MPTT helps Māori and Pasifika become leaders in the trades industry. As well as paying your course fees, we’ll give you one-on-one mentoring to grow your career, and help you find work in your chosen trade.
If you’re Māori or Pasifika and aged 16-40, you could qualify for our scholarships. Let us know you’re interested by filling out this form, and we’ll be in touch.
The aim of the breakfast was to create supportive networks to empower, educate and encourage students to launch their career in trades. Further breakfasts are planned.
Leading the panel, and facilitating discussion was Erica Cumming, who is the Advocate for Women at BCITO.
The trades industry offers great opportunities for mothers who want a stable and rewarding career.
Mums with trades skills can expect to earn a good living to support their families. There’s a range of well-paid roles available in the growing industry, and statistics show women in the trades get paid the same as men for equal work.
To celebrate Mother’s Day, we look at why employers value parents as part of a trades team, and share the experiences of mums who are working in the industry.
When it comes to needing a great reason to get to work in the morning, having children to support is hard to beat.
Sarah Peraua, who has a seven-year-old son and one-month-old twin boys, says her children help her to be even more driven to succeed in her career.
“It definitely gives me motivation to work harder for my children and my family. I want to set a good example for my kids.”
Sarah’s employer Amon Johnson, director of Complete Build, says hiring parents has advantages for businesses.
“From an employer’s point of view, I find that people who have children are more reliable. Obviously they’ve got to support their children, so their motivation to get to work can be a lot greater than that of people who don’t have children.”
Camille McKewin, mother to six-year-old Madelin, was driven to start her own business after training in the trades. This allowed her to have more control over her schedule and spend more time with her daughter.
“That’s the good thing about having your own business. Working for yourself, you don’t have to work nine to five. It’s all on your terms.”
Of course, having children does come with challenges for parents in the trades.
A common issue is that trades jobs can have earlier starting times than the traditional 9am-5pm schedule.
Elaine Pereira, who is married with children aged two and four, needed to negotiate her working hours to allow for dropping her son at daycare in the mornings.
“They let me know the hours they needed me to work, and I told them I needed to talk to my family because a 7.30am start wasn’t going to work for me. My kid’s daycare doesn’t open until 8am, so that’s the earliest I can drop him off, which means I won’t be at work until 8.30.”
Her employer Trucks and Trailers, where Elaine is now working as an apprentice, offered her a job with a slightly later start than usual.
“They just asked whether I’d be able to come in early on the odd occasion if they needed me. And I’m happy to be flexible if they do need me to come in, especially because they’ve been flexible with me. It’s worked out well.”
Amon says all employment relationships require a bit of give and take.
“At the end of the day, that’s life, and you can’t expect a parent with a sick child to come to work. Employers have to be a bit flexible around parenting. I would say a large majority of employers are parents themselves, so they probably have empathy for that.”
The key to managing absent employees comes down to being organised, says Amon, who is a parent of twins.
“As long as the business has strategies to cope with things like sickness or absenteeism due to kids, it’s something that can be managed.
“The rest of the team might have to stay a bit later to meet our deadlines if someone’s away, but everyone understands that. My team is pretty good with picking up the slack if someone has to stay home with a sick child – and their co-workers who are parents do the same thing for them if they happen to be sick, so it’s really just a team thing.”
For many mums, whānau support to help care for their children is key to balancing work and family life.
Sarah says her parents have been there to look after her eldest son when she’s needed to work.
“My mum picks up my son after she finishes work so I can continue working until five o’clock. She sometimes takes him to morning school care as well. And if I wanted to work on Saturdays, my parents would both look after him.”
Elaine shares household responsibilities with her husband to ensure she has time for her work and apprenticeship.
“When I need to do my studies he’ll look after the kids, which is fantastic. With cooking dinner, doing the washing and cleaning the house, we share that work.”
Elaine says communicating openly with your employer is especially important for parents.
“Just being open when you’re applying for a job, telling them straight-up what things you can and can’t do, and having that open line of communication with my employer really helped me.
“They know that if my kids are sick and I can’t get anyone else to come pick them up, then I’ll have to leave, and they’re really good with that.”
