A free guide to study and career options for high school students Years 12-13 M a y 2022 | ISSUE # 23
XIN CEN RNZAF MECHANICAL ENGINEER – PAGE 36
TOBIAS DEVEREUX POLICE EMPLOYEE – PAGE 12
REBECCA REITH DIGITAL RESOURCE CREATOR – PAGE 8
NZ CAREERS EXPO 2022
TAIN LAING HEAD SHEPHERD – PAGE 26
ABBEY HEAGREN PARAMEDIC – PAGE 23
WELLINGTON 13–14 MAY CHRISTCHURCH 26–28 MAY DUNEDIN 2 JUNE HAMILTON 12–13 JUNE PALMERSTON NORTH 17 JUNE NAPIER 21 JUNE AUCKLAND 30 JUNE–2 JULY Admission to the Expo is free for all visitors.
www.careersexpo.org.nz
CLAYTON TIPENE ELECTRICIAN – PAGE 40
DONALD HALL AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN – PAGE 11
NEHA NAVSHEEL STORE MANAGER – PAGE 38
LEAVINGSCHOOLNZ WWW.LEAVINGSCHOOL.CO.NZ
Learn about careers in sheep and beef There are many exciting careers available within sheep and beef farming and the wider red meat sector. Many people gain work on a farm directly after leaving school. Others choose to study first at a university, polytechnic or a cadet farm. The variety of positions and types of work within, and directly related to sheep and beef farming is huge. B+LNZ invests in and supports growing, training and retaining people in our sector through collaborating with others for more impact. Learn more: beeflambnz.com/people-and-training Need to talk to someone? Get in touch and email peopleandtraining@beeflambnz.com
Pathways to careers in sheep and beef
Primary ITO Primary ITO offers training and learning while you work at levels 2, 3 and 4, and a full diploma. This training is arranged in conjunction with the farm manager or owner and delivered in block courses off site, combined with on job training and assessment. www.primaryito.ac.nz / 0800 20 80 20 Growing Future Farmers Support on-farm cadetship opportunities in the growing network of sheep and beef farms across New Zealand. www.growingfuturefarmers.co.nz 021 315 534 Lincoln University A specialist agricultural university in the South Island offering diplomas and degrees in agricultural commerce and science, plus related fields. www.lincoln.ac.nz / 0800 10 60 10 Telford A live-in agricultural training centre (South Island) that delivers agricultural qualifications from level 2 to diploma. www.sit.ac.nz/Telford / 0800 83 53 67 Smedley Station A full production sheep and beef station providing training for farm cadets. Trainees complete a National Certificate in Rural Servicing Level 4, as well as learning stock management and shepherding. www.smedley.ac.nz / 06 586 5725 Massey University Offering specialist agricultural courses including degrees and diplomas in agribusiness and science and the related fields of environment and resource management and veterinarian training. www.massey.ac.nz 0800 MASSEY (06 350 5701)
ARA Institute of Canterbury Based in the South Island and offering a Diploma in Agriculture. www.ara.ac.nz / 0800 24 24 76 Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology Offering New Zealand Certificates Primary Industries and Agriculture and a Diploma in Agribusiness Management. www.toiohomai.ac.nz / 0800 86 46 46 Otiwhiti Station A specialisted sheep and beef live-in training farm delivering qualification in Agriculture up to level 3 and 4. www.otiwhitistation.co.nz / 0508 872 466 Waipaoa Station Waipaoa Cadet Farm is a live-in farm training operation delivering in agriculture from level 2 to 4. www.waipaoa.co.nz / 06 862 1988 Otago Polytechnic (Central Campus) Based in Cromwell, Otago Polytechnic provides agricultural training to level 4 including a specialised high country sheep and beef programme. www.central.op.ac.nz / 0800 765 9276 Southern Institute of Technology To make a start on an agricultural career, the Vocational Pathways Primary Industries programme offers a good opportunity to gain sound practical foundation skills and knowledge in agriculture. www.sit.ac.nz/courses 0800 40 33 37 (03 211 2699) Whenua Kura A partnership between Lincoln University and Ngāi Tahu facilitating delivery of agriculture qualifications from level 3 to Diploma. www.ngaitahu.iwi.nz 0800 524 8248 (0800 KAI TAHU)
Did you know the red meat sector generates over 92,000 NZ jobs and contributes $12 billion in income per year for New Zealand?
Direct to farm employment It is often possible to gain employment on a sheep and beef farm directly from school. Vacancies are often advertised in local papers and the following websites: Agri-people website Federated Farmers job website TradeMe job website Seek job website Pacific Coast Technical Institute A nationwide provider of Primary Industry and Food related training, offering a range of rural skills short courses to assist NZ farmers with skills for young people and refreshers for those in need. www.pcti.co.nz / 07 575 2185 National Trade Academy Providing land-based education and training since 2000. Take pride in teaching their students the practical skills and knowledge required for successful careers in the land-based industries. www.nta.co.nz / 03 360 2192 Dairy Training Ltd Delivers vocational training to the Primary Sector, ranging from lower level Primary Skills through to Business Management. www.dairytraining.co.nz / 0800 467 768 Land Based Training Delivers level 2-5 Agriculture training programmes, a range of short courses, and on-farm training placements. www.landbasedtraining.co.nz 06 349 0077
CONTENTS
05 FOREWORD | ZOI SADOWSKI-SYNNOTT
24 NOTICEBOARD
06 RESEARCH TECHNICIAN | SHOBANA REDDY
26 HEAD SHEPHERD | TAIN LAING
08 DIGITAL RESOURCE CREATOR | REBECCA REITH
27 SHEPHERD | GALAXIE WAIHAPE
09 FARM MANAGER | BAILEY LONERGAN
28 FASHION DESIGNER | DIHLIA TEURU
10 COLLISION REPAIR TECHNICIAN | MALI-MARIE NEWMAN
30 OPTOMETRIST | MARY RUSH
11 AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN | DONALD HALL
31 MANUFACTURING MANAGER | RICHARD MEHANA
12 POLICE EMPLOYEE | TOBIAS DEVEREUX
32 NZ POST EMPLOYEE | LACHLAN BALFOUR
13 HAIRDRESSER | SAMANTHA DANE
34 CHIROPRACTOR | LYDIA McCLEAN
14 ARCHITECT | MYINT SAN AUNG
36 AIR FORCE | XIN CEN
16 DEEP-SEA FISHING | MASON LAULUSA
37 ARMY | WILLIAM WALLACE
17 TRUCK DRIVER | MACKENZIE LINTERN See parts of the country for the first time in your travelling
38 FAST FOOD STORE MANAGER | NEHA NAVSHEEL
18 ENGINEER | KUMEROA WHITE Giving back to the community and shaping the future of Aotearoa
40 ELECTRICIAN | CLAYTON TIPENE
Find out what it took for this Olympic Champion and professional snowboarder to get to the top of her game. A drive to figure out how things function and what makes up the world led to a focus on science.
MANAGING EDITOR
Oliver Lee
SUB-EDITOR Elise McDowell CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Sara Carbery, careers.govt.nz, Diana Clement, NZ Defence Careers, Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, Peter White PHOTOGRAPHY Bev Bell (Simply Inspired), Geoff Horrell, iStock, Korou Digital Agency, Neil MacKenzie, Paula McInnes, Dean Norrie, photosport.nz, Alan Stevens, Logan West, Nicola Wilhelmsen (Kelk Photography) DESIGN & LAYOUT Mervyn Hurley (HNZL 2014 Limited) PRINTER Webstar, Auckland PUBLISHER
P roud to work in the dairy industry, this self-described “recreator” puts digital resources together for DairyNZ.
Work experience through the Gateway programme gave this young farmer what he needed. Creating her own career and forging pathways ahead, persistence has been key for this go-getter.
This automotive technician has taken what is a family passion for cars and his favourite hobby and transformed it to become his daily work.
While completing his tertiary studies, this mathematician is finding working for Police part-time to be ideal. A special effects make-up course inspired this hairdresser and floor manager to begin an apprenticeship. As soon as he discovered architecture, this award winner knew this was where his artistic skills and creativity would be focused. A motivational training course inspired this deep-sea fisher to a job where the ocean is his office.
Box 331-667, Takapuna, Auckland 0740 T: +64-9-486 6966 E: oliver@oliverlee.co.nz W: oliverlee.co.nz W: LEAVINGSCHOOL.CO.NZ ISSN 2463-3380 (Print) ISSN 2463-3399 (Online) COPYRIGHT: Reproduction in whole or in part by any means is prohibited. DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. Although all material is checked for accuracy, no liability is assumed by the publisher for any loss due to use of material in this magazine.
Key dates, websites and information are all collated in one easy-to-find spot. This shepherd is an award-winning dog trainer who gets to enjoy the great outdoors daily, as his office. Satisfying work with dogs and horses gives this young shepherd an absolute thrill. Taking a hobby and transforming it into a career was the first step for this fashion designer who enjoys breaking down barriers. Specialised eye care is a very rewarding area of health to get into and one that offers future opportunities.
A can-do attitude and seizing every opportunity led this trained baker to great career heights. After being uncertain as to next steps after school, working at NZ Post has proven to be a great move. The chiropractic community is collaborative, welcoming and provides plenty of opportunities. Driven by the idea of working in humanitarian engineering, this mechanical engineer took her skillset to the RNZAF. Joining as a medic meant goals of fitness and academia were met.
workspace, meet new people and enjoy great banter.
A part-time school job is now a fulltime successful career, with promotions and dedication paving the way.
through engineering.
Continually seeking to improve and up-skill has led this electrician to a very bright career path.
21 PLUMBER | ANDREW SMITH
There are heaps of great words to describe this career, but it’s earning while you learn that is most enticing.
22 DEER FARMER | ELLIOT SYME
Deer are majestic and highly intelligent, so working with them is a highlight for this shepherd.
23 PARAMEDIC | ABBEY HEAGREN
Critical care saves lives. As this intensive care paramedic says, paramedicine is a “dream job”.
42 EMPLOYMENT ADVICE
No job is a dead-end job, it’s getting that first foot on the ladder.
43 EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS
Find out the seven skills that employers are looking for.
44 DEBT CONSIDERATIONS
Get to grips with the potential pitfalls of debt.
45 JOBS IN FOCUS
Some insightful statistics and information about a variety of roles in the health and community sectors.
3
MAKING IT TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL by ZOI SADOWSKI-SYNNOTT
I was eight when I started snowboarding with my family and from that moment, I was hooked. Briefly, before then, I had thought I might want to become a professional soccer player, but I absolutely love snowboarding and everything that comes with it, so soccer lost out! I remember a moment when I was 14 when my parents asked me if being a professional snowboarder was what I wanted to do – no worries if not, but if it was, they’d support me. I knew then – 100 per cent without a doubt – that this was what I wanted to do with my life and that I could make it to the highest level. Alongside Jamie Anderson, the most dominant female snowboarder of all time, my mum has been and still is a huge inspiration to me. She works hard at everything she does and has taught me that results come from hard work. My parents have also always reminded me to have fun with it and not to take things too seriously. Happily, that’s easy to do and I feel like I’ve never worked a day in my life, which I’m super grateful for! As far as competing goes, I love pushing myself to do things I wouldn’t have thought were possible, setting goals and achieving them. As to why I love snowboarding generally, I just love being outdoors and in the mountains. It was an awesome feeling standing on the podium at the Olympics – one I can’t really describe. It felt pretty surreal to have achieved something I’d dreamed about, and in a way that I was super proud of. I also thought of all the people who had helped me get there: my whole family who have supported me every step of the way, the friends I grew up snowboarding with – we all wanted to become professional snowboarders and pushed each other to be the best we could be – and my coaches along the way who supported me and shared their knowledge. I was lucky to go to Mount Aspiring College in Wānaka, which had an awesome outdoor programme. They understood how amazing it is to get out and about in the mountains, but it was still a super hard juggle to compete and keep on top of my schoolwork. It worked for me to keep the two things separate and to make sure I gave each one 100 per cent of my focus when I was there. At school, I really enjoyed Physics, Maths and PE. The anatomy and physics side of PE was super interesting and knowledge I have used over the years in snowboarding. What I would say to you if you’re reading this and wondering what to do with your life is that there are endless opportunities out there. There’s so much more on offer than you think, so get out there and make the most of it. When you find something you want to do, really get into it and apply yourself. You never know where it will take you!
Zoi Sadowski-Synnott
Professional Snowboarder Wānaka-based professional snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (21) is the Beijing 2022 Olympic gold medallist in Slopestyle and silver medallist in Big Air, 2022 X Games gold medallist in both Slopestyle and Big Air, the winner of the Natural Selection Tour at Jackson Hole 2021 and runner-up in the final in Alaska, the 2021 FIS Snowboard Slopestyle World Champion, 2021 X Games Aspen Slopestyle silver medallist and Big Air bronze medallist and 2021 Dew Tour Slopestyle winner. LEAVING SCHOOL ISSUE #23
| LEAVINGSCHOOL.CO.NZ
FOREWORD
FOCUS, SUPPORT AND HARD WORK
55
RESEARCH TECHNICIAN 6
SCIENCE AND PASSION TAKES CHARGE
writer SARA CARBERY photo ALAN STEVENS
FROM THE CITY TO THE FARM I’M WORKING WITH ANIMALS THAT WEIGH NORTH OF 300 KILOGRAMS, so being CONFIDENT WITH HANDLING THEM IS ESSENTIAL IN MY WORK. SHOBANA REDDY
Having grown up as a city girl, being around large animals is one of the things SHOBANA REDDY enjoys most about her role as research technician with DairyNZ – and it was one of the biggest challenges she faced when she started the job one year ago. “I’m working with animals that weigh north of 300 foundation for their corresponding subjects at The internship gave her a lot of insight into the kilograms, so being confident with handling them first-year university level. Also, English gave me an opportunities that DairyNZ and the dairy industry is essential in my work.” opportunity to practise my academic writing.” have to offer and led to a fulltime role when she graduated. In hindsight, Statistics would have been helpful, She also loves working in an environment that is she says. constantly changing and evolving. “It definitely Now 23, Shobana’s goal career-wise is to keeps things interesting.” “Taking Statistics would have given me a good base eventually complete a masters and PhD and become a scientist. “I hope to be running my own knowledge for data processing and analysis.” Shobana says every day is different and what she trials someday.” does depends on what trials are going on. “It ranges While she was studying toward a Bachelor of Science from feeding calves and sampling for blood, urine, Her advice to school leavers is to not be scared at the University of Waikato, majoring in Chemistry, milk etc, to harvesting grass and analysing data. As and Molecular and Cellular Biology, Shobana applied to take any opportunities that come your way. a research technician, we regularly collaborate with for a DairyNZ summer internship that incorporated “Trial and error is an important part of growth. scientists to undergo the operation of trials.” mātauranga Māori. Always be curious and ask questions, especially Passionate about delving into how things function, if you don’t understand things. And apply for as “That intrigued me as I had not seen the combination and what makes up the living world, Shobana many scholarships as you can! of the two worlds before, so I was very interested naturally gravitated toward science at school. in being a part of it.” “Also, try your best to figure out what you are In her final year at Hillcrest High School in Hamilton, Before being accepted into the internship programme, passionate about, so you can work towards building she took English, Calculus, Biology, Chemistry she had little to no knowledge of the dairy industry. a career around it.” and Physics. “What drove me to apply was my eagerness to learn As one of New Zealand’s largest employers, The most useful subjects have been Chemistry, the dairy sector needs motivated and passionate new things, the opportunity to put what I had learnt Calculus and English. “I found that what I learned people to work as dairy farmers, agri-business from uni to practical use, and I was just keen to from Chemistry and Calculus gave me a great professionals, researchers and agri-scientists. gain work experience.”
KEY FACTS SHOBANA REDDY HAS A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO, DURING WHICH SHE COMPLETED A DAIRYNZ SUMMER INTERNSHIP THAT INCORPORATED MĀTAURANGA MĀORI. HER SUMMER INTERNSHIP LED TO A FULLTIME ROLE AND SHE NOW WORKS AS A RESEARCH TECHNICIAN WITH DAIRYNZ. ■ SHOBANA STUDIED ENGLISH, CALCULUS, BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS IN HER FINAL YEAR AT HIGH SCHOOL.
