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“If someone wanted to train as a hairdresser, I’d tell them to come to NorthTec because you get the job experience in a salon and you get the feel of it before and you get to go into a salon with all this practical experience behind you.”
“If you’re thinking of starting a career in Mechanical Engineering, come to NorthTec first because they teach all you need to know before you get into the workplace. They tutors are a great support and they can potentially hook you up with a job too…
I decided to study at NorthTec because I know Henry, the tutor quite well. He’s a family friend and decided to come up to our house one day and asked if myself and my brother would be keen on joining the carpentry course
“The staff support here is amazing, both at class level and from the international support team.”
“Not being in school for a couple of years has made it a bit challenging but that’s where the support at NorthTec comes in. My tutors are so helpful and on to it, and the whole class is like a little family as well. We all help each other out, we do…
“As youth, we all have capability to lift ourselves but a lot of us don’t realise we can do that by studying at NorthTec in a supportive system and staying in the area.”
“I'm planning to eventually become a nurse practitioner, that is the goal. I love the thought of being able to get into the community and give back more. I will prefer to be at rural and be able to help other of Māori descent.”
“I knew I’d like this course but I like it even more than I thought. I kept getting into trouble at school so eventually Mum decided to pull me out. We lived on a farm and I liked it, but I didn’t know anything about it so when I saw a brochure on t…
“I am studying for my Bachelor Degree In Applied Social Work so that I have the formal training needed in the field that I work in.”
“I’ve always been interested in cars and fixing them - I decided it was now time to chase what I love and this course was near where I live.
“Getting a good understanding of the basics is essential to improve so that I can later have enough knowledge and experience to do my dream job of coaching athletes.”
“I want to say a big thanks to NorthTec and our tutor for inspiring not only me but our whole class to do our best in everything we do here so that we can be job ready.”
“I decided to study nursing because I watched my mom. She's been a nurse throughout my whole life. So, when she's come home, I've always been able to talk to her about the job and I found it interesting.”
“I decided to do the baking course because food and particularly baking, is something that I've always been passionate about. As soon as I saw that NorthTec was doing a baking course I signed up as quickly as I could.”
“After a background in admin, I recently found beekeeping and it’s so fascinating that I’ll probably be learning about bees for the rest of my life.”
“It’s great to be able to study locally. Being in a classroom environment makes you strive that little bit harder and motivate yourself. NorthTec in Kaitaia is the only place around here that will provide you with a formal qualification in Business …
“This course has prepared me really well for a job, I’d say I could probably walk into one straight after I’ve finished and we’re lucky because our tutor has given us a lot of referrals for different jobs.”
“I’m loving learning things I want to learn, compared to school where the subjects didn’t interest me. It’s also much easier to learn here because the student-tutor relationship is closer in small class sizes, and we get to apply hands-on what we’ve…
Daniel is doing a Bachelor of Nursing. As a mature learner he has plenty of experience to bring to the role. This includes being a father and 11 years working for the Northland District Health Board in Mental Health Services.
“The tutors here have strong professional links which open doors to work experience and this can often progress into paid employment."
“I have done a lot of writing online and for retail mags so was able to get straight into the applied writing course at level 7, but then I realized that fiction writing is a whole different world, and that was what I was there for.”
“If anyone has been out of the work look for a while, studying at NorthTec is a good place to start back into it again. ”
“Completing this programme will be a huge influence on my children. They are watching me do this and are already so proud of me. It will affect what they are going to do in their future, and for them to understand that hard work does pays off.”
"As a mature student, it’s a long time since I studied but I’m enjoying learning and my memory is better than I thought it would be.”
“The best part about studying here is being involved with the International Rally when it comes to Whangarei. Working on the rally cars alongside international teams is pretty awesome, it’s not an everyday thing! I think it will help me in my future…
“I studied architecture at high school and its always something I really enjoyed. Architecture has always been a passion of mine and I’ve always been good at design. I decided to do the diploma in architectural technology because I wanted to know m…
We get to go on various field trips and talk to people in the conservation industry that are making a difference, and it is just that invaluable experience of being able to say I have experienced this myself first-hand."
Getting better at English is a big motivation for me and I feel really well supported here as an international student.
“I'm really glad I joined NorthTec because it was just really easy to learn, and I learned heaps just from level 2 painting then on to the next ones after that.”
“When I was young I wanted to be a writer but then life happened and it becomes hard to make it a priority, so I decided to do a writing course to dedicate some time to it. I was living in Mexico at the time, liked distance education, and wanted to …
Meet Grace Woodhouse, a current learner of the NZ Certificate in Automotive Engineering Level 3.