Amon says with good communication, an employer can better plan around any constraints in the employee’s schedule.
“When I hire people I tell them that if they need to pick their child up at a certain time each day, let me know at the beginning so I can fit that into my programme. As long as I know about it, I can make sure I don’t book them to be working at those times.”
He adds that all employees require some flexibility whether they’re parents or not – from sick days to time off for a dentist appointment.
“For example, I’ve got guys here who are Jehovah’s Witnesses who have one day a week off. So I know they are a four-day worker, and I don’t try to take on work for a five-day worker. A lot of it comes down to organisation.”
The business case for hiring parents:
Parents can have more experience with meeting their obligations and taking their responsibilities seriously. This helps them to be reliable at work, too.
Parents have mouths to feed, so they’ll be motivated to work hard and have stable employment, says Amon Johnson, director of Complete Build. “From a business perspective, I prefer to employ parents because of that motivation and drive.”
By hiring parents, you’ll be helping them support their children, says Amon. “From a moral standpoint, I’d like parents to have a job to be able to support their families.”
Fitted out with brand new classrooms, workshops, and lab, the purpose-built site will be a hub for students wanting to learn trades skills in South Auckland.
After the official powhiri, the Minister said, “I am impressed with the vision shown by New Zealand Management Academies to open this facility to train more builders, painters, plumbers and electricians. Last year thousands of NZMA graduates and students were placed into jobs. I have no doubt there will be a high demand for your trades students. I look forward to seeing more Pacific and Maori tradespeople graduate from here, and I congratulate the Academy for being part of the Housing Solution” With demand growing for skilled workers across the industry, the campus will be used by hundreds of students and staff. Programmes are available in Construction, Electrical Engineering, Painting and Plastering, Plumbing, Gasfitting and Drain Laying, and Youth Guarantee Level 2 all in a single NZMA hub. It will add to NZMA’s enviable reputation for delivering work-ready skills, from top level qualified tutors who know the industry inside-out. NZMA
Chief Executive, Mark Worsop says, “With New Zealand’s current construction boom there is real demand for skilled tradespeople, and we can address this shortfall with quality training and job placement.”
He added, “We’re really proud to be developing young people in these important and booming trade arenas. This campus will be an important training hub in Auckland, and we’re working closely with construction industry companies to place our graduates in sustainable employment”.
There is no better way to learn about the construction industry than to do it yourself, and NZMA is giving people building experience they’d find hard to get anywhere else. NZMA also have a team of Careers specialists who assist students in finding the right job.
According to a recent Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) report, construction investment growth is set to peak in 2020 and will increase requirements for construction-related occupations until at least the end of 2022.
Employers are facing an increasing skills shortage with overall construction staff demand in New Zealand set to increase by 11 per cent by 2022. This means around 56,000 new employees will be needed with approximately half of that demand centring around Auckland’s construction industry. (reference https://www.michaelpage.co.nz/advice/market-insights/industry-reports/new-zealand-s-construction-boom-means-big-demand-talent
Every area of construction is now mostly considered a skills shortage. From labourers to carpenters, plumbers to electricians, site supervisors to quantity surveyors, and engineers – skilled staff are hard to find.
With an easily accessible NZMA Trades Campus in South Auckland, the entire community will benefit. With strong numbers of Maori and Pasifika students, as well as those who have recently moved to New Zealand, getting a head-start on their careers will be easier with a campus of this calibre.
Students from a few schools in Māngere now have bikes they can call their own.
Māori and Pasifika Trades Training (MPTT) donated 15 bikes to students from Robertson Road School, Māngere Central School and Favona School.
**Updated November 2019**
When you first start a job, your employer might want to have you work for them on a trial basis for a few months. As of May 2019, only an employer with 19 or fewer employees can use trial periods.
A trial period means both you and your new boss can suss each other out before committing to a long-term working relationship.
During a trial period, you’ll work and get paid as normal and you should be treated the same as any other employee. But if for some reason it doesn’t work out, you or the employer can end the relationship more easily than if you were already a permanent member of staff.