■ For more information on apprenticeships n sign making, visit www.signee.nz■
LEAVINGSCHOOL.CO.NZ
| LEAVING SCHOOL ISSUE #23
For more information on career options within the dairy sector, visit www.godairy.co.nz and www.dairynz.co.nz/people/dairy-careers
It’s a career and a lifestyle As one of New Zealand’s largest employers, the dairy sector needs motivated and passionate people to make a difference in the world. Discover your future in dairy and learn about the range of career options that dairy has to offer.
Discover your fit Take the quiz to find out what your next step could be towards a brighter future.
Dairy farming
Agri-business
Godairy.co.nz
Agri-science
DIGITAL RESOURCE CREATOR 8
CREATING SECTOR RESOURCES
DAIRY GOES DIGITAL writer SARA CARBERY // photo ALAN STEVENS
Growing up in a family that “lived and breathed agriculture”, REBECCA REITH was exposed to many sectors of farming from a young age, but her introduction to the dairy sector didn’t come until she was 15, when she helped out in a milking shed. Now 26, Rebecca works for DairyNZ in their solutions and development team, with a focus on responsible dairy projects. “I get to meet and work with some amazing people who are all doing some really epic things for the industry,” she says, “including the climate change team, which involves farmers, policy makers and scientists who are all working to ensure New Zealand’s dairy industry remains both profitable and sustainable! It’s a really diverse group. “I get to see so many different sides of the industry, which keeps me interested and very proud to be working in the dairy industry.” Rebecca describes her role as that of “a recreator”. “My role is to create digital resources that communicate and connect all DairyNZ’s knowledge and data with farmers in a way that is practical, relatable and easy-to-use.” A degree in agricultural science at Massey University equipped Rebecca with the skills she needed to embark on a successful career in agriculture, even though it wasn’t her first choice when she left Rangi Ruru Girls’ School at the end of Year 13. She had always wanted to be a vet – “mainly because I loved science and working with animals” – but didn’t get selected to continue with veterinary after pre-vet studies. “At the time it was very disappointing,” she says, “but something I don’t regret giving a go.” Passionate about art, Rebecca took Level 3 Scholarship Painting and Printmaking in Year 13, alongside English, Statistics and Biology, “to keep my options open when it came to university”. “I don’t believe there is a particular subject that has proven to be the most useful. I believe gaining a broad skillset such as planning, public speaking, listening, computer literacy, learning how to study and structure reports and essays has been the most useful. If you have those basics, as well as a sound knowledge base in areas of interest (such as biology), you will be well set-up to take on anything.” The biggest piece of advice she wishes she had told herself when she was leaving school is it’s okay to say you don’t know. “No one expects you to know everything or have all the skills just yet. Be open to new ideas and ways of doing things; you can learn something new from everyone.” Her other piece of advice is to put yourself out there and see if you can do some work experience with companies or in roles you think you may be interested in. “This will allow you to start building relationships that will be helpful throughout your career, as well as narrow down the options if you are still really unsure what you may like to do.”
NO ONE EXPECTS YOU TO KNOW EVERYTHING OR HAVE ALL THE SKILLS JUST YET. BE OPEN TO NEW IDEAS AND ways of doing things; YOU CAN LEARN SOMETHING NEW FROM EVERYONE. REBECCA REITH
KEY FACTS REBECCA REITH IS A DIGITAL RESOURCE CREATOR FOR DAIRYNZ IN THEIR SOLUTIONS AND DEVELOPMENT TEAM, WITH A FOCUS ON RESPONSIBLE DAIRY PROJECTS. SHE HAS A BACHELOR OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE FROM MASSEY UNIVERSITY. ■ REBECCA RECOMMENDS FOCUSSING ON DEVELOPING SKILLS IN PLANNING, PUBLIC SPEAKING, LISTENING, COMPUTER LITERACY AND LEARNING HOW TO STUDY AND STRUCTURE REPORTS AND ESSAYS.
■ For more information on apprenticeships n sign making, visit www.signee.nz■
LEAVINGSCHOOL.CO.NZ
| LEAVING SCHOOL ISSUE #23
For more information on career options within the dairy sector, visit www.godairy.co.nz and www.dairynz.co.nz/people/dairy-careers
YOUNG FARMER HAS NO REGRETS
writer PETER WHITE // photo ALAN STEVENS
“The possibilities in farming are endless,” says BAILEY LONERGAN. “There are lots of opportunities in dairy to progress with the right attitude and the right employer.” The 24-year-old is a farm manager In his final year, he received a DairyNZ with Clover Sun Ltd in the Horotiu scholarship that helped greatly with area, close to Hamilton. study costs and living costs. “The big thing was the workshops “Every day on the farm is different. that we had, which were really good In the spring, it is busy and I can be for meeting people. They gave us doing anything – from in the office really good advice on how to survive working out intakes, supplementary in the workplace and dealing with the feeding decisions and animal health change from student life to going out records, to setting up fences, feeding into a fulltime role.” calves and tractor work. Bailey has been involved with “Being able to wake up at your New Zealand Young Farmers since place of work is great and getting up he started at Massey. early and milking the cows is really Last year, he took over as chairperson rewarding. You are doing something of North Waikato Young Farmers. that matters and contributes significantly to our economy. “This is a busy but super important role. Being able to plan stuff for other “I really enjoy my role because it members to enjoy is really rewarding involves a lot of thinking and planning. and we have heaps of things planned There is always plenty to do on the for the future.” farm, but being able to pick what I do and make my own schedule is priceless. Bailey’s advice to school leavers – don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Having that flexibility is awesome.” “You need to have a goal that you want Bailey decided farming was for him to achieve in the future and something after spending time on a local farm to work towards. I knew this was the during Year 11 at St John’s College in industry for me and I just got stuck in Hamilton. The Gateway programme and worked hard when I started. was a turning point for him. “There can be competitive salaries “I didn’t know what I wanted to do in farming, especially getting into until I started Gateway, working on management levels. Combined with a farm one-day a week, which is accommodation on the farm, this can where I met my current boss. He has help you grow equity and use it to get been fully supportive of me learning into a higher role like contract milking and growing.” and share milking.” Bailey studied English, Horticulture, Media Studies, Outdoor Education and Science in Year 13 at St John’s. THERE IS ALWAYS PLENTY TO DO ON A FARM, BUT BEING ABLE With the connections made through TO PICK WHAT I DO AND MAKE MY OWN SCHEDULE IS PRICELESS. Gateway, he worked for a year on the farm he did his work experience on, before starting a Bachelor of BAILEY LONERGAN AgriScience at Massey.
FARM MANAGER
FLEXIBILITY AND VARIETY 9
KEY FACTS ■ BAILEY LONERGAN WORKS AS A FARM MANAGER WITH CLOVER SUN LTD. THE GATEWAY PROGRAMME AT HIS HIGH SCHOOL WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN HIS DECISION TO EMBARK ON A CAREER IN FARMING. ■ HE HAS A BACHELOR OF AGRISCIENCE FROM MASSEY UNIVERSITY, AND WAS ASSISTED BY A DAIRYNZ SCHOLARSHIP. ■ BAILEY IS INVOLVED WITH NEW ZEALAND YOUNG FARMERS AND IS THE CHAIRPERSON OF NORTH WAIKATO YOUNG FARMERS.
For more information on career options within the dairy sector, visit www.godairy.co.nz and www.dairynz.co.nz/people/dairy-careers
LEAVING SCHOOL ISSUE #23
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COLLISION REPAIR TECHNICIAN
COLLISION REPAIR TECHNICIAN
10
COMBINING CARS WITH ART
PERSISTENCE PAYS OFF writer PETER WHITE // photo PAULA McINNES “It gives me so much pleasure to see someone drive their car away with a smile on their face, knowing you have fixed their pride and joy. It is the best part of the job,” says MALI-MARIE NEWMAN. The 21-year-old Collision Repair Technician is one of the new generation of women succeeding in traditionally male-dominated trades. Mali completed her Auto Refinishing Apprenticeship in April 2021 and is now working with Tony Gordon Panelbeaters and Autopainters in Whangārei. She completed the New Zealand Certificate in Collision Repair (Level 3) and Automotive Refinishing (Levels 3 and 4). “I am the only painter and the paint manager of the shop, so I’m responsible for everything to do with the painting side – bog repairs, priming, painting, and cut and polishing. “It keeps me busy and I love it. Why I got into the industry is I love restoring things and I love taking pride in my work.” Mali became passionate about cars and art around the age of 16.
“I never thought about putting the two of them together, before I started collecting old car badges. I went to a panel and paint shop and asked for work experience and they offered me an apprenticeship. “As a result of COVID-19, I have been made redundant twice, so after I moved up to Whangārei, I went door knocking. Tony Gordon pretty much offered me the job after a couple of hours of work experience and I have been here ever since.” Mali is proud to be one of the few females working in the industry. “I would love to inspire more females in the trade because obviously there are not many. It would be cool to see more, and there are more young females looking to get into the trades. “It is a really awesome industry to be in and you meet some really cool people. Once they see you know what you are doing, you gain a different level of respect. You kind of have to break through and show them – yes, I am a female but I do know what I am doing.” Mali did her apprenticeship through MITO Industry Training Organisation with a scholarship from the Collision Repair Association (CRA).
“The secret to getting through the apprenticeship is literally just working as hard as you can and smash through it. “You don’t have much of a social life while studying but once you are qualified, that feeling you have achieved something is just amazing.” Mali went to Waiuku College in Auckland. She finished up after Year 12, having taken Automotive Engineering, Art, Physics, Maths, English and Digital Technology. Her advice for school leavers is to go for it and follow your passion. “You learn it all through your apprenticeship and the people you work with. You don’t need special skills but accuracy and having a good eye for detail are important parts of the job.” Mali’s 10-year goal is to own her own panel and paint shop.
I WOULD LOVE TO INSPIRE MORE FEMALES IN THE TRADE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE NOT MANY. IT WOULD BE COOL TO SEE MORE. MALI-MARIE NEWMAN
KEY FACTS ■ MALI-MARIE NEWMAN COMPLETED AN AUTO REFINISHING APPRENTICESHIP AND ACHIEVED A NEW ZEALAND CERTIFICATE IN COLLISION REPAIR (LEVEL 3) AND AUTOMOTIVE REFINISHING (LEVELS 3 AND 4). ■ SHE WORKS AS A COLLISION REPAIR TECHNICIAN AT TONY GORDON PANELBEATERS AND AUTOPAINTERS IN WHANGĀREI. ■ MALI DID HER APPRENTICESHIP THROUGH MITO INDUSTRY TRAINING ORGANISATION AND WAS ASSISTED WITH A SCHOLARSHIP FROM THE COLLISION REPAIR ASSOCIATION. LEAVINGSCHOOL.CO.NZ
| LEAVING SCHOOL ISSUE #23
For more information on apprenticeships in collision repair through MITO, visit www.mito.org.nz
DONALD HALL
FIND A FUTURE IN CARS
writer PETER WHITE photo provided by MITO | TE PŪKENGA
AIMING FOR AUTOMOTIVE DREAM DONALD HALL had the kind of upbringing where it was hard to avoid cars. “There were always broken cars at home, waiting to be fixed. Dad’s always been into cars,” says the apprentice technician at Paul Branch Automotive in Ōtaki. Donald’s dad helped when it came to building his first car, a 1992 Toyota Levin. When that was done, it was on to the next build, a wide body Altezza followed by another Levin. His current project is a 1991 Levin. “I’m pretty much having to restore the whole thing. It needs all new body wiring loom, engine loom, everything underneath like subframe, all the running gear and then all the interior. “I’ve got a new motor to put in, new gear box and I’ve got to build the motor, do rings and bearings.” Donald followed his passion for cars and enrolled in MITO’s StartUp® micro-credential while at Ōtaki College. His work placement was at Paul Branch Automotive. Owner Paul Branch had been searching for a new
team member for a while, so he was thrilled to connect with Donald. Like a mini-apprenticeship, StartUp® allows students to experience what it’s like to work in the automotive industry, completing unit standards and gaining NCEA credits along the way. Donald was happy to be able to pursue his interests while still at school. “It was a lot of fun. I started getting more study periods so I could come to work.” After completing StartUp® Ignition and StartUp® Accelerate in 2021, Donald was offered fulltime employment at Paul Branch Automotive. He is now underway with his apprenticeship and completing MITO’s New Zealand Certificate in Light Automotive Engineering (Levels 3 and 4). Paul Branch describes Donald as motivated, proactive and willing to learn, and believes training is the way to go. “Everybody should have an apprentice,” says Paul. Despite confessing to not enjoying school, Donald was a high achiever. He was Head Boy at Ōtaki College and received the Prime Minister’s esteemed
Vocational Excellence Award. But learning on-the-job is what really suits him. “I don’t really like sitting around. The whole practical aspect of a trades career intrigued me.” Donald has enjoyed learning about electrical concepts in his apprenticeship so far. “It’s cool to understand how everything works from a theory perspective. I read through the study notes and watch videos on MITO eLearning. It shows you how it all works and then you do the assessment to confirm that you understand it all.” Donald’s experience as a StartUp® student helped him to hit the ground running in his apprenticeship. “StartUp® prepared me and set me up with everything I need to know. I had even completed some of the unit standards.” With the added support of regular visits from his MITO training advisor, Donald is well and truly set up for success.
KEY FACTS ■ DONALD HALL ENROLLED IN MITO’S STARTUP® MICRO-CREDENTIAL WHILE AT ŌTAKI COLLEGE, WHICH IS LIKE A MINI-APPRENTICESHIP. ■ HE COMPLETED STARTUP® IGNITION AND STARTUP® ACCELERATE, AND WAS OFFERED FULLTIME EMPLOYMENT AT PAUL BRANCH AUTOMOTIVE.
For more information on enrolling in MITO’s StartUp® micro-credential, ask your careers advisor or visit, www.mito.org.nz/schools/startup
■ DONALD IS AN APPRENTICE TECHNICIAN AT PAUL BRANCH AUTOMOTIVE IN ŌTAKI, COMPLETING MITO’S NEW ZEALAND CERTIFICATE IN LIGHT AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING (LEVELS 3 AND 4).
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AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN
I DON’T LIKE SITTING AROUND. THE WHOLE PRACTICAL ASPECT of a trades career intrigued me.
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POLICE EMPLOYEE 12
FLEXIBLE AND SUPPORTIVE JOB SATISFACTION WITH POLICE
writer PETER WHITE // photo NICOLA WILHELMSEN (KELK PHOTOGRAPHY) TOBIAS DEVEREUX is combining doing a double degree at Otago University with working part-time as a contracting Police employee. The 18-year-old is majoring in Maths and Computer Science, with his overall career goals focusing on the digital, computing and software areas. In Year 13 at Kavanagh College in Dunedin, Tobias studied NCEA Digital Technology, Dance, French and Religious Studies, plus he studied maths at university.
He had passed eight university maths courses by the time he left school. He won medals at the New Zealand Math Olympiad (NZMO) placing him among the very finest young mathematicians in the country. Tobias says the Police work he is doing part-time is really interesting as it is nationwide, rather than just Dunedin-based. “It is eye-opening to see how such a big national operation like the Police works. I am in the service
THE POLICE ARE REALLY, realLy SUPPORTIVE. EVERYONE in the office is incredibly friendly and always willing to help.
group in what they call a blended model. They train people like me in lots of different things. “One of those things is taking (non-urgent) 105 calls but I haven’t started that yet. Mainly I have been doing transcription, which is where we listen to recorded DVDs and audio from Police interviews or from 111 calls or prison calls. “We then make a transcript of them, which is used by the Police for various things, including in court. I also do file management, basically putting things into the Police system.” There is a great deal of job satisfaction from what Tobias is doing. He says it is really cool that he can support the frontline Police by freeing up their time so they can focus on their jobs. There is real flexibility in the hours Tobias works for the Police, which means he can fit the work in around his university studies. “That is the great thing because it is casual. They are really good about it. I can say each week how many hours I want to work and on what days and they normally say yes. “Before this semester started, I was doing 30 hours a week, six hours a day for five days, but I have cut that back now to between 10 and 20 hours a week.” Tobias says there are some core skills needed to do what he is doing for the Police. “You have to be very particular and detail-orientated, and you have to be precise. There is a lot of typing and stuff, so computer skills are useful, but mainly it is just being open to learning new things and able to take on new knowledge and apply that.” He encourages school leavers to consider a role like his. “It is a really great job and really interesting as well. It is great how they are so flexible. “The Police are really, really supportive. Everyone in the office is incredibly friendly and always willing to help, especially people who are higher up. They are always willing to answer any questions.”
