients are studying law, English literature, veterinary science, communications, media, film and television and paramedicine. The Seafarers Union makes a similar award to children or grandchildren of Maritime Union, Seafarers Union or Seamen’s Union members. The KiwiRail and Seafarer’s scholarships, with 40 other undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships, are administered by Universities NZ. Careers NZ has a step-by-step guide to applying for scholarships on its website. There are many scholarships available to students in financial hardship. The Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs has 84. The Barbara Wood Memorial Foundation Scholarships provide up to $1000, based on need, to students born in New Zealand or the Pacific, and virtually every tertiary education provider offers some sort of financial hardship scholarship. There are large numbers of scholarships available. Many are
Jade Leung
■ Hundreds of big and small scholarships available for tertiary study ■ Not all require academic excellence ■ Scholarships help reduce a student’s debt burden ■ Generosity NZ’s givME database is a comprehensive source of information about scholarships. administered by Universities NZ — Te Pokai Tara and details are available at www.universitiesnz.ac.nz/scholarships. Individual universities and polytechs manage some of their own scholarships. Chris Whelan, executive director of Universities NZ, says the scholarships managed by his organisation range from around $500 to $100,000. Some are as a result of bequests, which may date back to the early 20th century, and others come from living donors. They can be general or for a specific purpose such as encouraging young people into the arts. Some awards are quite obscure. The Kauri Museum Mervyn Sterling Scholarship encourages study in environmental conservation, ecology, natural heritage and Northland history. The recipient needs to come from Otamatea, have a historic family connection with the area or have worked/studied in the area for a reasonable period of time. Graeme McClennan, head of schools and community at Manukau Institute of Technology, says: “For many students, getting a scholarship will make the difference between being able to study at a tertiary level or not. We have a scholarship programme for students in local schools, where we award 60 $4000 scholarships for their first year of study.” The Zonta Club of South Auckland offers a $5000 study award for a female student living in the Manukau region. MIT and students at other institutions are sometimes eligible for scholarships offered by iwi and hapu. Ngapuhi students, for example, can apply for Te Runanga-A-Iwi-ONgapuhi Scholarship Awards worth up to $1500 each for undergraduates and $4000 each at PhD level. Scholarships are about more than just money. Leung says winning affirmed her as a person and gave her confidence. “I found the process very helpful. It makes you articulate what you want to do and what motivates you.” Winning undergraduate scholarships has also made it easier for Leung to get post-graduate scholarships. She has just left New Zealand on a scholarship to Cambridge University. “If you have a track record of being recognised for XYZ, people are more likely to short list you for (further scholarships).” One of the best places to find information is Generosity NZ’s givME database. There is a cost to access the database but it can be searched for free at universities and polytechs and public libraries.
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GET SCHOOLED
Creative skills = global opportunity Not so long ago, parents of a teenager wanting to be an artist or a musician would tell them to get a real job but that perception has changed, writes Raewyn Court
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f you’ve got a son or daughter who’s creative and likes playing with the latest technology, you’re lucky, says Dr Suzette Major, campus manager of SAE Creative Media Institute, “because in the 21st century that’s an area where they’re going to get work. In fact, research shows that our creative industry is larger than our finance industry – it’s huge.” At SAE’s campus in Parnell, students learn to be NZQA-accredited audio engineers and film makers, and project managers are clamouring for students before they’ve even graduated. “It’s one of our biggest challenges,” laughs Major. “We have students who absolutely have the skills, but we have to say, ‘just let them get their qualification and then you can have them.’ With creative industries providing the jobs of the future, developing creativity and learning the key technical skills are equally important. “It’s now very possible to make an amazing song using electronic music production software, and to release that over YouTube and have it become huge.” SAE NZ’s newest qualification is the Bachelor of Film Arts, which starts in January. Major has just signed a lease on a new building, and construction of film facilities is under way. Among the skills taught in the audio courses is the ability to “hear” and mix sounds correctly. “We’ll all been to gigs where the sound is terrible,” says Major. “You can’t hear the singer or the drums are dominating, so sound mixing is critical. And those skills carry over into all sorts of fields, like releasing an album, or the film and TV industries.” While most courses have one annual intake, in January, there are more for the diploma in audio engineering, and the certificate in electronic music production which is taken as a night class. Major says it suits students in their last year of school who are tossing up whether to do tertiary study. “It’s a good taster for kids who love music, and manipulating music and sound electronically. It also suits adult students who may have been playing around with GarageBand as a hobby and decide they want to make a career out of it.” People who work in the creative industries are mostly freelance contractors who will be contracted to a project like an album recording, a film or an event needing sound. SAE teaches students how to set themselves up, apply entrepreneurial thinking, negotiate contracts and charge out for their time. New graduates are likely to start out with small, local projects and SAE helps with introductions. As they become known for their technical and professional skills, they get contracted to larger projects. Courses starting in January are filling
SAE teaches students how to set themselves up and apply entrepreneurial thinking so they can profit from their talents.
Photo supplied
You can walk into a studio in San Francisco and say, ‘I’m an SAE graduate’ and they will know what that means Dr Suzette Major, SAE
SAE NZ’s newest qualification is the Bachelor of Film Arts, which starts in January. Photo supplied:
fast and Major recommends students get their applications in as soon possible, online at auckland.sae.edu. “We literally have queues out the door, so the sooner they apply the better,” she says. “Because SAE is a global organisation, with 54 campuses across 28 countries, we have a very strong reputation. “And we have to limit numbers because we want to offer a very hands-on, practical experience.” Major says SAE’s global reputation is one reason their graduates have such good job prospects. “You can walk into a studio in San Francisco and say, ‘I’m an SAE graduate’ and they will know what that means.
“And the creative industries themselves are very global now. “For example in film, footage can be shot in two different countries and then be sent to a third country for the rough cut and on to another for the sound mix. “That’s partly why we have people queuing up to get in here. “They recognise that if they want to create a viable career within the global industry, they need to learn how to operate in that global sphere right from the outset.” Major feels fortunate in leading a team of creative professionals who typically have one foot in industry and the other in SAE. “It means our students are learning from people who are successful in their own
SAE success stories Paul Lawrence, Bachelor of Recording Arts graduate (left) ■ Runs his own home recording studio/label, Revaulting Records ■ Head engineer at Qualified Sound recording studio ■ Freelance audio engineer, has worked at Roundhead Studios, KOG Studio ■ Core crew member at Homegrown festival for five years ■ Part-time retail position at NZ Rockshop
Jonathan Bruce, Diploma in Audio Engineering graduate (right) ■ Audio post-production freelancer ■ Has worked on in the sound department for hundreds of TV episodes over eight years, including Ash vs Evil Dead, Power Rangers, Spartacus ■ Voiceover work with actors such as Daniel Radcliffe, John Hamm, Danielle Panabaker
right and know what it takes to make a creative career.” Dave Johnston completed a marketing degree before focusing on his real loves, music and audio, and taking SAE’s audio diploma. He now works several jobs, being the drummer of Villainy and working parttime with SAE, developing and maintaining industry relationships and organising promotions for students and graduates. He’s able to lecture and run tutorials on audio production and mixing because he’s also a freelance producer and mixing engineer in his “spare” time.
Open day SAE is holding an open day on Saturday, November 28, 11am-3pm, 12 Heather St, Parnell. Potential students can meet staff and talk to students and view their work. Radio station Flava will provide on-site entertainment, and after a presentation explaining the institute’s operation and qualifications, students can check out the “classrooms” (studios) and play with some of the equipment.
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nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Thursday, November 19, 2015