Many trial periods last 90 days. They can be shorter than that, but not longer. You can find out more about how trial periods work on the employment.govt.nz website.
Trial periods can sound scary. But remember, you’re not expected to know everything or be super skilled in your trade.
Mostly, your employer just wants to make sure you’re reliable and have a good attitude, says MPTT navigator Shirley Murray from the Solomon Group.
“Turn up every day, have a good attitude, be drug and alcohol free, show initiative and be prepared to listen and engage.
“What we hear all the time from employers is they’d prefer tauira to have a good attitude and time management skills and be keen to learn than to have heaps of experience.
Good communication skills can impress your boss even more than your ability in your trade.
It can feel weird at first, but it’s important to be honest and upfront about any issues you have. Even if you think your boss might not be happy about what you have to say, they’ll appreciate that you told them about it.
Here are some things you might want to talk to your boss about:
Your trial period is also a chance for the employer to consider you as a future apprentice.
An apprenticeship is more than a job. It’s an agreement between you, your employer and an apprenticeship provider, and it’s the best path to getting qualified in your trade.
The first step to getting an apprenticeship is to let your employer know that’s your goal – and you should do that as soon as possible.
Not all employers take on apprentices. That’s because having an apprentice means committing to helping them get qualified, and not all companies have the resources to do that. So Shirley says it’s a good idea to find out early on if an apprenticeship is possible.
“I recommend establishing whether there is the possibility of an apprenticeship prior to your initial interview, just in case there is not one being considered by the employer.”
That way, your employer will know you want an apprenticeship from the start and can help you work towards achieving that goal.
Even if you told your employer that you’re looking for an apprenticeship when you first met with them, you might still need to remind them about it later.
Remember, your boss has a lot to think about, so it’s helpful to them if you bring up the topic rather than waiting for them to remember to talk to you about it. This also shows your initiative and enthusiasm – both qualities employers look for in an apprentice.
But you don’t have to do it alone. Your MPTT navigator and your apprenticeship provider are both there to help, says Shirley.
“Get your employer’s contact details so you can to bring that information back to your support people – such as your MPTT navigator, apprenticeship provider, or tutor. That way, they have the opportunity to talk to the employer directly on your behalf.”
You’ll find contact details for all MPTT navigators on our contact page. To get in touch with an apprenticeship provider, visit their website or ask your navigator to put you in touch with them.
One of the first things you’ll notice when you meet apprentice Junior Mehau is his ambition, reckons Marty Mitchell from Fairbrother Industries.
“Junior’s what you’d call a go-getter. He wants to be thought of as the number-one guy,” says Marty, who is the production manager and Junior’s boss.
“He sees what everyone else is doing and tries to do that little bit better – he’s quite competitive like that. And of course, when you’ve got a guy like that, no-one wants to be left behind, so he tends to motivate the whole team.”
Straight away, Junior made it clear he was looking to move up in his career, says Marty.
“The first time I met him he came up and said, ‘Hi, I’m Junior, what do I need to do to become the foreman here?’
“I said, ‘Well, it’s really simple. First you’ve got to finish your apprenticeship, and second you’ve got to be the guy everyone wants on the team.’ And he’s been responsive to that – he’s pretty sharp.”
But the road to an apprenticeship has involved a few detours for Junior. In fact, the first trade that grabbed his interest wasn’t engineering, it was his hobby – automotive.
“I like cars and I’m good with my hands,” says Junior. “I thought it would be a move in the right direction.”
He spent a few years tuning up his automotive skills, and with his dad being from Manihiki in the Cook Islands and his mum from Suva in Fiji, he qualified for an MPTT scholarship.
But with a taste of what life on the job would be like, Junior decided he wanted to keep his work with cars as a relaxing hobby, not his livelihood.
“I realised if I want to do stuff to my own cars, then I don’t really want to be doing that as a job.”
Marty says experiences like Junior’s aren’t wasted, since they all help develop the skills needed to build a career in the trades.
“Other mechanical style trades, such as automotive, are all about a logical approach to maintenance that’s very similar to engineering. Plus any trades training you do has key literacy and numeracy parts to it, which reinforces the basic building blocks that everyone needs to have.