TOBIAS DEVEREUX
KEY FACTS ■ TOBIAS DEVEREUX IS WORKING FOR THE NEW ZEALAND POLICE PART-TIME WHILE HE COMPLETES HIS TERTIARY STUDIES. ■ HE WORKS IN THE SERVICE GROUP. THE GROUP GETS TRAINED IN TASKS SUCH AS TRANSCRIPTION, FILE MANAGEMENT AND TAKING NON-URGENT POLICE CALLS. ■ TOBIAS RECOMMENDS A ROLE LIKE HIS TO SCHOOL LEAVERS. AS WELL AS FINDING THE POLICE TO BE A FLEXIBLE AND SUPPORTIVE EMPLOYER, HE SAYS HE GETS A GREAT SENSE OF JOB SATISFACTION. LEAVINGSCHOOL.CO.NZ
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For more information on career opportunities with the New Zealand Police, visit www.police.govt.nz/careers
EXCELLENCE, BEAUTY AND EDUCATION writer SARA CARBERY // photo DEAN NORRIE Studying Painting and Photography at William Colenso College in Napier has helped SAMANTHA DANE in her journey to become a qualified hairdresser and floor manager at Rodney Wayne Northlands in Christchurch. “The arts subjects have helped me with things like colour theory, as well as the journey to a finished masterpiece,” explains Samantha, now 27. In hindsight, studying NCEA Chemistry would have been helpful in providing her with an understanding of chemical reactions. After leaving school, Samantha studied special effects makeup, which “sparked my love for all things hair”. Inspired, she applied for an apprenticeship with Rodney Wayne via their website and has recently celebrated her five-year anniversary with the company. “Hairdressing is a skill that you master with practice,” she says, “so being in the salon is the best way to gain experience.” Samantha says being a hairdresser involves “providing an excellent service, making my clients feel beautiful, and educating my customers on how to maintain their hair outside of the salon.” As floor manager, it is also her role to lead and motivate her team, including apprentices, and help them achieve their goals. This is one of the aspects of the job she enjoys the most, alongside “the satisfaction of enhancing the beauty in my clients”. The main challenge of her job is finding the time to balance her management responsibilities and her established clientele. Samantha recently became an artistic team member with Rodney Wayne. This is a crew of stylists who receive specialised coaching, and then share these skills to inspire and educate other team members. She is also on the ghd style squad, which has given her the opportunity to be involved in fashion shows and to learn from celebrity stylists. “I’d like to have more involvement in the exciting chaos that is the fashion industry,” she says, when asked about her career goals. If you’re considering a career in hairdressing, Samantha says listening is the best way to learn.
“And passion and an open mind will assist you in all areas of your career.” As a Rodney Wayne apprentice you will be guided through your hairdressing qualification by talented trainers. Rodney Wayne works with HITO to provide you with a clear training path and full support to become a qualified stylist. A HITO apprenticeship teaches you how to perform a range of hairdressing services, including cutting, colouring, perming, straightening, hair-up work,
shampooing, blowdrying and setting. You’ll also learn customer service skills and the commercial skills required to run a professional hair salon. When you finish your apprenticeship, you’ll be fully qualified and achieve the New Zealand Certificate in Hairdressing (Professional Stylist) (Level 4). You’ll also gain relevant, valuable work experience to include on your CV.
HAIRDRESSER
LOVE OF ALL THINGS HAIR
13
HAIRDRESSING IS A SKILL THAT YOU MASTER WITH PRACTICE, so being in the SALON IS THE BEST WAY TO GAIN EXPERIENCE. SAMANTHA DANE
KEY FACTS ■ SAMANTHA DANE IS A HAIRDRESSER AND FLOOR MANAGER AT RODNEY WAYNE NORTHLANDS, CHRISTCHURCH. ■ SHE IS AN ARTISTIC TEAM MEMBER AND A MEMBER OF THE GHD STYLE SQUAD. ■ SAMANTHA COMPLETED A RODNEY WAYNE APPRENTICESHIP THROUGH HITO TO BECOME FULLY QUALIFIED AND GAINED A NEW ZEALAND CERTIFICATE IN HAIRDRESSING (PROFESSIONAL STYLIST) (LEVEL 4).
For more information on careers with Rodney Wayne, visit www.rodneywayne.co.nz/careers For more information on apprenticeships through HITO, visit www.hito.org.nz
LEAVING SCHOOL ISSUE #23
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EXPRESSION AND CREATIVITY ARCHITECT
DESIGNING FOR A BETTER FUTURE
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MYINT SAN AUNG grew up in Thailand as a Myanmar refugee and from a young age had a strong desire to be creative. In April, the 23-year-old graduated with a Master of Architecture (Professional) from Unitec’s School of Architecture after arriving in New Zealand in 2011 as a refugee. “I recall drawing the bamboo huts I grew up witnessing in the camp and constructing a little replica of them out of bamboo and leaves beneath my refugee house,” says San.
“Since the first day I arrived, the architecture department has been really helpful. “I’ve met incredibly talented teachers and been taught a lot of things, and it’s given me a lot of possibilities.
writer PETER WHITE
San has won some highly regarded awards, including the 2020 Studio 2 Architects Award for top student in the technology strand and Year 5 winner at the 2021 Te Kāhui Whaihanga NZIA Resene Student Design Awards.
I WOULD LIKE TO WORK ON MORE HUMANITARIAN PROJECTS AND ADDRESS ISSUES THAT MANY OF US ARE DEALING WITH IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVEs, SUCH AS THE HOUSING CRISIS, REFUGE CRISIS, CLIMATE CATASTROPHE AND SO ON.
“But I didn’t know what architecture was until I moved to New Zealand. “My Ōtāhuhu Intermediate School art teacher noticed one of my drawings of a structure and told me I should pursue it. Then I began investigating and finding architecture and I fell in love with it right away.” San completed his Bachelor of Architectural Studies in 2019 and has thoroughly enjoyed his time studying at Unitec.
MYINT SAN AUNG
“Not only did we learn in lecture classes, but we were also given the opportunities to work with leading New Zealand architecture companies such as Jasmax during our studies, giving us a true taste of work-life and what to anticipate in the architecture industry. “We were taught what the business is looking for, but we were also encouraged to think for ourselves and let our imaginations run wild with our ideas.”
“As a student, my primary responsibility was to create conceptual designs, which included architectural visualisation, site visits, model building and the drafting of technical drawings.”
San would love to have his own practice. His long-term goal is to work internationally, with offices in New Zealand and overseas. “I would like to work on more humanitarian projects and address issues that many of us are now dealing with in our everyday lives, such as the housing crisis, refugee crisis, climate catastrophe and so on.” San took Art Painting, Design and Visual Communication, English, Physics and Calculus in
A PPR E N T I C E S H I P S
H A I R B A R B E R I N G B E AU T Y
Earn while you learn! HITO apprenticeships are the smart way to gain a qualification in hairdressing, barbering and beauty therapy.
Apprenticeships take you further, faster
Contact us today support@hito.org.nz (04) 499 1180
ARCHITECT
Year 13 at Auckland’s Selwyn College. He says creative subjects like Art and Design are highly important when applying to architectural schools. His advice to students is to learn to draw by hand. “You don’t have to be an artist to do so, but you will need to express your thoughts via your drawings, so learn to sketch and communicate through your drawings. Learn how to use computer applications, such as Photoshop, InDesign and others. “So start exploring and trying things out on your own now, and you will be ahead of the game when you get to your tertiary studies.”
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KEY FACTS ■ MYINT SAN AUNG HAS A BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURAL STUDIES AND JUST GRADUATED WITH A MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE (PROFESSIONAL) FROM UNITEC. ■ HE STUDIED ART PAINTING, DESIGN AND VISUAL COMMUNICATION, ENGLISH, PHYSICS AND CALCULUS IN YEAR 13 AND SAYS THAT ART AND DESIGN ARE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN STUDYING ARCHITECTURE. ■ SAN WOULD LIKE TO HAVE HIS OWN PRACTICE, WORKING INTERNATIONALLY AND LOCALLY, WITH A FOCUS ON HUMANITARIAN PROJECTS.
For more information on studying architectural studies, through Unitec, visit www.unitec.ac.nz/architecture
DEEP-SEA FISHING 16
PROSPECTS AND PERKS
PURSUE DEEP-SEA FISHING AS A CAREER writer PETER WHITE // photo OLIVER LEE
MASON LAULUSA says that working in deep-sea fishing “is just a pretty good environment to be in. You need to work hard but it is rewarding.” The connections you build are strong, “because you work with your crew for such a long time, they turn into your family,” he adds. The 20-year-old deep-sea fisherman has been with Sealord for just over one year. Sealord has seven deep-sea vessels operating from New Zealand waters. Mason is attached to the 64-metre trawler FV Ocean Dawn. He is a factory hand with the job of trimming the fish as they are loaded on board. It is an important part of the huge on-board processing of the catch. “I have to sort the fish that come through, basically grade them, while other people have the job of packing the fish and other things too,” he says. “There are lots of magic scenic moments on board and honestly the food they have on the boats is really good.” Mason says Sealord is a pretty cool company to work for. “If the boat you are working on does not dock in Nelson, they pay for your flights to get to the port where the ship leaves from. So, they fly me from Auckland down to Timaru or Dunedin or wherever we leave from if it isn’t Nelson. “They also pay you to do courses like forklift driving if you want to get further qualifications.” Mason works a roster of four-to-six-weeks at sea followed by the same amount of time at home, which is a great way to save money. “I’ve got a lot of things because of Sealord and I am happy about it,” he says. “I want to move my way up in the factory on board. Hopefully get to be a supervisor or factory manager.” Mason went to Marcellin College in Royal Oak, Auckland. In Year 13, he took Religious Studies, Sports Science, Maths, Drama, History and English. While at school, considerations of becoming a deep-sea fisher were not in Mason’s plans. The turning point came when he did the Limited Service Volunteer (LSV) programme. It is a free motivational training course run by the New Zealand Defence Force. Mason says it was like an army camp for six weeks. “They basically prep you for interviews and how to get into jobs and stuff. Basically, they help you find a job. “After the course, I then went to the Westport Deep Sea Fishing School and that’s how I got into fishing. I was at the school for five weeks. The key things I got out of that were time management, how to work within a team and also studying about the fishing industry in general.” Mason’s advice for school leavers who want to get into deep-sea fishing is to try your best all the time and push yourself to do the best job you can do. Job prospects for school leavers with Sealord look good as reliable, friendly crew members are always needed.
i want to MOVE UP IN THE FACTORY ON BOARD. HOPEFULLY GET TO BE A SUPERVISOR OR FACTORY MANAGER. MASON LAULUSA
KEY FACTS MASON LAULUSA WORKS AS A DEEP-SEA FISHER FOR SEALORD, WHERE HE IS ON BOARD THE 64-METRE TRAWLER FV OCEAN DAWN. AFTER SCHOOL, MASON COMPLETED THE LIMITED SERVICE VOLUNTEER (LSV) PROGRAMME, A FREE MOTIVATIONAL TRAINING COURSE RUN BY THE NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE FORCE. HE THEN ATTENDED WESTPORT DEEP SEA FISHING SCHOOL. ■ MASON WORKS A ROSTER OF FOUR-TO-SIX-WEEKS AT SEA, WHICH IS FOLLOWED BY THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME AT HOME.
■ For more information on apprenticeships n sign making, ■ visit www.signee.nz
LEAVINGSCHOOL.CO.NZ
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For more information on career opportunities in the fishing industry, visit www.sealord.com/working-at-sealord www.seafood.co.nz/careers and www.deepsea.co.nz
GET MOVING IN YOUR MOBILE WORKSPACE writer SARA CARBERY // photo LOGAN WEST
If you enjoy freedom, travel, banter, learning and meeting great people, truck driving might be the career for you. And thanks to the Te ara ki tua Road to Success traineeship programme, which is run through la Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand, becoming a truck driver has never been easier! Nineteen-year-old Mackenzie Lintern completed the 12-month traineeship programme and is now driving for Mackleys Transport and Logistics delivering steel for Fletcher Easy Steel. “I enjoy having my workspace move with me,” Mackenzie says, “and being able to see parts of the country I probably never would have, along with interacting with a huge range of people.” After being accepted into the programme, trainees are matched with a suitable employer and earn a minimum of $21.50 per hour while gaining nationally recognised qualifications and progressing their licence class. Mackenzie is working towards getting her Class 5 licence in the next few months while continuing to learn as much as possible from others in the industry. Her advice is, “Don’t be intimidated. Everyone starts somewhere and most drivers are willing to give you a hand whenever; you just have to put in the effort to learn.” From the moment she got her learner licence, Mackenzie has loved driving and sat all her driving tests as soon as she could. When she left school, halfway through Year 12, she started driving
Class 1 trucks delivering groceries for the local supermarket where she worked part-time as a student. “From there, I started getting my licences by doing courses and applying for jobs that encouraged me to progress.” This included a three-week course through Kiwi Can Do to get her Class 2 full licence and applying for Road to Success. Over the course of a year, she completed practical learning modules while studying, and graduated with certificates in road transport. In Year 12 at Bethlehem College in Tauranga, Mackenzie studied Biology, Chemistry, English, Maths and Photography. “Mechanics would have been useful,” she says, “but definitely not necessary.” The main challenges of truck driving for her are physical, “like being able to throw the chains over high loads or, when working on tall trucks, being able to reach far enough to place the load restraints”. As well as driving, a big aspect of the job is planning and loading your truck. “Crane operators load most of the truck but some items I load by forklift,” she says. To qualify for the Te ara ki tua Road to Success programme, you need to be over 18 and able to pass a drug test. It’s also preferred that entrants have a full, clean licence.
TRUCK DRIVER
FREEDOM OF THE HIGHWAY
17
i ENJOY HAVING MY WORKSPACE MOVE WITH ME AND BEING ABLE TO SEE PARTS OF THE COUNTRY I PROBABLY NEVER WOULD HAVE. MACKENZIE LINTERN
KEY FACTS ■ MACKENZIE LINTERN COMPLETED THE 12-MONTH TE ARA KI TUA ROAD TO SUCCESS TRAINEESHIP PROGRAMME. ■ SHE WAS MATCHED WITH AN EMPLOYER AND BEGAN EARNING. SHE COMPLETED PRACTICAL LEARNING MODULES WHILE STUDYING, AND GRADUATED WITH CERTIFICATES IN ROAD TRANSPORT.
For more information on the Te ara ki tua Road to Success traineeship programme, visit www.roadtosuccess.nz
■ MACKENZIE WORKS AS A TRUCK DRIVER FOR MACKLEYS TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS DELIVERING STEEL FOR FLETCHER EASY STEEL.
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WATER SITE ENGINEER 18
ENGINEERING SHAPES THE FUTURE
ENJOY MAKING A DIFFERENCE writer SARA CARBERY // photo ALAN STEVENS As a water site engineer with Downer in Tauranga, KUMEROA WHITE (known as Cooms) gets immense satisfaction making a difference to the local communities she works with in the Bay of Plenty. It’s one of the many things the 28-year-old lists when asked what she most enjoys about her job. “Working in a team, the outdoors, seeing individuals grow and adding value that benefits the community. I also really enjoy the variety of work, as no day is the same.” Her job involves carrying out quality checks to ensure projects are being built to contract specifications, site audits, site inductions, liaising with engineers and clients, and the planning of works. “It’s a whole lot of learning and fun!” After completing a Diploma in Civil Engineering at Wintec in Hamilton, Cooms did a three-year cadetship with Downer, rotating around 10 business units. In the last year of her cadetship, having enjoyed working in the water side of the business, and putting in the mahi, she was offered a fulltime role. “Downer has many career avenues and you’ve got room to move until you find your niche,” she says. “It’s such a diverse sector – you can find your area to shine.” While she doesn’t feel she is treated differently because she’s a young woman working in a male-dominated industry, Cooms admits it can be quite intimidating to speak up. “It takes an enormous amount of courage but the more you do it, the easier it gets.” In her final year at Tokoroa High School (Year 13), Cooms took Maths, English, Geography, Earth Science and Gateway. In Gateway, she completed work experience at the South Waikato District Council, once a week for six weeks. She says NCEA Maths and English have proven to be the most useful subjects. “Maths is pivotal in engineering to do calculations on site, and communication is a crucial part for liaising with clients, subcontractors and work colleagues, whether that be in person or by email.”
