NorthTec | Te Pūkenga graduation a success
Last Friday, the first NorthTec | Te Pūkenga graduation occurred for the 2022 cohort. The event saw the first group of NorthTec students graduate under the Te Pūkenga (New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology) name.
This year’s graduation was held at Forum North in Whangārei, with two ceremonies starting at 10 am and 2 pm on Friday, 4th of March. It celebrated the graduation of students who completed their studies in 2022.
Even the sun made an appearance for the event, despite the weather bringing thunderstorms and rain to the region. This allowed all graduating students to complete their traditional march through the Whangārei CBD at 1 pm.
There was a fantastic turnout for the march, with friends, family, and the wider community gathering to cheer on and congratulate the graduating students.
Student valedictorian Faye’Ala MacFarlane, who graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Arts, gave a fantastic speech acknowledging the hard work and unprecedented obstacles each graduate had to overcome to reach their goals.
She also passed on some inspiring advice from a close friend that helped motivate her to undertake study. “You’re not getting any younger and all the stress is not worth it. Do what you’ve always wanted to do.”