“The process also forces you to take a disciplined approach to what you’re doing, and young people often need that. So by doing other trades and having other experiences, it all works towards Junior being better at what he does.
“All those skills are building blocks towards a bigger whole. Any time you can fill in some of those blocks outside of your immediate situation, it’s immensely beneficial.”
The 26-year-old later studied welding, and after enjoying the work and gaining some on-the-job experience, Junior discovered he wanted to focus his efforts on the engineering trade.
Although his focus changed as he progressed through the trades, MPTT was there to offer support and practical help throughout. Even when Junior left Auckland, having lined up a potential engineering job in Taranaki, MPTT project manager Kirk Sargent connected him with Taranaki Futures – an organisation that offers similar services to MPTT.
When the opportunity in Taranaki didn’t pan out as expected, Junior eventually returned to Auckland.
“I was wanting to go into the gas and oil industry. I was sort of promised a job from an engineering company but when I got there, they said the work was dropping off so they couldn’t take me on.”
With Junior back in Auckland, MPTT connected him with Iani Nemani at industry training organisation Competenz – one of MPTT’s partners. With help from Iani, Junior eventually found an engineering job making farm equipment for Fairbrother Industries in Auckland.
“I still do a lot of welding, because I build the bases for our machines,” says Junior. “I also like that I get to do new stuff and learn new things on the job.”
He’s now two years into an apprenticeship that covers the full spectrum of engineering, including mechanical engineering, maintenance, fabrication, welding and machining.
Marty says while Junior is learning all aspects of engineering, his personality does favour larger projects where the impact of his work is more clear.
“To me he seems more focused on the fabrication and welding side because it fits with his personality. He can build a big thing and look at it and see his accomplishment. But on the machining side you’re only making a small part of a bigger thing, so I don’t believe he’d get the same amount of satisfaction out of that.
“I think he likes taking a big pile of metal and making it into something worthwhile.”
With his drive to excel on the job, it’s not surprising that Junior has big plans for the future.
“I want to own my own business one day and do my own thing – to put my little two cents into the engineering world.”
With a wife and two-year-old daughter, supporting his family is a big motivation for Junior.
“I want to move up in my career to get us a better life, and they think that’s awesome.”
Marty says Junior is well on his way to achieving his goals for the future.
“The first part of becoming a leader is you’ve got to want to be one. You’ve got to want to be able to improve the people working with you. By wanting that, Junior’s already sort of halfway there.
“To be a leader in engineering you’ve got to know engineering as well – it’s impossible to be an apprentice and also be the foreman. But once Junior’s finished his apprenticeship, that means he’s got all the knowledge he needs.”
Junior encourages those who are thinking about learning a trade to step up and take action.
“Don’t be scared, just go for it – anything’s possible. You’ve got to take the step and go for what you want, because you’re not going to get it if you just sit back and wait for it.”
This year marks 40 years in business for Fairbrother Industries, which specialises in manufacturing industry-leading farming equipment such as post drivers. Production manager Marty Mitchell says apprentices are a crucial part of the team. “We’ve always offered apprenticeships and have had a number of Māori and Pasifika apprentices over the years. We currently have two apprentices on the books and are always open to more – we’re always looking for the next bunch of leaders to come through.”
Competenz is an Industry Training Organisation (ITO) and apprenticeship provider. Like other ITOs, Competenz develops national trades qualifications and helps make sure the industry has a continuous supply of skilled workers to grow New Zealand businesses. Iani Nemani, trades career advisor, Pasifika, says Competenz is always happy to help trainees find work in their trade. “One way of supporting industry is to connect young people like Junior with employers and industry training, ensuring they have the opportunity to earn while they learn and become qualified without the fuss.”
Jason Pou admits to feeling a bit out of his depth when he went for an interview with Mercedes-Benz a few months ago.
The 26-year-old West Aucklander had only recently graduated from autotronics at Unitec and had spent no time in a proper automotive workshop.
“When I found out about the Mercedes job, I thought I’d give it a shot. But I imagined they’d only hire well-experienced people,” Jason says.