THE DIPLOMA IN CIVIL ENGINEERING IS RECOGNISED ALL AROUND THE WORLD AND THE PAY ISN‘T TOO BAD EITHER. KUMEROA (COOMS) WHITE
In hindsight, studying NCEA Graphics and Physics would have been useful and helped her out a lot. The diploma took Cooms longer than the usual two years because she had to pick up studying physics from scratch, “but grit and determination made me succeed and it was worth it!” Through a partnership Downer has with Volunteering Services Abroad, Cooms volunteered in the Solomon Islands for three months during her cadetship – an experience that has inspired her to one day work for a non-profit organisation specialising in water and wastewater engineering services in developing countries. If you’re considering a career in engineering, Cooms recommends approaching companies like
Downer who offer cadetships or apprenticeships, as they allow you to earn while you learn on-the-job. “Engineering is a great industry to get into if you enjoy working outdoors, working collaboratively in a team, and building and maintaining infrastructure that shapes New Zealand. “The Diploma in Civil Engineering is recognised all around the world and the pay isn’t too bad either!”
KEY FACTS ■ KUMEROA (COOMS) WHITE HAS A DIPLOMA IN CIVIL ENGINEERING FROM WINTEC. ■ SHE THEN COMPLETED A THREE-YEAR CADETSHIP WITH DOWNER, ROTATING AROUND 10 BUSINESS UNITS. SHE WAS OFFERED A FULLTIME ROLE WITH THE COMPANY, AND WORKS AS A WATER SITE ENGINEER IN TAURANGA. ■ COOMS TOOK MATHS, ENGLISH, GEOGRAPHY, EARTH SCIENCE AND PARTICIPATED IN THE GATEWAY PROGRAMME IN YEAR 13. SHE HIGHLY RECOMMENDS ALSO STUDYING PHYSICS AND GRAPHICS FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN A SIMILAR CAREER PATH. LEAVINGSCHOOL.CO.NZ
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For more information on studying engineering, visit www.vee.nz For more information on career opportunities with Downer, visit https://people.downergroup.co.nz/ roles-for-everyone
School’s out. Engineering’s in.
If you’re looking at what’s next after school, consider a career in engineering – there are many different fields to suit your interests. With a New Zealand Diploma in Engineering (NZDE), you can get a qualification pathway that combines applied academic study with practical skills, and only takes two years to prepare you for employment in the engineering profession. Plus, it’s currently FEE FREE to study. You can also enrol for the Bachelor of Engineering Technology at participating Polytechnics.
Entry criteria for the NZDE is to have at least 12 credits at Level 2 in Mathematics (preferably achievement standards in Algebra, Calculus or Trigonometry). Foundation courses are available to help meet the entry criteria. The NZDE is closely aligned to the three year degree qualification (BEngTech) and there is a smooth pathway between the two.
Find out how to begin your step into engineering vee.nz
Supporting future tradies now & into the future There are plenty of reasons why Kiwi tradies trust Plumbing World to have their back. So here are a few of the things we’re doing behind the scenes to support our mates looking to join the trade. Championing the next generation. The plumbing trades are an attractive career option for all school leavers to consider, so we’re proud to continue to support the Masterlink and ATT apprenticeship schemes, especially in these uncertain times. We’re also very proud of our Young Plumbers and Young Plumber of the Year initiatives as they help future proof our Industry and support and celebrate excellence. Keeping business moving. We work alongside Master Plumbers and closely with our suppliers advocating to MBIE and the Government on behalf of the plumbing trades to ensure business keeps functioning while global supply is disrupted.
Supporting equality. We’re focused on providing a supportive and inclusive culture for all our team members. Plumbing World is also a NAWIC supporter (National Association of Women in Construction) and is behind the Women in Trades Expo series. Keeping the flame alive. We’re dedicated to getting to a zero carbon future so are working to ensure our operations are efficient. We are also focused on instilling confidence in the future of NZ’s energy mix as we move away from fossil fuels to further cut our countries emissions.
We’re your Team in Black At Plumbing World we’re committed to developing our people throughout their careers. To support this we have teamed up with all the best industry players to make our industry hum. We’re here to keep our industry safe, inclusive and open so everyone’s journey is rewarding. If the Plumbing trades sound good to you please drop us a line.
plumbingworld.co.nz
LEARN AND EARN STRAIGHT AWAY writer PETER WHITE // photo NEIL MacKENZIE ANDREW SMITH is living the dream. He is in his fourth year of a five-year plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying apprenticeship. At St Patrick’s College in Wellington, Andrew took Physical Education, Technology, Food and Nutrition, as well as participating in the Gateway programme, in Year 13. The 21-year-old says Gateway was the final deciding factor to become a plumber. “Gateway sorted me out with a company. I worked there every Friday. I was quite lucky to get Glennies Plumbing in Wellington, where I am working now. “At the end of Year 13, I had a meeting with them and asked for an apprenticeship. They work closely with Masterlink and it all went from there and I signed up for my apprenticeship.” Andrew says the great thing with Masterlink is you have a mentor, who acts as a middleperson and who is with you and supporting you, all the time. “They follow you through your apprenticeship, keeping you up-to-date with your bookwork and stuff like that. You have a meeting every three months and get a progress report. Masterlink
offer a whole lot more opportunities as well – like different scholarships for different things, such as Outward Bound.” Andrew says if there is a shortage of work at the company you are with, Masterlink can assist by seeking placements with other companies – either in the short-term or longer. One of the things Andrew loves about his career is how every day at work brings new challenges for an apprentice plumber. “I am quite lucky with Glennies that I have such a wide variety of work. It might be a big job you are on for a few days, to going around and doing a whole lot of maintenance work on gas, drainage and plumbing.” Gas work is his favourite of the three specialities. He likes the procedures of the gas-testing side of things and installing new appliances. “I find the work quite rewarding.” Andrew also loves getting paid to learn on-the-job during his apprenticeship. “You do your five days a week working and there are options to do overtime as well.
“I quite enjoy the lifestyle that comes with it and having the money to be able to buy and do the things I want straight out of school.” His goals are to first finish his apprenticeship, get all his exams done, and then after two years as a tradesperson, he wants to get his certifying licence – the highest class of licence for plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers. “Once you have got that, the possibilities are kind of endless. You can go overseas and work because the New Zealand ticket is well-recognised or stay local and start-up a company.” Andrew says there is a bright future for school leavers getting into trades. “There is always work no matter what trade you do. You just need a good attitude, to work hard and be willing to learn as much as you can in the first few years.”
PLUMBER, GASFITTER AND DRAINLAYER
VARIETY OF REWARDING WORK
21
THERE IS ALWAYS WORK NO MATTER WHAT TRADE YOU DO. YOU JUST NEED A GOOD ATTITUDE, TO WORK HARD AND BE WILLING TO LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN IN THE FIRST FEW YEARS. ANDREW SMITH
KEY FACTS ■ NAME ANDREW HAS SMITH A DEGREE IS IN FROM HIS FOURTH THE YEAR OF A PLUMBING, GASFITTING AND DRAINLAYING APPRENTICESHIP THROUGH MASTERLINK. TERTIARY INSTITUTION. TOOKATCOURSES AND COURSES. ■ NAME HE WORKS GLENNIES PLUMBING IN WELLINGTON. NAME WORKS IN THE JOB DESIGNATION A LARGE SECURITY FIRMNUTRITION IN ■ ANDREW STUDIED PHYSICAL EDUCATION,OF TECHNOLOGY, FOOD AND COMPANY IN COUNTRY. IN YEAR 13,NAME AS WELL AS PARTICIPATING IN THE GATEWAY PROGRAMME. GATEWAY WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN HIM DOING HIS APPRENTICESHIP.
For more information on training career opportunities in gasfitting, plumbing with Plumbing and World visit www.plumbingworld.ac.nz/careers drainlaying through Masterlink, withwww.masterlink.co.nz visit for further details on plumbing apprenticeships with ATT, visit www.att.org.nz
LEAVING SCHOOL ISSUE #23
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DEER SHEPHERD
DARE TO WORK WITH DEER
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A DIFFERENT WAY TO FARM writer PETER WHITE // photo BEV BELL (SIMPLY INSPIRED)
DEER CAN BE TEMPERAMENTAL ANIMALS, so YOU need to be able to read them, but you learn that along the way. it is good fun mustering where the deer livE. ELLIOT SYME
ELLIOT SYME loves working with deer as they have their own unique character and are intelligent animals. The 20-year-old went to St Andrew’s College in Christchurch and has ended up farming deer at Mount Peel Station in South Canterbury. Mount Peel is an iconic 5500-hectare sheep, cattle and deer property that is farmed today by the descendants of John Acland, who began farming the property in 1855. Elliot says to be successful working with deer, the most important things are that you need to love what you are doing, love the outdoors, love the animals and learn some good stock sense. “Deer can be temperamental animals, so you need to be able to read them, but you learn that along the way. “It is good fun mustering where the deer live. I also like working with the dogs, maintaining animal health and the breeding work we are doing.” In Year 12 at St Andrew’s College, Elliot took AgriScience, Metal Technology, English, Maths and a transition course that included outdoor education.
He always wanted to go farming during his school years. The kick-start he needed to get into the industry was doing the one-year Diploma in Agriculture at Lincoln University. “I had to work on two different farms for a paper I was doing as part of the course. I worked at a place in Tekapo in the summer and the winter at Mount Peel, where I am working fulltime now.” Elliot recommends the course at Lincoln for school leavers wanting to get an introduction to a career in farming. “You learn a lot that you wouldn’t learn on the farm, like the stuff that goes on in the background. They take you right through from the basics at the start – so anyone can learn it, from a townie to someone who has been on a farm.” The future prospects look good for Elliot. His goal is to work his way up to be head shepherd, then stock manager and to manage his own place. “My end goal is to own a farm.” Deer Industry New Zealand (DINZ) CEO Innes Moffat says working with deer offers school leavers another career choice in agriculture.
“Deer are majestic animals that bring diversity and a little bit of excitement to the farming day. We’ve got about 1400 farms across the country that run deer as part of their systems. Deer are run for venison, velvet and for some safari and hunting operations,” he says. “There is lots of variety to the work. These farms also need advice and assistance from rural professionals, so knowing a little about deer can be a real advantage to service providers and adds some diversity to their jobs too. “You don’t have to be a deer specialist in order to get a job working with deer. There are a very enthusiastic bunch of farmers who will be keen to share what they know to help look after their deer and they look after their staff well.”
KEY FACTS
■ For more information on apprenticeships■ n sign making, visit www.signee.nz■
ELLIOT SYME HAS A DIPLOMA IN AGRICULTURE FROM LINCOLN UNIVERSITY. HE WORKS AS A SHEPHERD AT MOUNT PEEL STATION IN SOUTH CANTERBURY, WHICH IS A 5500-HECTARE SHEEP, CATTLE AND DEER PROPERTY. ELLIOT HAS GOALS FOR HIS CAREER IN DEER FARMING, WITH HIS FIRST AIM BEING TO PROGRESS TO HEAD SHEPHERD. HIS ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO OWN HIS OWN FARM.
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For more information on careers in deer farming, visit www.deernz.org For more information on studying at Lincoln University, visit www.lincoln.ac.nz
PARAMEDIC
DON’T GIVE UP IF YOU DON’T FINISH SCHOOL OR GET EXCELLENCE MARKS. THE KEY THINGS ARE MOTIVATION AND DRIVE. ABBEY HEAGREN
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SPECIALIST IN SAVING LIVES
writer PETER WHITE photo ALAN STEVENS
CAREER IN CRITICAL CARE “It is definitely a dream job for me,” says ABBEY HEAGREN. The 27-year-old is an intensive care paramedic for St John Ambulance Service and is based in Tauranga. Her job title is senior clinical support officer, which is within the clinical development team. Abbey is a specialist in critical care, giving advanced treatment to critically unwell and injured patients. She also provides medical assistance to other ambulance staff. “When someone calls for backup, someone of my skill level will be sent to them for the more complex cases,” she says. “I have climbed the top of the ATP (authority to practice) chain. The only step I need to do now is to finish two more university papers and then I can be called a critical care paramedic.” Interacting with people is one of the things Abbey loves most about the job. “Even though I have specialist knowledge and love doing the more acute work and saving people’s lives, I also like being able to communicate with people in the community and make community plans to avoid hospital admission.
“I just like working with people – old, young and from different life paths.”
Abbey went to St Peter’s School in Cambridge where she took English, Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Photography and Computer Studies in her final Year 12. She knew she wanted a career in health care but at school was not sure what path to follow. Abbey began doing volunteer work for St John before gaining a National Diploma in Ambulance Practice, which qualified her to get into university to study paramedicine. The diploma also enabled her to complete her Bachelor of Health Science majoring in Paramedicine from AUT University in half the normal time. Abbey says she enjoyed studying for the diploma as it was a different way of learning for her.
Abby says there are good career opportunities with St John for school leavers to consider, as well as other pathways. “It is not just St John we can work for. I think eventually we will be able to work for medical centres and cross into other areas of health.” Abbey wants to encourage students not to be put off if they do not have the best grades. “You don’t have to be extremely academically smart to go to university. I am a little bit dyslexic and I have managed to get through university and my career so far without doing Year 13. “So don’t give up if you don’t finish school or get Excellence marks. The key things are motivation and drive – [they] are really important in getting into this career or any career.”
“It wasn’t restricted but I also had to have quite a lot of self-motivation to complete what I needed to be completed within the deadlines. “I finished my degree in 2015 and worked fulltime for St John in my last year of study. That led on to a paramedic job at the beginning of 2016.”
KEY FACTS ■ ABBEY HEAGREN IS AN INTENSIVE CARE PARAMEDIC FOR ST JOHN AMBULANCE SERVICE IN TAURANGA. ■ SHE HAS A NATIONAL DIPLOMA IN AMBULANCE PRACTICE AND A BACHELOR OF HEALTH SCIENCE MAJORING IN PARAMEDICINE FROM AUT UNIVERSITY. ■ ABBEY STUDIED ENGLISH, BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, MATHS, PHOTOGRAPHY AND COMPUTER STUDIES IN YEAR 12.
For more information on careers with St John, visit https://join.stjohn.org.nz/ ambulance-careers/home For more information on studying at AUT visit, www.aut.ac.nz
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IMPORTANT NOTICES
JOB HUNTING Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much. Helen Keller
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These websites will help you find a job! Allied Work Force – www.awf.co.nz Trade Me Jobs – www.trademe.co.nz/jobs MyJobSpace – www.myjobspace.co.nz Student Job Search – www.sjs.co.nz Do Good Jobs – www.dogoodjobs.co.nz Work and Income – www.job-bank.workandincome.govt.nz Seek – www.seek.co.nz
CAREERS UNIVERSITY/POLYTECHNIC OPEN DAYS 2022 Date Website NEW ZEALAND Tertiary provider A fantastic resource providing expert advice and confidential, free information on all things education and employment – including choosing school subjects, enrolling in study or training and applying for jobs. Call their free advice line on 0800 222 733, free text CAREER to 434 or chat online by visiting their website at www.careers.govt.nz
It’s fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure. Bill Gates
UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO Hamilton Campus 27–28 May
www.waikato.ac.nz
UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO Tauranga Campus 17–18 June
www.waikato.ac.nz
UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO
31 July–1 Aug
www.otago.ac.nz
OTAGO POLYTECHNIC
31 July–1 Aug
www.op.ac.nz
3 Aug
www.massey.ac.nz
MASSEY UNIVERSITY Manawatu Campus WHITIREIA and WELTEC, Porirua
10 Aug www.whitireiaweltec.ac.nz
WHITIREIA and WELTEC, Wellington
19 Aug www.whitireiaweltec.ac.nz
WHITIREIA and WELTEC, Petone
24 Aug www.whitireiaweltec.ac.nz
SIT Invercargill Campus
26 Aug
www.sit.ac.nz
VICTORIA UNIVERSITY
26 Aug
www.victoria.ac.nz
MASSEY UNIVERSITY Wellington Campus
26 Aug
www.massey.ac.nz
AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
27 Aug
www.aut.ac.nz
UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND
27 Aug
www.auckland.ac.nz
MASSEY UNIVERSITY Auckland Campus
3 Sept
www.massey.ac.nz
UNITEC
3 Sept
www.unitec.ac.nz
UNIVERSITY OF CANTERBURY
9 Sept
www.canterbury.ac.nz
* Accurate at time of print. Please check providers’ websites for any changes.
SCHOLARSHIPS FEELING DOWN? There is a free-to-use comprehensive list of Year 13 scholarships available to 2022 school leavers at MoneyHub. Millions of dollars are available and applications close throughout the year. Talk to your careers advisor or visit www.moneyhub.co.nz/students
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Leaving school is one of the most major transitions we undertake in our lives, and it’s a time when anxiety, worry and depression can surface. www.thelowdown.co.nz is full of ideas and people who can help you get unstuck and get to a better place. Need to talk? Free text to 5626
| LEAVING SCHOOL ISSUE #23
If you are working on something that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you. Steve Jobs
Term 1 holiday: 16 April–1 May 2022 Term 2 holiday: 9 July–24 July 2022 Term 3 holiday: 1 October–16 October 2022 Term 4 holiday: No later than 20 December 2022 through to no earlier than 30 January 2023 Information sourced from Ministry of Education, visit www.education.govt.nz
You are never too young to lead nor too old to act. And you should never doubt your capacity to triumph where others have not. Kofi Annan
I hated every minute of training. But I said, “Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.” Muhammad Ali
Admission to the Expo is free for all visitors. Visit www.careersexpo.org.nz
It’s always important to make sure that you are on the electoral roll and ready to take part in national and local elections. How else can you be sure that you are ready to have your say on the big issues affecting you and your family?
www.elections.org.nz/voters
IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING LIFELINE available 24/7 0800 543 354 www.lifeline.org.nz YOUTHLINE available 24/7 0800 376 633 or free text 234 www.youthline.co.nz WHAT’S UP Mon–Fri noon–11pm & Sat/Sun 3pm–11pm 0800 942 8787 www.whatsup.co.nz ALCOHOL DRUG HELPLINE 0800 787 797 available 24/7 www.alcoholdrughelp.org.nz
NZ CAREERS EXPO 2022 VOLUNTEERING WELLINGTON 13–14 MAY CHRISTCHURCH 26–28 MAY DUNEDIN 2 JUNE HAMILTON 12–13 JUNE PALMERSTON NORTH 17 JUNE NAPIER 21 JUNE AUCKLAND 30 JUNE–2 JULY
MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT
Volunteering can provide you with opportunities to develop your skills in new and interesting ways as well as providing valuable real-world experiences – all important attributes to your CV when applying for your first job! For more information, visit: www.volunteeringnz.org.nz/ volunteers/finding-volunteer-roles/
These magazines and past issues can be read online at www.leavingschool.co.nz
Never mistake knowledge for wisdom. One helps you make a living; the other helps you make a life. Eleanor Roosevelt
STUDENT ALLOWANCE AND LOANS If you are about to leave school and you’re looking at tertiary study, there’s going to be a lot to think about. If it’s anything to do with financial support while you’re studying, StudyLink can help and you need to apply by
16 December 2022.
Sign up for info at www.studylink.govt.nz
Visit www.keytolife.org.nz LEAVING SCHOOL ISSUE #23
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IMPORTANT NOTICES
SECONDARY SCHOOL HOLIDAYS 2022/23
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THE GREAT OUTDOORS OFFICE SHEPHERD
AMBITIOUS HEAD SHEPHERD
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“You get good days and you get bad days but you make the most of the good days. I love the lifestyle and the dogs,” says TAIN LAING. “You get so much of a thrill watching them go from a pup to a broken-in dog, going to dog trials, and proving you have done well with your dog training.” Tain is a head shepherd working in Gore. While every day is different and the weather plays a huge part in the job, he just loves having the great outdoors as his office. The 23-year-old grew up in Alexandra, not from a farming background, but he knew from an early age he wanted to work on farms. At Dunstan High School, he worked at Moutere Station as part of the successful Gateway programme. He was then awarded a cadetship to work and train at Jeff Farm, located between Mataura and Clinton in South Otago. Jeff Farm is managed for The Salvation Army Trust Board and carries approximately 30,000 stock units, with 70 per cent sheep, 20 per cent beef cattle and 10 per cent deer. Tain had two rewarding years at Jeff Farm, where he completed his Level 3 qualification through Primary ITO. This training is done through block courses off-site and on-farm practical training, which includes mustering, shearing, general stock work, tractor work, fencing, winter grazing rotations and training dogs. “I highly recommend Primary ITO,” says Tain. “It is more hands-on than other courses. You have to go and do it yourself, and I learn so much better by the practical way, rather than reading about it.” Tain’s skill working with dogs was evident when he and his dog Smudge took out the South Island maiden dog trial championships and finished second in the New Zealand finals in 2018. Tain has worked for Grant Brothers, who own six farms in Gore, since he finished at Jeff Farm just over three years ago. He has since achieved his Primary ITO Level 4 qualification and is now a head shepherd. “I am quite proud to get Level 4 because it is a big step from Level 3 and is quite a lot more work. I have
writer PETER WHITE photo GEOFF HORRELL
to fill out monthly reports now about the weather and soil temperature and what you did over the month with stock. “I have a learnt a lot on the job I have now, but you should be learning every day really. The people you work with teach you stuff, so it is really good.” Tain took Woodwork, Maths, Geography, Food
Technology and Ag Science (via correspondence) in Year 13. His advice to school leavers is to have a good attitude and work ethic, plus take every opportunity you get given, even if you are not keen on doing it. Tain’s goal is to be a stock manager in the next 5–10 years, a farm manager in 10–15 years, and then move to owning his own farm, hopefully.
YOU GET SO MUCH THRILL WATCHING THEM GO FROM A PUP TO A BROKEN-IN DOG, going TO DOG TRIALS, AND PROVING YOU HAVE DONE WELL WITH YOUR DOG TRAINING. TAIN LAING
KEY FACTS NAMELAING HAS AWORKS DEGREEAS FROM THESHEPHERD IN GORE FOR THE TAIN A HEAD GRANT BROTHERS. TERTIARY INSTITUTION. NAME COURSES AND COURSES. HE HASTOOK ACHIEVED HIS LEVEL 3 AND LEVEL 4 QUALIFICATION THROUGH PRIMARY ITO, WHICH COURSE. NAME WORKS IN THE HE JOBRECOMMENDS DESIGNATIONAS OFAAREALLY LARGEHANDS-ON SECURITY FIRM IN COMPANY NAME COUNTRY. ■ TAIN WORKED ATIN MOUTERE STATION AS PART OF HIS GATEWAY PROGRAMME AT HIGH SCHOOL, AFTER WHICH HE WAS THEN AWARDED A CADETSHIP TO WORK AND TRAIN AT JEFF FARM.
■ For more information on apprenticeships n sign making, ■ visit www.signee.nz■
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career For more information on courses withthrough Plumbing World inopportunities sheep and beef Primary ITO, visitwww.primaryito.ac.nz www.plumbingworld.ac.nz/careers visit withmore for further detailsononcareer plumbing For information opportunities apprenticeships with Beef + Lambwith NewATT, Zealand, visitwww.beeflambnz.com www.att.org.nz visit
FOCUSSED ON FARMING Shepherd GALAXIE WAIHAPE just loves working with animals in the great outdoors. She believes young women have every chance of succeeding in farming with the right attitude. “I am only half the size of the guys out here and I can do just as good as they can do,” she says. The 20-year-old loves being out on a horse with her dogs working the steep terrain of Mangapoike Station, which is located between Wairoa and Gisborne.
writer PETER WHITE photo KOROU DIGITAL AGENCY, WAIROA
YOU KNOW WHEN YOU ARE REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT SOMETHING, YOU CAN’T SLEEP AT NIGHT. THAT IS THE SORT OF BUZZ I WENT THROUGH ONCE I HAD MY DOGS WELL-ENOUGH TRAINED TO TAKE OUT.
SHEPHERD
A LOVE OF DOGS AND HORSES
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GALAXIE WAIHAPE
Galaxie, who is of Ngati Pahauwera descent, was not from a farming background but always wanted to be a farmer. “It was all I wanted to do but I had no clue about it, nothing at all. I just knew I wanted to be involved in farming somehow, so I worked hard at school because I knew that would be a big help to try and find some training,” she says. “I got my NCEA Level 2 then left and worked to get some savings before applying for the Growing Future Farmers (GFF) course.” The two-year GFF cadetship enables graduates to get a GFF Essential Farm Skills industry recognised certification aligned to the Certificate of Agriculture, Infrastructure and Machinery (Level 3). Galaxie did her training at Mangapoike Station. She loved honing her skills – driving a tractor, shearing and mustering sheep, and using Cloud-based software. “When I first started, I was still trying to grow up and become independent so it was pretty scary at the start. Once I broke out of that being so shy and quiet, it became really easy. I felt like I grew and took on every challenge and opportunity to learn. “The GFF course gave me a chance to get better at different things and learn what’s involved in farming, while you are doing it. Every day, learning stuff was pretty exciting.” For Galaxie, it really is a labour of love working the land and solving the many challenges that come up daily. “You know when you are really passionate about something, you can’t sleep at night. That is the sort of buzz I went through once I had my dogs well-enough trained to take out. I have amazed myself how much I have learned in such a short space of time.
“What really inspired me when I first started was seeing another cadet (who stayed on at Mangapoike like me after he did his training) riding with his dogs. Once I reached that point, it was unreal to be able to do that myself. It was so cool. “The dog work and being out on a horse is quite satisfying.”
In Year 12 at Wairoa College, Galaxie took Science, Geography, Maths, English and Social Science. Her advice for school leavers is to just go for it, you have got nothing to lose. “Attitude is number one. You have to try your hardest and also love what you do at the same time.”
KEY FACTS GALAXIE WAIHAPE WORKS AS A SHEPHERD ON MANGAPOIKE STATION, BETWEEN WAIROA AND GISBORNE. SHE COMPLETED A TWO-YEAR GROWING FUTURE FARMERS CADETSHIP. SHE ACHIEVED AN ESSENTIAL FARM SKILLS INDUSTRY RECOGNISED CERTIFICATION ALIGNED TO THE CERTIFICATE OF AGRICULTURE, INFRASTRUCTURE AND MACHINERY (LEVEL 3). ■ GALAXIE STUDIED SCIENCE, GEOGRAPHY, MATHS, ENGLISH AND SOCIAL SCIENCE IN YEAR 12.
■ For more information on apprenticeships n sign making, ■ visit www.signee.nz
career For more information on courses opportunities with Plumbing offered through Growing Future World Farmers, visitwww.growingfuturefarmers.co.nz www.plumbingworld.ac.nz/careers visit withmore for further detailsononcareer plumbing For information opportunities apprenticeships with Beef + Lambwith NewATT, Zealand, visitwww.beeflambnz.com www.att.org.nz visit
LEAVING SCHOOL ISSUE #23
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FASHION DESIGN
BREAKING BARRIERS DOWN
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FASHIONING UP A CAREER writer SARA CARBERY photographer LOGAN WEST
DIHLIA TEURU is only 24 but her success in the fashion industry is testament to the wisdom of her advice to school leavers – “listen to your gut” and “take a risk”. “Sometimes it won’t work out but don’t let that get you down,” she says. Although her parents wanted her to study early childhood education, Dihlia applied for a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Fashion Design) and continued on to do Honours at Whitecliffe. “At school, I saw fashion as more of a hobby. I didn’t see it as a career option but my friends saw potential in me,” she says. “And something in my gut said, ‘You can do this’.” One year on from graduating, Dihlia has found “the perfect job” working for The Carpenter’s Daughter, a New Zealand plus-size designer brand. “Being a bigger woman myself, I wanted to work in the plus-size world,” she says. “I wanted to break barriers and take a risk.” The founder of The Carpenter’s Daughter, Caroline Marr, contacted Dihlia after seeing her plus-size
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“It’s the perfect documentary if people want to know the true cost of fast fashion.”
AT SCHOOL, I SAW FASHION AS MORE OF A HOBBY. I DIDN’T SEE IT AS A CAREER OPTION BUT MY FRIENDS SAW POTENTIAL IN ME. DIHLIA TEURU
In Year 13 at Edgewater College in Auckland, Dihlia studied English, Maths, Textiles, Media Studies, Early Childhood and Food Technology. While Textiles taught her the basics of sewing and was helpful, Dihlia says English and Maths were crucial. “Maths allowed me to do numbers, and English taught me how to write creative stories for my collections.” Dihlia loved her time at Whitecliffe. “I was stimulated by so many creative people and so many creative minds. The energy was very captivating and vibrant! Before enrolling in her degree, Dihlia did a Certificate in Arts + Design, a semester-long programme which concentrates on developing a portfolio for application to on-going study at Whitecliffe, or elsewhere. “This really helped me figure out that fashion was for me before jumping into the degree.”
KEY FACTS ■ DIHLIA TEURU HAS A BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS (FASHION DESIGN) WITH HONOURS FROM WHITECLIFFE. PRIOR TO THAT, SHE STUDIED A CERTIFICATE IN ARTS + DESIGN. ■ SHE STUDIED ENGLISH, MATHS, TEXTILES, MEDIA STUDIES, EARLY CHILDHOOD AND FOOD TECHNOLOGY IN YEAR 13 AT EDGEWATER COLLEGE IN AUCKLAND. ■ DIHLIA WORKS FOR THE CARPENTER’S DAUGHTER, A NEW ZEALAND PLUS-SIZE DESIGNER BRAND WHERE SHE DOES A VARIETY OF ROLES: CLOTHES DESIGNER, ASSISTANT STORE MANAGER, STYLIST AND A MODEL, SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT CREATOR AND LOOKING AFTER SOME BACK-END OPERATIONS FOR THEIR ONLINE STORE.
Change lives through better sight with a career in optometry As health care professionals, optometrists aim to provide the best possible health outcomes for patients using their knowledge of how the eye functions to treat and manage vision problems. At Specsavers, we are focused on providing the highest level of patient care. Our optometrists are committed to reducing the rate of
avoidable blindness and improving sight through the prescription of glasses and contact lenses. We’re on a clear mission to change lives through better sight in New Zealand – and we need more people to join us on that mission. For more information contact: anz.graduateoptometry@specsavers.com
For more information on study options at Whitecliffe, visit www.whitecliffe.ac.nz
FASHION DESIGN
Honours collection at the annual Whitecliffe fashion show. She had interned at the company, so she knew she liked the ethos of the company, and the people. “Caroline has been a big part of my success; I don’t think I’d be here without her.” As well as designing clothes, Dihlia is assistant manager for the store in Auckland, a stylist and a model, she creates social media content for the company and looks after some of the back-end operations of their online store. “Every day is different, which is great, and I learn something new every day.” The one challenge of the job is explaining to people why they should buy New Zealand-made clothing, which is more expensive than chain store garments. Dihlia suggests they watch The True Cost, a documentary exploring the impact of fast fashion on people and the planet.
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OPTOMETRIST
OPTOMETRY WINS OUT AN EYE ON THE FUTURE
writer PETER WHITE // photo LOGAN WEST
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“It is all about helping people. It is so rewarding enabling people to be able to see. You often hear feedback from people saying they are happy with their glasses, so definitely that is a part of it too,” says MARY RUSH. This is what the 24-year-old optometrist loves most about her role working in the busy branch of Specsavers at Auckland’s Westfield St Luke’s shopping centre. “It is definitely a lot more interesting than it looks from the outside. Looking at people’s health, you are problem-solving and you have a lot of skills you can use,” says Mary. Her job involves doing eye tests on people of all ages, finding the right prescriptions for them to be fitted with glasses, and also doing thorough eye-health checks that can show up potentially serious eye problems. Mary started working at Specsavers St Luke’s on the weekends as a student and has been fulltime there for the last two years since she graduated. She studied for a Bachelor of Optometry at the University of Auckland, the only university in New Zealand that offers a Bachelor of Optometry (BOptom) degree.
FOR OPTOMETRY, DOING physics and CHEMISTRY AT HIGH SCHOOL ARE PROBABLY THE BIGGEST ASSETS YOU COULD HAVE. MARY RUSH
Initially she was considering a career in medicine, as she did not know much about optometry, but at the end of her first year at university she made her decision to study optometry. “There is a common pathway of entry. You do your first Biomedical year and from there you can apply into medicine, optometry or pharmacy. That year gives you an overview of those three specialities and you can make your choice from that.” Mary loved her time studying for her degree, especially as the number of people doing the degree are fewer than in many other specialties. “With optometry you really get to know everyone quite well and it sort of mimics high school in some
KEY FACTS ■ MARY RUSH WORKS AS AN OPTOMETRIST AT SPECSAVERS IN WESTFIELD ST LUKE’S, AUCKLAND. ■ SHE HAS A BACHELOR OF OPTOMETRY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND. ■ MARY STUDIED PHYSICS, BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, CALCULUS, CLASSICS AND RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN YEAR 13 AND SAYS THAT PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY HAVE BEEN THE BIGGEST ASSETS.