However, Jason had been in touch with automotive industry training organisation MITO – one of MPTT’s partners. Seeing that Jason presented well and had a great attitude, MITO put in a recommendation for him with Mercedes.Having initially thought his chances of getting the job were slim, Jason jumped at the chance to meet his potential employer for an interview.
“They took me around the workshop and there were cars I’d never seen before. So flash – it was crazy. There were cars selling for well over $100,000. It was a bit overwhelming.”
Despite his lack of workshop experience, Jason had plenty of work-readiness skills to show from his nine years in retail at Supercheap Auto.
Being able to show he was a reliable worker with a get-up-and-go attitude clearly shone through and he landed the job – much to his surprise.
“I wasn’t expecting that at all! I’m starting in January and can’t wait.”
MITO’s acting regional manager Mark Lawrence says the training organisation had previously interviewed Jason and was happy to recommend him when the role at Mercedes came up.
“He was work ready and knew what he wanted to do. We were happy with the way he interviewed and his motivation and passion for the trade. Plus he was already working, which showed his good work ethic.”
The role at Mercedes is a fantastic and sought-after opportunity that Jason has managed to secure, says Mark.
“Every mechanic dreams of working on nice cars. Working for a company like Mercedes-Benz is prestigious and it’s an opportunity that doesn’t come up very often. Jason’s achievement is the outcome we’re always looking for.”
Jason’s story is proof that employers in the trades sector place value on candidates having a positive attitude and willingness to learn. They also look for employment experience, even if it’s from a different sector – like in Jason’s case.
Despite working his way up to an assistant manager position at Supercheap Auto, Jason finally made the decision to pursue an automotive career last year.
“I’ve been fixing my cars at home since I’ve had a car and I thought, ‘Why not get paid for it? I pretty much do that anyway.’
“If I want to get a bit of money and go somewhere in 10 years time, I want a better paying job than I could have gotten without a qualification. I’ve already got a good base knowledge of how to fix cars so that made me go and learn it as a trade.”
Jason’s only regret is waiting so long to get a formal qualification.
“I was thinking about studying for years but it was hard to leave my job. I’d applied for an automotive course after high school but it was too full.
“I got a full-time job and I kept thinking about applying to study,but then I’d get a promotion at work. Now I wish I gone to study and get a trade earlier.”
After eventually making the decision to get a trade qualification, Jason successfully completed a 12-month Certificate in Autotronics at Unitec.
Being of Ngapuhi descent, he was eligible for a full-fees scholarship from Māori and Pasifika Trades Training Auckland, plus ongoing coaching from one of our Navigators.
“Getting the scholarship was great because it meant I didn’t have to pay for my fees. Now I don’t have much of a student loan to pay, so that’s a big help.”
Through his job at Mercedes, Jason will now be working towards MITO’s New Zealand Certificate in Automotive Engineering – Light Vehicle. He will also benefit from support from an advisor at MITO, to help him complete his qualification.
Jason will be working for Mercedes as an apprentice mechanic and he’s excited about his future.
“I definitely wanted to do an apprenticeship. It will probably take me about three years to complete but it means I’ll be fully qualified so I can work around the world one day if I want to.”
And in case you’re wondering what kind of car Jason drives, it’s a deceptively-quick Mazdaspeed Axela turbo.
“I like being out in it because, when people pull up beside me, they think it’s a nana car. But it’s a 2.3 litre turbo so it’s way faster than they realise!”
Are you interested in a career as a mechanic or automotive technician? Find out more about how to train, where to train, and how to find an apprenticeship.
The Māori Pasifika Trades Training programme has awarded 200 new scholarships to its first group of trainees for 2018.
Being good with money is a skill you can learn – and you don’t need to wait until you’re earning heaps. In fact, the best time to start is right now.
This advice from Linda McCallum, loans officer at Ngā Tangata Microfinance, will help you get on the right track.
What’s the first thing you want to do when you get paid? It’s probably not to pay your rent, settle a power bill or set aside petrol money. But before you start spending on fun stuff, the number one thing you should do is make sure your financial commitments are covered.