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ways, with smaller class sizes and more one-on-one time with your lecturers to understand things.” In Year 13 at St Mary’s College in Ponsonby, Auckland, Mary studied the core sciences of Physics, Biology and Chemistry, plus Calculus, Classics and Religious Education. “For optometry, doing Physics and Chemistry at high school are probably the biggest assets you could have,” she says. If you are interested in optometry as a career, Mary recommends taking science subjects but also spending time with an optometrist. “Most of us, as part of our degree, sat in with optometrists, so we would be happy to accommodate someone interested to sit in for an afternoon to see what we do.” Career prospects for optometry graduates are very positive. Mary says there are plenty of opportunities to further specialise into really detailed areas of optometry and eye health care. “You also have a lot of business opportunities as well so if you are interested in owning a business, then optometry is really excellent to provide an opportunity for that.” For more information on studying optometry through the University of Auckland, visit www.optometry.auckland.ac.nz For more information on the Specsavers graduate programme, visit https://join.specsavers.com/ne/ graduate-programme
TAKING EVERY OPPORTUNITY “Never give up. If you want something, it’s on you to go and get it. Strive for excellence in everything you do,” says RICHARD MEHANA. He joined Goodman Fielder after leaving Edgewater College 18 years ago and has worked through the ranks to his current position as manufacturing manager for Quality Bakers. “I hadn’t set any goals and aspirations while I was in school. My biggest driver back then was taking care of my grandmother who raised me. In my final year, she couldn’t afford to send me to school so I made the decision to leave school early,” says Richard. “At the end of Year 12, I came to Goodman Fielder and started working as a temporary worker, just doing school holiday work, like cleaning. I went back to school for a couple of months and Goodman Fielder offered me a fulltime opportunity as a trainee baker. “That was when I had that discussion with my grandmother and my career pretty much kicked-off.” What has been most important to Richard during his career, and something he advises school leavers to take on board, is to always have a can-do attitude. “That always goes a long way. Being able to listen and learn and develop, plus being able to take on-board feedback and use that feedback to strengthen your weaknesses,” he says.
writer PETER WHITE // photo LOGAN WEST
“Continuing to learn and grow in whatever career path you decide to take on in the future is huge. I applied that early on when I came to Goodman Fielder, so as soon as an apprenticeship opportunity came up, I applied for it. “That was my chance over three years to keep myself immersed in learning and to develop further. It builds up your confidence and self-esteem and really changes you.”
IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND DO not LET OTHER PEOPLE tell you THAT you can’t do something or you are NOT CAPABLE OF DOING SOMETHING.
Richard qualified with a New Zealand Certificate in Trade Baking (Plant) (Level 4) and not long after won the nationwide Young Baker of the Year title. He is now in charge of 112 employees and five manufacturing plants at Quality Bakers in Auckland. The main brands they make are Nature’s Fresh, Molenberg, Freyas, Vogel’s, as well as small goods and buns for fast food outlets like KFC, Burger King and Wendy’s, plus muffins and garlic bread. When it comes to employing school leavers, Richard says he does not look for any particular skillset. What is more important is to have a good level of confidence and to be outspoken, happy and present with a great attitude. “I believe a great attitude can take you a long way in an interview. That can-do attitude is what I really look for at the start. “Everything else I tend to develop when they come on board. It is so important that you believe in yourself and do not let other people tell you that you can’t do something or you are not capable of doing something.”
MANUFACTURING MANAGER
AWARD-WINNING BAKER
31
RICHARD MEHANA
KEY FACTS ■ RICHARD MEHANA IS MANUFACTURING MANAGER FOR QUALITY BAKERS AT GOODMAN FIELDER. HE IS IN CHARGE OF 112 EMPLOYEES AND FIVE MANUFACTURING PLANTS. ■ HE STARTED AT THE COMPANY PART-TIME WHILE AT HIGH SCHOOL, BEFORE TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO FULLTIME AS A TRAINEE BAKER. ■ RICHARD HAS A NEW ZEALAND CERTIFICATE IN TRADE BAKING (PLANT) (LEVEL 4) AND PREVIOUSLY WON THE NATIONWIDE YOUNG BAKER OF THE YEAR TITLE.
For more information on career opportunities with Goodman Fielder, visit www.goodmanfielder.com/careers
LEAVING SCHOOL ISSUE #23
| LEAVINGSCHOOL.CO.NZ
NZ POST EMPLOYEE
writer PETER WHITE // photographer ALAN STEVENS
32
REWARDING, BUSY WORK AT NZ POST
SURROUNDED BY A GOOD TEAM It is an exciting time for LACHLAN BALFOUR, who is settling in to his first main job since leaving school after finishing Year 12 in 2021.
The 16-year-old started working for NZ Post at their Tauranga Mail Centre in March. Every day, large trucks arrive full of parcels and Lachlan’s job is to work as part of a team to sort the parcels into different towns and cities throughout New Zealand. The job is physical and busy – there is always lots to do – but Lachlan enjoys it. “We sort all the parcels into areas and then they get taken away and delivered all over the country. There is quite a bit to learn but the manager teaches you well, so it is pretty easy to learn,” says Lachlan. “There is the chance to get my forklift licence as well, which I want to do. It’s pretty mean. The forklift drivers
it IS GOOD WORKING WITH SO MANY COOL PEOPLE. I LIKE THE DIFFERENT CULTURES THAT ARE THERE. IT IS NICE TO GET ALONG WITH EVERYONE AND SEE WHAT THEIR CULTURE IS LIKE AND JUST BOND really. LACHLAN BALFOUR
unload these things called maxis off the truck and bring them into the depot for us to sort. The maxis are way too heavy for us to move.” Lachlan likes being part of a team and working with a diverse range of people. “It is good working with so many cool people. I like the different cultures that
Find a career that will send you new places. Check out our careers site to see current opportunities, get a feel for what we can offer you, and find out all about working for NZ Post.
are there. It is nice to get along with everyone and see what their culture is like and just bond really. It is a good environment to work in.” In Year 12 at Tauranga Boys’ College, Lachlan studied Hospitality and Catering, Agriculture, Science, English and Building Related Trades.
Lachlan wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to do after leaving school but with family working at NZ Post who spoke highly of working there, he applied for an open vacancy and has found a great start to his working career. “I thought it would be nice to try it and to get some money. I didn’t really enjoy school so I thought this would be the best decision for me.” Lachlan regards Black Caps cricket captain and former Tauranga Boys’ head boy Kane Williamson as someone he looks up to. Lachlan was photographed talking to Kane when he was nine, with the photo appearing with a story in the local newspaper. “I remember that well. It is a good memory. Kane is just a role model to all young kids really, those wanting to play cricket and just in general.
jobs.nzpost.co.nz
NZ POST EMPLOYEE
“He has good captaincy skills, which is like being a good team leader, like a boss really.” As Lachlan is not long out of school, his advice to school leavers is fresh in his mind. “The main thing is you have got to be polite really. Don’t just wing it if you need help. You actually need to go and talk to someone rather than just standing around. It will make you look good to the bosses rather than not working. “I have found the bosses are always very polite to their new workers and happy to listen and to help.”
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KEY FACTS ■ LACHLAN BALFOUR WORKS FOR NZ POST AT THEIR TAURANGA MAIL CENTRE AND SAYS IT IS A PHYSICAL AND BUSY JOB BUT VERY ENJOYABLE. ■ HE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET HIS FORKLIFT LICENCE, WHICH HE INTENDS TO DO. ■ LACHLAN STUDIED HOSPITALITY AND CATERING, AGRICULTURE, SCIENCE, ENGLISH AND BUILDING RELATED TRADES IN YEAR 12 AT TAURANGA BOYS’ COLLEGE.
For more information on career opportunities with New Zealand Post, visit www.jobs.nzpost.co.nz
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WWW.LEAVINGSCHOOL.CO.NZ
CHIROPRACTOR
writer PETER WHITE // photograph LOGAN WEST
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HEALTH AND WELLBEING
JOIN THE CHIROPRACTIC COMMUNITY
“I am in awe of the power that chiropractic has to influence our lives for the better, right from the day we are born,” says LYDIA McCLEAN. “I love seeing this come to life and I can’t wait to share it with everyone.” The 28-year-old from Auckland has worked for Advanced Health Chiropractic in Glen Eden since the start of 2020. Lydia says it is more of a lifestyle than just a job. “In our practice we work with families a lot. If you are in the role of looking after and nurturing families to be as healthy and adaptable as possible, you are going to live that yourself. “I wake up every day with the health and the vibrancy I want. It’s awesome and it’s fun.” Working with her patients begins with assessing their health goals and any limitations they might be experiencing, Lydia runs a series of tests to help to understand the function of the spine and nervous system of that person. “The nervous system is like a master controller of the body, a computer network of the body, so if
that is working well the body has the best opportunity to work well too,” she says. “Chiropractic is all about assessing that. We know that lifestyle and different stressors are going to add stress to that nervous system, which means we are less adaptable or may not function as well as we would expect to. Down the line that is where we see health issues. “As chiropractors, we perform regular spinal checks and adjustments to ensure that the nervous system is free of interference and functioning at its best. Think of them as tune ups and every couple of months we run all those tests again and see just how that person is changing and responding. “For most people it becomes part of their health routine. Like you brush your teeth, you get your spine and nervous system checked and adjusted.” Lydia went to Macleans College, where she took Biology, English, Classics, Maths and PE in Year 13. “I wanted to work in early childhood and cross over with nutrition but I did it through a different pathway and now I look after a whole lot of young families as a chiropractor.”
She began studying a Bachelor of Science in Dunedin but after a year switched to doing a Bachelor of Chiropractic taught through the New Zealand College of Chiropractic in Auckland. Lydia says a growing demand for chiropractic care in New Zealand means career options are plentiful for graduates. “There is a real need for more chiropractors here so there is no shortage of jobs. When you are in a health profession like chiropractic you really do form a community, we all know each other and there is always someone you are referring to around the country. “A career in chiropractic suits people who really are passionate about health and wellbeing, who have a curiosity about the brain or the body, and someone who really likes working in a collaborative nature. “The New Zealand College of Chiropractic has the most highly renowned research centre in the world, so there is a career avenue for you there too.”
Discover how a career in chiropractic can align with your life and career goals. If making a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of individuals, families and communities inspires you, then a career in chiropractic is for you. To find out more, and to catch us at one of our information events in your area, visit chiropractic.ac.nz/discover
Ethan Chiropractic Student
CHIROPRACTOR 35
KEY FACTS ■ LYDIA McCLEAN HAS A BACHELOR OF CHIROPRACTIC FROM THE NEW ZEALAND COLLEGE OF CHIROPRACTIC IN AUCKLAND. ■ SHE WORKS AS A CHIROPRACTOR AT ADVANCED HEALTH CHIROPRACTIC IN GLEN EDEN, AUCKLAND. ■ LYDIA SAYS THERE ARE PLENTY OF CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN CHIROPRACTIC – THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF JOBS.
For more information on the study options with the New Zealand College of Chiropractic, visit www.chiropractic.ac.nz
JOB TITLE PILOT OFFICER
REALISING A DREAM 36
ENGINEERING A CAREER IN THE AIR FORCE writer NZ DEFENCE CAREERS // photograph courtesy of NZ DEFENCE FORCE
Mechanical engineer XIN CEN is realising her dream of using her skills to help others through her role in the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). Last year, she graduated from the 17-week RNZAF Officer Commissioning Course at Base Woodbourne in Blenheim. Pilot Officer Cen, 22, from Mt Albert, Auckland studied a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering after high school and said she has always aspired to utilise her skills and ability in engineering to help others. “After coming across an Air Force advertisement on social media, I soon realised that there would be no better place to realise this dream than the Air Force.”
“I expect the next part of the Air Force journey to be filled with many new experiences in both the technical and interpersonal space. “I am posting to Maintenance Support Squadron at RNZAF Base Auckland at Whenuapai, which is an exciting opportunity to meet more people, as well
Growing up in China and arriving in New Zealand when she was eight years old, Xin said her mother had inspired her. “In the journey leading up to joining the Air Force and throughout my training, my mother has been my biggest inspiration and role model.”
as seeing how an engineering officer operates within the Air Force. “This country was foreign to me when I first arrived 14 years ago but has now become my home. “I am very excited to commit to a career that helps to protect the land and the people that I love.”
THE MILITARY IS A UNIQUE WORKING ENVIRONMENT THAT REQUIRES ITS PERSONNEL TO BE ABLE to deal WITH COMPLEX AND AMBIGUOUS SITUATIONS.
“I was raised by a solo mum who juggled work, study and parenting, and the amount of commitment and passion she had towards all aspects of her life has inspired me to put my best efforts into everything I do,” Xin said.
XIN CEN
She said that joining the Air Force has not only been a way for her to realise her aspirations for humanitarian engineering, but also to challenge herself – “much as my mum did when she decided to pack her bags and come to a foreign country by herself.” Xin said her experiences on course have been both educational and eye-opening. “Apart from the technical knowledge I have acquired, I have learned leadership skills that could not be found in any other workplace. “This is what I expected as the military is a unique working environment that requires its personnel to be able to deal with complex and ambiguous situations,” she said. She is looking forward to the next steps of her journey, including the opportunity to apply the lessons she has learned.
KEY FACTS ■ XIN CEN HAS GRADUATED FROM THE ROYAL NEW ZEALAND AIR FORCE (RNZAF) OFFICER COMMISSIONING COURSE AT BASE WOODBOURNE IN BLENHEIM. ■ SHE HAD EARLIER STUDIED A BACHELOR OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, AND JOINED THE RNZAF SO SHE COULD UTILISE HER SKILLS AND ABILITY IN ENGINEERING. ■ XIN IS POSTING TO MAINTENANCE SUPPORT SQUADRON AT RNZAF BASE AUCKLAND AT WHENUAPAI AND IS LOOKING FORWARD TO APPLYING THE SKILLS SHE HAS LEARNED ON THE COURSE.
LEAVINGSCHOOL.CO.NZ
| LEAVING SCHOOL ISSUE #23
For more information on the variety of careers in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, visit www.defencecareers.mil.nz
NEW ZEALAND ARMY MEDIC
writer NZ DEFENCE CAREERS // photograph courtesy of NZ DEFENCE FORCE
NEW ZEALAND ARMY MEDIC
BOTH PHYSICAL AND ACADEMIC
37
The ability to think on his feet and be fit was the drawcard for WILLIAM WALLACE to join the New Zealand Army as a medic. He has graduated from Defence Health School based at Burnham Military Camp following two-and-a-half years of study where he earned himself the Peers Choice Award and Top Trainee Award. Private Wallace, 22, from Riverton, tried university after high school but it wasn’t right for him at the time, so he enlisted into the Army. “I joined as a medic as I wanted a job that required physical challenges, as well as academic ones. It seemed to fit what I wanted in a job the most: requiring a lot of thinking, as well as being physically fit,” he said. William said he has enjoyed the operational phases of training, particularly the parts based around trauma. “Along with that, I have really enjoyed getting a taste of the different services medicine, including the aeromedical evacuation course.”
He is looking forward to the next part of his New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) journey, including returning to university. “I am looking to further my understanding of military and clinical medicine and ensuring that any patients I treat in the field, on operations, or at the Health Centre, are given the best care. In a medical sense, I will also be furthering my study through a Bachelor of Paramedicine.” William will be posted to Southern Health Support Squadron in Burnham where he will put his medic training into practice. He said anyone wishing to join the NZDF should ensure they do their research. “Make sure you read all of what the trade requirements are and that you are medically and physically fit – this will put you in good stead for whatever job you would like to do.”
I JOINED AS A MEDIC AS I WANTED A JOB THAT REQUIRED PHYSICAL CHALLENGES, AS WELL AS ACADEMIC ONES. WILLIAM WALLACE
NZDF medics train in a tri-service environment at Defence Health School based at Burnham Military Camp. The training takes two-and-a-half years and is a mixture of theory and practice. They also experience on-the-job training at Health Centres across Defence Force camps, ships and bases around New Zealand.
KEY FACTS ■ WILLIAM WALLACE IS A MEDIC IN THE NEW ZEALAND ARMY. HE GRADUATED FROM DEFENCE HEALTH SCHOOL, WHICH IS BASED AT BURNHAM MILITARY CAMP. ■ HE COMPLETED TWO-AND-A-HALF YEARS OF TRAINING, WHICH WAS A MIXTURE OF THEORY AND PRACTICE, AND INTENDS TO FURTHER HIS MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE BY STUDYING A BACHELOR OF PARAMEDICINE.
For more information on the variety of careers in the New Zealand Army, visit www.defencecareers.mil.nz
■ WILLIAM EARNED THE PEERS CHOICE AWARD AND TOP TRAINEE AWARD DURING HIS STUDY. HE WILL BE POSTED TO SOUTHERN HEALTH SUPPORT SQUADRON IN BURNHAM, WHERE HE WILL PUT HIS MEDIC TRAINING INTO PRACTICE.
LEAVING SCHOOL ISSUE #23
| LEAVINGSCHOOL.CO.NZ
writer PETER WHITE // photo LOGAN WEST
STORE MANAGER
PART-TIME WORKER TO FULLTIME SUCCESS
38
PROMOTIONS PAVE THE WAY “Start part-time when you are studying, don’t wait for later because you never know – you might like the job.” That’s the advice from NEHA NAVSHEEL, who is store manager of KFC in the WestCity mall in Henderson, Auckland.
The 24-year-old has made the most of her opportunities. She became store manager at the age of 22, making her one of the youngest to achieve that role at KFC in New Zealand. Neha started working part-time while she was at Avondale College, where she took Geography, Travel, English, Maths and Social Studies in Year 13. But she did not finish the year as she took up a fulltime job opportunity with KFC and has not looked back since. After stints working at two of the busiest KFC outlets in New Zealand – New Lynn and Lincoln Road, Henderson – she was promoted to store manager at WestCity mall. “At school I wanted to be a flight attendant actually but that didn’t work out. I enjoyed working for KFC at school so much I started doing fulltime,” says Neha. “I became shift supervisor when I was justam Leaving SchoolaAds_2022.pdf 1 29/04/2022 11:48:58 finishing school and then a year later, I became
i BECAME A SHIFT SUPERVISOR WHEN I WAS JUST FINISHING SCHOOL AND THEN A YEAR LATER, I BECAME ASSISTANT MANAGER AT 19, AND THEN STORE MANAGER WHEN I WAS 22. NEHA NAVSHEEL
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assistant manager at 19, and then store manager when I was 22. “I am still one of the youngest store managers, I believe.” Neha is sole-charge looking after a team of 17 staff at WestCity mall, plus she is also managing 37 staff at the much bigger New Lynn branch to cover the manager on leave. Being busy is part of the job and something she really enjoys. She admits it is very challenging but keeps her stimulated and motivated to keep learning. “It just gets me going every day. I learn something new every day. KFC is such a big brand and there are so many things to learn in general. “When you start as a team member, it is all about being able to handle all the pressure and handle every situation. The key is not to panic and to always have a plan. You learn as you go, so if you don’t know something it is important to learn from your manager.” Neha likes employing young people who are at school or who have just left.
STORE MANAGER
“I want to give the opportunity for school students to be able to follow in the same footsteps as me. So I am looking for anyone that is actually keen to work or has some similarities that I had when I was the same age [looking] to find a part-time job to earn money. “You can always tell if someone really wants the job and is really keen to work hard. “Those are the main things I look at when I hire young students and I have a lot working for me right now. “I like people who can communicate and who are interested in the job.”
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KEY FACTS ■ NEHA NAVSHEEL IS THE STORE MANAGER OF KFC IN THE WESTCITY MALL IN HENDERSON, AUCKLAND. ■ SHE BEGAN WORKING AT KFC PART-TIME WHILE SHE WAS AT HIGH SCHOOL, AND ENJOYED IT SO MUCH SHE STARTED FULLTIME.
For more information on career opportunities with KFC, visit www.kfcjobs.co.nz
■ NEHA WAS PROMOTED TO SHIFT SUPERVISOR, FOLLOWED BY ASSISTANT MANAGER AT 19 YEARS OLD, AND THEN STORE MANAGER AT 22 YEARS OLD.
LOOKING TO START YOUR CAREER IN THE FAST FOOD INDUSTRY If you are looking for your first job or a cool place to work look no further The more training you complete the more you can earn. Part-time or full time hours available to work around your life, apply now.
www.kfcjobs.co.nz www.carlsjrjobs.co.nz www.pizzahutjobs.co.nz www.tacobelljobs.co.nz www.restaurantbrands.co.nz/our-people
ELECTRICIAN
EXCEL AS AN ELECTRICIAN
40
CONTINUALLY UPSKILLING writer PETER WHITE // photo ALAN STEVENS “I love the job and the people I work with. The best thing I like about working for Clarksons is the skills I get to learn. They do a lot of training to up-skill you in so many areas,” says CLAYTON TIPENE. The 29-year-old has completed his apprenticeship and is now a qualified electrician. He works for Clarksons and is based in Mount Maunganui. He started off as a trade assistant through a programme called Youth Inspire in mid-2016, after having moved from the Bay of Islands to Wellington. Clayton was looking to learn new skills and get a new career going. Through Youth Inspire, he got an interview with Clarksons.
Clarksons’ managing director David Clarkson is delighted with the progress Clayton has made since joining the company. “We have lots of internal processes to bringing people through. Clayton came on board as a property maintenance person doing handyman work and working alongside our electricians. He excelled in that area and then the opportunity came through for him to become an electrician and he is now out of his electrical apprenticeship.” Clarkson says there are multiple opportunities for school leavers.
“You can grow into property maintenance and then into managed supervisory areas or through fuel servicing and become fuel technicians fixing all the fuel dispensers at service stations. “You have to be able to think and follow instructions and procedures because you are working in environments that are explosive. “It is an exciting time to be working in those environments and there is something to be proud of.”
“My first jobs were installing pumps and doing maintenance at Mobil gas stations and then I had a meeting with the managers at Clarksons. They told me I was doing a good job and after that they offered me an apprenticeship.” “During my apprenticeship, Clarksons helped me quite a bit with developing my knowledge in all different kinds of skills and industries, including electrical, fuels and property, and helping me improve my communication skills,” says Clayton. Clayton admits he struggled with his communication when he started working but dealing with customers helped build up his confidence. Now he loves dealing with customers and with his workmates every day. The daily work offers plenty of variety – from the specialised fuel work to servicing electrical appliances, pie warmers and cigarette dispensing machines at petrol stations. Clayton went to Bay of Islands College and enjoyed Art, Woodwork, Metalwork, PE and Maths during his final Year 11. He says there are some key basic things that school leavers should remember when they start their new jobs. “The first thing is you have got to have a good attitude and a little bit of banter with your workmates makes your day happier. A good work ethic is also important and always be on time to work.”
DURING MY APPRENTICESHIP, CLARKSONS HELPED ME QUITE A BIT WITH DEVELOPING MY KNOWLEDGE IN ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF SKILLS AND INDUSTRIES. CLAYTON TIPENE
KEY FACTS ■ CLAYTON TIPENE IS A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN, HAVING COMPLETED HIS ELECTRICAL APPRENTICESHIP. HE WORKS AT CLARKSONS AND IS BASED IN MOUNT MAUNGANUI. ■ HE WENT TO BAY OF ISLANDS COLLEGE AND STUDIED ART, WOODWORK, METALWORK, PE AND MATHS IN YEAR 11. ■ CLAYTON BELIEVES THAT HAVING A GOOD WORK ETHIC, BEING ON TIME TO WORK AND HAVING A GOOD ATTITUDE ARE ALL IMPORTANT WHEN STARTING A NEW JOB. LEAVINGSCHOOL.CO.NZ
| LEAVING SCHOOL ISSUE #23
For more information on career opportunities with Clarksons, visit www.clarksons.co.nz/careers
Check out the
ONLINE DIGITAL EXPO
Hundreds of employers, educational, vocational, and training providers to explore. Start a converstion.
careerexpo.org.nz
2022 NZ Career Expo & Go with Tourism Expo Schedule: Wellington Expo - Friday 13 - Sat 14 May, TSB Arena. Christchurch Expo- Thursday 26 - Sat 28 May, CHCH Arena . Dunedin Expo - Thursday 2 June, Town Hall. Hamilton Expo - Sunday 12 - Monday 13 June, Claudelands. Palmerston North Expo- Friday 17 June, Central Energy Trust Arena. Hawkes Bay - Tuesday 21 June, Pettigrew Green Arena. Napier. Auckland Expo - Thursday 30 June -Sat 2 July, The Cloud.
The NZ Careers Expo: In-Person & Online @ careersexpo.org.nz
EMPLOYMENT ADVICE 42
FROM THE BOTTOM TO THE TOP EVERY JOB IS A STEPPING STONE writer DIANA CLEMENT // photographer LOGAN WEST
Not everyone starts their working life with a degree under their belt or an idea where their career will take them. Even entry level jobs can lead all the way to the top. When JACOB COLLIGAN signed up for a Red Shirts in Schools Gateway training “Regardless of the job you’re going for, a grounding in work at McDonald’s tells in 2014, little did he know that he’d be still working his way up at The Warehouse’s future employers you’ve worked in an environment that helps develop a range of head office eight years later. skills and builds confidence.” After completing the 10-week course, the then-Year 12 Birkenhead College student Not everyone can progress from an entry level job up the ranks without some was offered part-time work on The Warehouse shop floor at Glenfield Mall in form of training. In-house training works for many but in some cases, it may be Auckland. The following year he was recruited for a fulltime job. necessary to do part-time study or even complete a fulltime course along the way. Qualifications can be easier to study for if you know where you’re headed It was at that point the career path open to him dawned fully on Jacob. Future and the benefits of that qualification. development opportunities were discussed at his interview, including the possibility of eventually becoming a store manager. Jacob’s ambition kicked in almost as soon as he started working for The Warehouse fulltime. He realised that he enjoyed the job and customers, and relished working for an iconic brand. Having been identified for his talent potential, Jacob was put on a future leaders course. He landed various promotions and secondments and eventually moved into the head office operations team for The Warehouse and Warehouse Stationery. When the pandemic hit, Jacob took over the operational execution of The Warehouse’s COVID response, which includes store operation processes and policy. School and university leavers often find themselves working in the bottom rung of many organisations. Even part-time cleaners can work their way up as Palmerston North mother Melissa Pearce did when she started as a school cleaner for OCS Group NZ. Melissa realised that her supervisor at OCS earned more than she did and set her sights working her way up – one role at a time. Fast forward 15 years and Pearce is now OCS’ operations manager for Massey University in Palmerston North. Starting as a frontline cleaner or security guard and working your way up to supervisor or manager isn’t unusual in the company, says operations director at OCS, Gavin Upston. If you have the ability to do the job, put your hand up, show ambition and motivation, you’ll get yourself noticed, Gavin says. “With specialist roles ranging from trauma cleaners and parking valets to engineers, career opportunities within large facilities management companies like OCS are plentiful.” Most young Kiwis who start working at McDonald’s think of the job as a means to earn some money. Yet there are employees who have progressed from part-time NOT EVERYONE STARTS THEIR crew member at their local McDonald’s restaurant to highly paid corporate roles. That includes the last three managing directors. WORKING LIFE WITH A DEGREE UNDER THEIR “As soon as you start training, you start earning credits towards a diploma in BELT OR AN IDEA WHERE THEIR CAREER WILL hospitality,” says Davis Howse, managing director of McDonald’s New Zealand. “For students who aren’t sure what they want to do when leaving school, Maccas TAKE THEM. EVEN ENTRY LEVEL JOBS CAN can be a good option. LEAD ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP. They get NZQA accredited training while they work out their plans, says Davis. This furnishes employees with transferable skills for other jobs in the hospitality industry.
DID YOU KNOW? ■ THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO BEGIN A CAREER AND YOUR FIRST JOB MAY BE FULL OF OPPORTUNITIES EVEN IF THEY ARE NOT EVIDENT AT FIRST GLANCE. ■ ENQUIRE WITH YOUR EMPLOYER ABOUT FURTHERING YOUR TRAINING, COURSES YOU CAN ATTEND AND YOUR ADVANCEMENT PROSPECTS. ■ McDONALD’S LAST THREE MANAGING DIRECTORS BEGAN THEIR EMPLOYMENT AT McDONALD’S AS PART-TIME CREW MEMBERS.
LEAVINGSCHOOL.CO.NZ
| LEAVING SCHOOL ISSUE #23
For more information on starting to plan your career, training options and to discover a few ideas, visit www.careers.govt.nz/ plan-your-career
PRESENT YOURSELF IN YOUR BEST LIGHT contributor CAREERS.GOVT.NZ // image iSTOCK
Have you ever wondered, ’What is that magical power some people have that gets them a job?’ The answer isn’t magical – the key is that these job seekers demonstrate they have the employability skills employers are looking for. The world of work is rapidly changing. While new jobs will be created in the future, others will disappear or become automated. Employers seek workers who have the skills, confidence and the ability to adapt to new technologies and other market opportunities. The good news is that you will have many of these skills already. These skills can be learned in daily life by doing work experience or volunteer work, playing sport, helping your whānau, taking up a hobby or taking part in school and community activities.
ready for work, such as getting to work on time or following instructions. Employers tell us they need young people to be work-ready – if you have the right attitude, the technical skills can be taught.
4. SELF-MANAGEMENT
SEVEN EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS EMPLOYERS WANT
5. WILLINGNESS TO LEARN
WHAT ARE EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS
3. TEAMWORK
Employability skills, or soft skills, are the personal qualities and attitudes you have that make you
Employability skills include:
1. POSITIVE ATTITUDE
A positive attitude is not just about being bubbly. It means showing that you’ll happily do the work asked of you, and you’ll stay upbeat when the work gets hard.
2. COMMUNICATION Good communication skills are when you follow instructions well and ask questions when you’re confused. Being able to explain things clearly is a bonus for employers. Playing or working well with others is not just a bonus on the rugby ground or during that science project, it’s something employers value.
Getting to work on time and dressed appropriately is just one part of self-management. Not getting angry at others when you’re frustrated and managing stress are top skills that will get you a job. Learning doesn’t stop once you leave school. Employers want to know that you can learn new technologies or new skills. Being keen to learn is a good bet for getting a job.
6. THINKING SKILLS
Employers rate thinking skills the highest when looking at your CV. Do you like to solve problems? Can you make a good decision? Do you think before you act?
7. RESILIENCE
Have you got grit? When something knocks you down, do you get back up again? This is resilience. Employers need you to have this skill to cope when things go wrong at work.
SHOW OFF YOUR EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS ON YOUR CV Include employability skills in the skills list, work history, interests and achievement sections of your CV to wow employers. ■ SKILLS LIST Bullet point up to five employability skills on your CV, with an example of how you got them. ■ WORK HISTORY List volunteer work or paid work experience in your work history in a way that showcases your skills. ■ INTERESTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS SECTIONS What you do in your spare time is a powerful indicator to employers of your range of skills. Remember: If you can show these skills on your CV, you are on the right track to getting an employer interested in hiring you.
For more information on employability skills and creating your CV, visit careers.govt.nz
LEAVING SCHOOL ISSUE #23
| LEAVINGSCHOOL.CO.NZ
EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS
SEVEN SKILLS EMPLOYERS WANT
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FINANCIAL ADVICE
DON’T GET SUCKED INTO A QUICKSAND OF DEBT
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GET CLUED UP It’s too easy for students to get sucked into a vortex of debt. Like many other young people, you may soon be handling your own living expenses for the first time. Unfortunately, banks and others are after more than money. Banks make a lot of money from lending and that’s why they put so much effort into getting you to sign up for their overdrafts, credit cards and personal loans. They know students often want more money, so they make credit easy. The banks aren’t being kind or flattering to you by offering you a credit card or overdraft. The banks know that once hooked, you’ll probably stay with them through your big earning years. There is no glory in having a huge credit limit. Debt really sucks.
writer DIANA CLEMENT image credit iSTOCK
WATCH OUT FOR BUY NOW PAY LATER
One of the latest ways to get yourself into debt is using Afterpay and other similar ‘buy now pay later’ deals, such as PartPay, Humm and Laybuy. These deals really appeal to students because they’re easy and online. You can even ‘buy now pay later’ for things like concert tickets and second-hand goods on TradeMe. It seems easy. You don’t have the money this week but can pay it off over four weeks. The companies make a lot of money from penalties charged if you
have a bad week and miss a payment. They rely on you being less organised or taking on more debt than you can really afford. It also gets you into the mentality of buying stuff you may not really need. Finally, it’s too simple to build up a huge debt, one coffee or Domino’s Pizza visit at a time. The only real way to avoid this is to create a budget with a set limit for ‘fun’ money. You don’t need to live like a monk. Be kind to your future self, however. If you don’t control the spending then, at some point, you’ll be struggling to pay your student loan and other debt back.