“Get your regular commitments sorted, then form your lifestyle around that,” says Linda.
Once you know how much you need to pay for your expenses, you’ll know how much you have left to save and spend.
Try not to take on too many financial commitments, especially when you’re just starting out. For example, instead of buying a new phone with an expensive plan, maybe you could make do with your current phone until you’ve been working for a while.
“People just get used to whatever lifestyle they’ve got,” says Linda. “When you get paid you might think, ‘I’m going to buy this because I deserve it’, and you get used to having those things.”
She advises sticking with the basics that you really need, at least while you’re getting qualified.
“If all of a sudden you’ve got money you might go, ‘Great, now I can get a new car, I can join a gym, I can buy a new phone’. But I tell you, it’s not a good idea to have too many financial commitments.”
The biggest money pitfall to avoid?
“Definitely don’t go and buy an expensive car with a high-interest loan,” says Linda. “It absolutely kills people financially – it’s devastating.”
So avoid anything that offers you fast access to cash – you’ll usually pay heaps of interest in the long run. Remember, buying a car is a big decision, so take your time before you commit.
“If all of a sudden you get offered a job and you think you need to get a car really quickly, that’s when people make a mistake and sign up for high interest terms,” says Linda.
If you do need a loan, Linda recommends applying to the Salvation Army for a StepUp loan. You’ll need to show you’re earning money to qualify, so if you’ve just been offered a job, see if you can temporarily get to work using Uber, public transport or even a cheap scooter until money is officially coming in.
And don’t forget – cars are an ongoing expense. So while you should look for a cheaper car when you’re starting out, you should still get it checked by a mechanic, says Linda.
“If you can get a cheaper car that’s had a mechanical check, you can run that for a couple of years and then you’re a bit more set up to by a more expensive one.
“And remember you’ll need insurance. If you get a fancy car, you’ve got to insure it, and that’s expensive if the car cost a lot, especially if you’re under 25. So that’s another reason to get a less expensive car – but still a good car that’s had a mechanical check.”
Once you have a car, make sure you set aside money each week to cover the running costs so you’re not caught out if the radiator suddenly starts leaking or you need new tyres.
“I’d recommend setting aside about $20 a week for a car,” says Linda. “You need to be realistic about that so you can keep your car running well, especially so you can get to work. Keeping your car going is keeping your job going.”
You might think you’ll start saving once you’re earning big bucks. But even saving small amounts can make a big difference to your lifestyle down the track, says Linda.
“Save something small and realistic so that you keep doing it and you don’t start resenting it. You still want to have some spending money.”
Over the years, you’ll find saving small amounts regularly really adds up, and you’ll be glad you didn’t put it off. For example, saving just $20 a week will add up to more than $1000 a year. If you leave it in your bank account and don’t touch it, you’ll find the interest the bank pays you will grow significantly too.
And if you’re not already signed up for KiwiSaver, it’s well worth doing. Even if you just put in the minimum amount, you’ll get extra money from your employer and the government as a reward – adding up to much more than you’d be able to save on your own.
Just remember, KiwiSaver can usually only be used for retirement or buying your first home. So having some savings in your bank account is still a good idea because you can access it when you need it.
As an MPTT trainee, you can always ask your navigator for advice. If you need help with your finances, don’t be afraid to ask.
If you already have debt or need help making a budget, consider signing up with a budgeting service, says Linda.
“Wherever you’re living, go along to your local budgeting service and say, ‘I need to get a budget done so I know what to do with my pay’. Then once you’ve gone along, at least you’re registered there. It’s somewhere you can always go back to if you’re in trouble.”
Once you’re registered with a budgeting service – which is usually free – you might qualify for a no-interest loan from Ngā Tangata Microfinance if you need one down the track, such as for car repairs.
To help you manage your money, check out the links below.
Robert Rudolph, Valusaga Iopu and Atanasia Galiga were offered jobs at D&H Steel after demonstrating their work readiness skills through unpaid work experience during the last few months of their course.