BEWARE OF SLICK SELLING Lenders make borrowing money sound easy, and even sometimes the normal thing to do. Their adverts scream, ‘fast cash now’, ‘live your life’, ‘a brighter way to borrow’, ‘flexible same day loans’ and ‘no fuss lending’. Some of these companies charge several hundred per cent interest a year. Be very careful about what you sign up for.
CREDIT CARDS AREN’T A GOOD THING During O-Week, the banks will be on campus offering to sign you up. Yes, get a credit card. It can help you with a true financial emergency. But remember the money you’re spending isn’t yours and you’ll have to work to pay it off eventually. If you get too used to using credit cards you could be creating a very bad habit that is difficult to break later in life. If you use credit cards as an everyday way of paying or have daily ‘emergencies’ every time you want to buy Uber Eats, you’re not being smart with your credit card. It’s way better long-term for you if you can avoid credit cards completely and use EFTPOS instead. If you need Visa or Mastercard for online payments and payWave, you can use a debit card instead.
OVERDRAFTS AND PERSONAL LOANS HAVE TO BE PAID BACK It’s a rite of passage getting your first overdraft. It may feel like you’re being an adult. Financially smart adults, however, do everything they can to avoid overdrafts, personal loans and other types of consumer debt. Make do with what you have or only use debt if you truly are only buying essentials – not nice-to-have things and experiences. LEAVINGSCHOOL.CO.NZ
| LEAVING SCHOOL ISSUE #23
For more information and helpful tips on budgeting, visit www.sorted.org.nz/tool/budgeting-tool#/welcome
JOBS IN FOCUS
A CLOSER LOOK AT SOME SOLID CAREER OPTIONS
There are so many things to consider when looking at which path to take after school. Have a look at the following jobs and learn about the relevant factors for each position. Here you’ll find profiles of 14 jobs from across the health and community sectors. Each profile includes detailed job descriptors and some insightful statistics.
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SURGEONCARE PERSONAL Rata hāparapara ASSISTANT
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Also known as: Bioengineer; biotronics engineer; clinical engineer; prosthetist; orthotist. Biomedical engineers design, build and maintain medical equipment, artificial body parts and computer programmes to help treat impairments, diseases or injuries. They consult with doctors, repair medical equipment, test products with patients or volunteers and train medical staff in how to use devices. To become a biomedical engineer, you must have a Bachelor of Engineering (Biomedical Engineering) (Honours) or a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in a relevant discipline, such as electronic engineering or mechanical engineering and applied science subjects. NCEA subjects that are useful in this role are Biology, Chemistry, Design and Visual Communication, Digital Technologies, Maths and Physics. Job prospects for biomedical engineers are good due to a shortage of workers. While the number of biomedical engineers has been rising in recent years, more are needed to meet demand. Statistics: Job prospects: Good. Length of study: 4 years. Pay scale: Biomedical engineers with up to 10 years’ experience earn $49,000–$72,000 per year. Biomedical engineers with more than 10 years’ experience earn $72,000–$120,000 per year.
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Also known as: Oral and maxillofacial surgeon; oral medicine specialist; orthodontist; periodontist; paediatric dentist. Dentists treat problems (including diseases and injuries) with teeth, mouth, gums and jaw. They also educate patients on how to avoid oral health problems. Dentists replace missing teeth with implants, bridges, or partial or full dentures, and improve the appearance of teeth with veneers, crowns, bleaching or braces. To become a dentist, you must study at the University of Otago, as it is the only university in New Zealand that offers a Bachelor of Dental Surgery. It is necessary to complete the first year of the Health Sciences programme and then complete the four-year Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree. NCEA subjects that are useful in this role are Maths, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Health Education and English. Job prospects for dentists are average for graduates but good for those with experience. There are more opportunities in provincial areas where there is a particular need for dentists. Statistics: Job prospects: Average. Length of study: 5 years. Pay scale: Dentists with up to three years’ experience earn $65,000–$85,000 per year. Dentists with more than three years’ experience earn $85,000–$186,000 per year.
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Also known as: Cardiothoracic surgeon; orthopaedic surgeon; otolaryngologist; plastic or reconstructive surgeon; general surgeon; neurosurgeon; oral and maxillofacial surgeon; paediatric surgeon; vascular surgeon; urologist. Surgeons consult with patients and operate on people to treat and manage disease and injuries. They consult with other medical professionals on treatment plans and patient care, manage post-operative care and provide follow-up care to patients. After completing the requisite first year programme, to become a surgeon you must complete a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at the University of Otago or Auckland. Several years working as a supervised junior doctor and a further five to seven years of specialist training and exams are then required to become a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. NCEA subjects that are useful in this role are Maths, Chemistry, Physics, Biology and Health Education. Job prospects for surgeons are good due to a shortage of workers. Statistics: Job prospects: Good. Length of study: 13–15 years. Pay scale: S urgeons earn $151,000–$212,000 per year. Trainee surgeons earn $72,000–$124,000 per year.
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DENTISTCARE PERSONAL Ngaio niho ASSISTANT
Also known as: GP; doctor. General practitioners consult with patients, and examine them and diagnose their problems. They usually treat people over extended periods of time and advise them on health care and prevention of illness. They prescribe and administer medicines, keep medical records and also perform minor surgery. After completing the requisite first year programme, to become a general practitioner you must complete a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at the University of Otago or Auckland. A two-year stint as a house officer and three years of specialist training and exams are then required to become a Fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners. NCEA subjects that are useful in this role are Maths, Chemistry, Physics, Biology and English. Job prospects for general practitioners are good as there is a shortage of workers and demand continues to grow for their services. About one-third of general practice doctors are expected to retire over the next decade. Statistics: Job prospects: Good. Length of study: 12 years. Pay scale: T rainee and graduate general practitioners earn $80,000–$130,000 per year. General practitioners earn $95,000–$250,000 per year.
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BIOMEDICAL ENGINEER PERSONAL CARE Mataaro rongoā koiora ASSISTANT
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GENERAL PRACTITIONER PERSONAL CARE Rata hauora ASSISTANT
HEALTH AND COMMUNITY SECTORS
JOBS IN FOCUS
Job data has been sourced from OCCUPATION OUTLOOK and CAREERS NEW ZEALAND, visit www.occupationoutlook.mbie.govt.nz and www.careers.govt.nz
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Please note: The occupations listed have been colour coded to their predominant service industry sector colours using the Vocational Pathway colour chart. LEAVING SCHOOL ISSUE #23
| LEAVINGSCHOOL.CO.NZ
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MEDICAL IMAGING PERSONAL CARE TECHNOLOGIST ASSISTANT Kairahurahu whakaahua whakaora
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OPTOMETRIST PERSONAL CARE Kaimātai whatu ASSISTANT
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PODIATRISTCARE PERSONAL Rata waewae ASSISTANT
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DIAGNOSTIC RADIOLOGIST PERSONAL CARE KaimātaiASSISTANT Tātari Hihi Irirangi
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Also known as: Radiologist; interventional radiologist; nuclear medicine technologist. Diagnostic radiologists diagnose diseases of the human body using x-rays, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), nuclear medicine and radioactive solutions. After completing the requisite first year programme, to become a diagnostic radiologist you must complete a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at the University of Otago or Auckland. Then you must work for two years as a supervised junior doctor and a further six years as a registrar undertaking specialist training and exams to become a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists. NCEA subjects that are useful in this role are Biology, Chemistry, English, Maths and Physics. Job prospects for diagnostic radiologists are good due to a shortage of workers. Statistics: Job prospects: Good. Length of study: 13 years. Pay scale: T rainee diagnostic radiologists usually earn $70,000–$175,000 per year. Qualified diagnostic radiologists usually earn $175,000–$600,000 per year.
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Also known as: Chiropodist; foot specialist; footwear technician; foot doctor. Podiatrists examine and treat people who have injuries or impairments in their feet or lower legs. This work can involve offering advice on foot care, prescribing soles for footwear or referring patients to a doctor. They also perform minor surgery to remove and improve particular conditions. To become a podiatrist, you need to have a Bachelor of Health Science majoring in Podiatry from Auckland University of Technology or an overseas qualification recognised by the Podiatrists Board of New Zealand. You also need to be registered with the Podiatrists Board of New Zealand and have a current annual practising certificate. NCEA subjects that are useful in this role are Biology, Chemistry, Physical Education, Health and English. Job prospects for podiatrists are good due to growing demand, particularly in rural areas. Statistics: Job prospects: Good. Length of study: 3 years. Pay scale: Podiatrists usually earn $46,000–$65,000 per year. Senior podiatrists usually earn $69,000–$95,000 per year.
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Also known as: Community health nurse; nurse practitioner; plunket nurse; practice nurse; enrolled nurse; mental health and addictions nurse; aged care nurse; critical care and emergency nurse; perioperative nurse. Registered nurses use their nursing knowledge and judgement to assess health needs, provide care for people in a range of settings (such as in their homes, in communities and hospitals), and advise and support people to manage their health. To become a registered nurse, you need to complete a Bachelor of Nursing (or other Level 7 or 8 qualification approved by the Nursing Council of New Zealand), pass an assessment by an approved provider, pass a Nursing Council of New Zealand examination for registered nurses and register with the Nursing Council of New Zealand. NCEA subjects that are useful in this role are Maths, English, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Job prospects for registered nurses are good and are best in aged care, primary care and mental health and addictions. With the increased life expectancy of the general population and ageing nursing workforce in New Zealand, longer-term prospects for this profession are also good. Statistics: Job prospects: Good. Length of study: 3 years. Pay scale: G raduate registered nurses usually earn $60,000 per year. Senior registered nurses usually $85,000–$136,000 per year.
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REGISTERED PERSONALNURSE CARE Tapuhi whai rēhitatanga ASSISTANT
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Optometrists examine eyes to diagnose and provide solutions for vision problems. They also diagnose, monitor and manage eye diseases, such as cataracts and glaucoma. If required, they prescribe visual aids (such as glasses or contact lenses) or treatments (such as prescription medicines), or refer the patient to an ophthalmologist. To become an optometrist, you need to complete the five-year Bachelor of Optometry at the University of Auckland, be registered with the Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Board and hold a current annual practising certificate. NCEA subjects that are useful in this role are Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths and English. Job prospects for optometrists are good and employment is projected to grow. It is still a relatively small occupation and finding work can be difficult in some locations. Statistics: Job prospects: Good. Length of study: 5 years. Pay scale: O ptometrists with one to two years’ experience earn $60,000–$80,000 per year. Optometrists with three to five years’ experience earn $80,000–$120,000 per year.
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Also known as: Medical radiation technologist; nuclear medicine technologist; radiographer; sonographer; x-ray technician; magnetic resonance imaging technologist; mammography specialist. Medical imaging technologists prepare and administer radioactive materials (tracers) or x-ray dye to patients. They provide information to patients about what will happen, and prepare the patients and equipment for the examination. Producing diagnostic images for diagnosis of injuries or possible diseases, checking the quality of images taken and writing reports are also elements of this role. To become a medical imaging technologist, you will need to have one of the following degrees: a Bachelor of Medical Imaging, Bachelor of Applied Science (Medical Imaging Technology) or Bachelor of Health Science (Medical Imaging). You also need to be registered with the New Zealand Medical Radiation Technologists Board and hold an annual practising certificate. NCEA subjects that are useful in this role are Biology, Chemistry, English, Health Education, Maths and Physics. Job prospects for medical imaging technologists are good and should remain so due to growing demand for their services and a shortage of workers. Statistics: Job prospects: Good. Length of study: 3–5 years. Pay scale: M edical imaging technologists with one to six years’ experience earn $57,000–$80,000 per year. Medical imaging technologists with more than six years’ experience earn $80,000–$110,000 per year.
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Dietitians provide advice and counselling about diet, food and nutrition to individuals and communities. They also design nutrition programmes, plan special diets or provide other specialised nutrition support to help people’s health and wellbeing, and provide nutritional information to food industry organisations, fitness centres and athletes. To become a dietitian, you need to have a Bachelor of Science majoring in Human Nutrition or Food Science and Nutrition, and a Master of Dietetics, or Nutrition and Dietetics. Once qualified, you also need to be registered with the New Zealand Dietitians Board. NCEA subjects that are useful in this role are Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Home Economics (Food and Nutrition) and Health Education. Job prospects for dietitians are good for those with experience but limited for new graduates. Statistics: Job prospects: Average. Length of study: 5 years. Pay scale: Dietitians usually earn $49,000–$100,00 per year.
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Also known as: OT. Occupational therapists provide therapy and support to people with limited ability to carry out everyday activities because of illness, injury or disability. To become an occupational therapist, you need to complete a Bachelor of Health Science (Occupational Therapy) (at AUT) or a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (at Otago Polytechnic or Wintec). Occupational therapists also need to be registered with the Occupational Therapy Board of New Zealand and have a current practising certificate. NCEA subjects that are useful in this role are Biology, Chemistry, Health and Physical Education. Job prospects are average for those wanting to enter the role, but good for those with experience. For experienced occupational therapists prospects are good because of New Zealand’s large ageing population and also, demand is increasing for occupational therapists to provide mental health and addiction services. Statistics: Job prospects: Average. Length of study: 3 years. Pay scale: Occupational therapists with up to five years’ experience earn $45,000–$71,000 per year. Occupational therapists with more than five years’ experience earn $71,000–$112,000 per year.
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Also known as: Doctor. Psychiatrists diagnose and treat mental illness and emotional and behavioural disorders by providing psychotherapeutic treatment and psychiatric medication. After completing the requisite first year programme, to become a psychiatrist you must complete a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at the University of Otago or Auckland. Then you must work for two years as a supervised junior doctor and a further five years of training through the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Fellowship programme. This includes on-the-job training in different specialisations, and passing examinations to become a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. NCEA subjects that are useful in this role are Maths, Chemistry, Physics, Biology and English. Job prospects for psychiatrists are good due to a shortage of workers. Statistics: Job prospects: Good. Length of study: 12 years. Pay scale: T rainee psychiatrists usually earn $74,000–$182,000 per year. Qualified psychiatrists usually earn $164,000–$245,000 per year. This can go up to $600,000 per year for psychiatrists in private practice.
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PSYCHIATRIST PERSONAL CARE Rata mate hinengaro ASSISTANT
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OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST PERSONAL CARE Kaiwhakaora ngangahau ASSISTANT
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DIETITIANCARE PERSONAL Pūkenga whakaita kai ASSISTANT (ngā tohunga mātai kai)
Also known as: Speech-Language pathologist; speech therapist; speech and language therapist. Speech language therapists assess and treat people who have problems with verbal communication or swallowing. This may include difficulties with speech, language, listening, reading or writing. To become a speech language therapist, you need to have a Bachelor of Speech and Language Pathology (Honours) or Speech and Language Therapy (Honours), or a Master of Speech and Language Pathology or Speech Language Therapy Practice. NCEA subjects that are useful in this role are Biology, Chemistry, English, other languages and te reo Māori. Job prospects are good due to high demand for their services. Statistics: Job prospects: Good. Length of study: 4–5 years. Pay scale: N ew speech language therapists usually earn $52,000–$73,000 per year. Experienced speech language therapists usually earn $73,000–$100,000 per year.
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SPEECHPERSONAL LANGUAGE THERAPIST CARE Kaihaumanu reo ā-waha ASSISTANT
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AUDIOLOGIST PERSONAL CARE Kaimātai Ororongo ASSISTANT
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Also known as: Audiometrist. Audiologists study, identify, measure and treat hearing loss and ear disorders using specialised equipment. They also advise on hearing problems, select and fit hearing aids and other listening devices to assist people with hearing loss, help patients with rehabilitation after hearing loss, and repair hearing aids and supply hearing aid batteries. To become an audiologist, you need to have a Master of Audiology degree. You also need to be registered with the New Zealand Audiological Society. NCEA subjects that are useful in this role are Biology, Health Education, Maths, Physics, te reo Māori and English. Job prospects for audiologists are good due to a high demand for their services. Also, the number of graduates meets the demand caused by audiologists retiring or leaving. Statistics: Job prospects: Good. Length of study: 2–5 years. Pay scale: Trainee audiologists usually earn $50,000–$70,000 per year. Qualified audiologists usually earn $65,000–$120,000 per year.
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