Work experience is a great way to get to know potential employers and show you’re ready to be hired. Although it’s usually unpaid, you’ll get valuable experience to add to your CV – or even better, a job offer at the end of it.
It’s tough finding work when you’re just starting out and have no contacts in the industry. That’s why the MPTT programme ensures trainees aren’t doing it alone.
Each trainee has a navigator who’s there to offer advice, mentoring, and help finding employment.
MPTT navigator Tu Nu’uali’itia, from Oceania Career Academy, took a small group of trainees along to West Auckland company D&H Steel so they could see what life on the job would be like.
“We all met and travelled out together,” says Tu. “I prepared them beforehand, such as making sure they were ready to ask questions about the work and apprenticeships.”
The visit turned into an informal job interview, with D&H Steel offering the trainees valuable work experience.
“The guy showing them around got an inkling that these are quality guys, so he said yep, you can start working here. He said, ‘You won’t get paid and it’s 10-hour days, but if you want to be here you can come.’ All the trainees signed up.”
Robert, Valusaga and Atanasia made time to do one or two days of work experience each week for the last three months of their course.
Work experience is a great way for trainees to show an employer they’re ready to work and have a positive attitude.
“It makes it easier to get the job,” says Valusaga, aged 29. “The boss knows you’re a hard worker and can see you’re keen.”
The trainees quickly impressed their future boss with their enthusiasm and willingness to work, says Tu.
“They just wanted to get out there and work, and even took on some night shifts to check it out.
“Because of their attitude, the boss was very happy. He said, ‘These guys you gave us are amazing – they’ve showed their colours and commitment and I’m happy to offer them jobs’. He could see they were work-ready so he picked them up.”
Work experience is one way to show your value as an employee and get started in a trade, and the hard work can lead to much bigger things, says Tu.
“These trainees have families and they’re working really hard to do something big. So they bought into the idea of personal sacrifice. They’re driving their own futures and will one day be able to get qualified and start their own businesses.”
Valusaga, who is now working full-time at D&H Steel, had been working at a general engineering company as a labour hand. When he heard about the MPTT scholarship, he decided to gain his New Zealand Certificate in Mechanical Engineering.
He stopped working while he was studying, which became more difficult when he and his wife had a baby on the way – a daughter now age 5. But Valusaga saw the value in doing work experience to build his skills, get to know a potential employer, and get his foot in the door.
“I saw the environment at D&H Steel was really good. They’re really friendly and the manager, Cameron, was real good to us.”
Valusaga – whose mother is from Saleimoa on the Samoan island of Upolu and his father from Sale’aula on the island of Savai’i – now has his sights set on an apprenticeship, which he is due to discuss with his new boss after three to six months of full-time work.
“It worked out well,” says Tu. “They’re starting jobs and will eventually move into apprenticeships.”
Even now that they’ve earned full-time jobs, these hard-working trainees will continue to be coached by Tu. This will help them to continue to advance in their careers.
“That’s the beauty of navigation,” says Tu. “Because we build trusting relationships with the trainees, we can actually see their shortcomings. So we can always be telling them the areas they need to improve and we can speak that into them.
“We look at the person, not necessarily the skills. Hopefully if they’ve got a dream and a goal, we just encourage them to keep aspiring to that.”
He says the trainees have put in the hard yards and are now reaping the benefits – and as a navigator, he’ll continue to offer his support.
“I just want to encourage them that they can do it and I think that’s where the navigation comes in. Our role is to keep telling them they can do this. Then they know they’re supported so if they fall over, they know there’s someone there to help them back up.”
It’s a campaign aimed at breaking down the barriers to Māori and Pasifika youth getting a trade. An organisation that’s helped more than 2000 young Polynesians get trade training is behind the move. And as Te Okiwa McLean reports, a number of high profile personalities are endorsing the initiative.
Whatever your biggest dreams are, you probably won’t get there by going through the same old routines. You need to stop and make sure you’re working towards the future you want – rather than just working.
According to MPTT navigator John Kotoisuva, the key to being unstoppable is to get fired up about where you’re heading in life.
“Life should be exciting. Trapped inside everyone is a leader. A leader knows what they want and where they are going; a leader has vision of a preferable future.
“But not everyone becomes the leader they could be, because they’ve been programmed not to dream big.”
So how do you get to where you want to be in life? Follow these steps to achieve your goals and make your dreams a reality.
Goals should take you closer to the life you want. So before you decide what your specific goals are, take some time to picture where you’d like to be five years from now, says John.
“You’ve got to set your own goals for the way you see yourself living in the next five years, especially after you become qualified in the trades.”
Knowing where you want to end up is the key to motivating yourself to set and achieve your goals.
“When you start something in life, it’s your faith and determination in your dream that will get you to finish it,” says John.
“When you visualise what you want your future to look like, you get turbo-charged emotionally because you’re excited about where you want to be.”
So think about what you want your life to look like – not just your career. That includes where you want to live, the lifestyle you’d like, and how you want to spend your time. Also think about the legacy you’ll leave behind. Ask yourself, what would you like your grandchildren to say about you?
“If you set your mind to that, you’ll become unstoppable,” says John. “I’ve seen young people put that vision in place, and nothing can stop them. They just keep going because they want to get there.“
If you want a career in the trades industry, you’ll obviously need to choose a trade to learn. But the trade itself doesn’t have to be your dream or your passion – it’s a way of achieving the future you want, says John.
“You’ve got to see your trade as a vehicle that will take you into your future and influence the quality of your life”.
“The trade is not the beginning and end of everything. It’s your journey in life that must be important to you and will be the biggest motivating factor for you.”
Remember, a trade involves practical skills you can learn – so it’s not about being a naturally talented tradesperson.
“The trade needs to be put into its proper perspective, because no-one was born to be a welder,” says John. “Welders are made, carpenters are made. And people’s careers do change along the way.”
Now it’s time to get practical. Think about where you are now compared to where you want to be in the future. What steps can you take to achieve your dream, and when would you like to do this by?
“It’s very powerful when you have that vision and you smack a date on that dream,” says John.
“You need to have a plan. The gap between where you are now and what you want in the future is called the plan.”
You don’t need to know all the steps right now – you just need to know what to do next to move closer to your dream. For example, if in five years you want to be your own boss, your next step might be choosing the trade you want to learn, and then completing a pre-trades course. As you go along, the next steps will become more clear to you.
The key is to focus on growing your skills and the value you have to offer. Even if your goals require you to earn plenty of money, the best way to achieve that is to focus on personal growth and building your skills, says John.
“Money is just a by-product – it will follow if you’re good at what you do”.
“You increase your pay as you increase your value as an individual. To increase your value, you need to grow as an individual.”
No matter what you’re working towards, there will always be difficult times.
“When we journey towards something new, it’s never easy,” says John. “It’s always an uphill battle because we’re going into new territory that we’ve never been before.”
So when you face challenges, it’s important to keep your dream in mind. Picturing the future you’re working towards will remind you why it’s worth the challenge.
“What can get someone to quit is when they start focusing on the difficulties and lose sight of their vision and where they want to go,” says John.
And remember, challenges are also a sign that you’re growing as a person and working towards something worthwhile.
“You will never escape hurdles and challenges. Like they say, no pain no gain. Challenges are a sign that you’re gaining. You never grow in your comfort zone.”
No matter how great your plan is, you’ll probably need to adjust it along the way. That’s because as you grow, your goals will likely change too.
“When we journey along in life we use a certain vehicle, such as a trade, to move into the future,” says John. “The most exciting thing is when you move from one vehicle to the next, you discover more about who you are and what you’re capable of doing.”
So when you’re no longer feeling challenged, it’s time to make a change. For example, after getting qualified as a carpenter and working for someone else for a while, it might then be time to take on the challenge of being a self-employed contractor.
“When you start to plateau – when it’s become just a job and no longer challenges you – that’s when it’s time to move on,” says John. “That takes you to another level and it’s exciting, because there are new challenges.”
So if you start to get bored with your work, be open to making changes to your plan.
“Who knows what the future has in store for you? It’s such an exciting thing to take on new challenges and grow as a person.”