“This programme makes you work ready. It teaches us what’s inside commercial trucks and all the technology we need to learn. It also gives us a lot of hands-on experience from drivers who have been in the industry for a long time so we can prepare o…
“I’m so glad I chose this course. Everyone is so comfortable with each other that it feels like one big family and we have a lot of fun together.”
“This programme has really helped to prepare me for the hospitality industry. I’ve been taught so I can walk into a five-star restaurant and know what I’m doing. I have a thorough base knowledge of everything I need to bring to the workplace because…
“Since graduating, I have this fantastic job as sole Ranger on Motu Matakohe/Limestone Island located in the Whangarei harbour. I applied for the job just after I finished studying, and my NorthTec degree, along with my previous life and work experi…
“Working on the rally cars for the International Rally that comes to Whangarei is just awesome. It’s a really rare opportunity and gives us the experience and skills we wouldn’t usually get. It’s also really cool to network and meet the big names in…
"I love the small classes and how hands-on our learning is"
“I used to live in Wellington, working a nine to five job. My husband was home with the kids, and it was exhausting. I was tired. We decided that we wanted to be more sustainable. I wanted to be home more, so we dug up half our lawn and grew heaps o…
"It was a big step for me from a small town but our class is small and the whole campus is family-orientated and so I fit right in here."
“I became a mother at the young age of 16 and so education back then came to a halt and that continued for the next 11 years, so taking that step to return to study and find the right path for me was huge. I didn’t know where to start or what I want…
“I decided to study architectural technology because I've always had a passion for homes. I would love to one day run my own business. I'm from Kaitaia, and I want to be able to work for my iwi and give back to my people. I want to help people that …
“Since I’ve been here, I amazed at the massive growth in myself and in others on the course. It has transformed my sense of self, and when I get my degree I’m keen to serve as a role model for rangatahi”
“I used to have a lot of excuses as to why I couldn’t move my life forward – the kids, or not enough time or money – but now that I’ve stepped up, I’d encourage others to just try something. Don’t let fear stand in your way – and you might find it’s…
“I’m delighted with my progress and I completed a book during level 6 which is now with editors in London and New York, and I’ve almost finished another one. I am ripe with so many ideas that I plan to live to 112 to get them all out.”
“This course has made me want to go out and start my own small business fencing and properly get out there and help others. I decided to do the agriculture course because it was something new, something a bit more physical than just paperwork. North…
“I decided to do the architectural technology course because I love drawing and I love building. I've known that since I was in Year 12. I quite liked the whole designing area. At first, I thought I would be a builder, but I didn’t really enjoy that…
“When I decided to return to the work force after being a fulltime Mum, I wanted to study something that would result in a job so I could create a good life for my kids. I chose nursing and because I hadn’t studied for years I started with the found…
“It’s so much easier to learn here than at school because we’re doing what we love, the tutors are really cool, and we’re independent so we do the work because we want to not because we’re told to.”
“I was a Dive Master for a dive company. When COVID reared its ugly head, I decided to retrain. I've always enjoyed baking and I saw [the NZ Certificate in Baking Level 4] course advertised online and decided to go for it.”
“We all come in from different industries for a day a week so it’s great getting feedback from each other.”
“I decided to do the Architectural technology course because I was straight out of high school, and I had already done Architecture there and its what I really enjoyed. It was a good lead on from what I was already doing. The course has really solid…
“The way I can study at NorthTec is just awesome – I’m able to study at NorthTec and learn from not just the tutors there but everyone else coming to learn because they all bring in their own ideas and experiences as well."
“A big surprise for me is how much rāranga has reconnected me to my people and my whakapapa, and I’d love to pass the skills on.”
“This course has given me confidence and a belief in myself that I didn’t have and has opened networking opportunities and doors to success."
“The tutors here are very understanding and kind, even with logistics like a tutor doing home drop-offs for some of us on his way to and from work because, in our case, our family shares one vehicle.”
“I encourage anyone to go with your gut in deciding what to do with your life. For me, doing something I really didn’t like for two years was what gave me the motivation to go for what I love."
“I love being introduced to new foods, I love the atmosphere here, and I love learning new things.”
“I love how family-friendly NorthTec is with flexi-time if personal issues arise, and the tutors also open doors for us and, through them, I’ve just started an internship with an accounting firm. It’s amazing the huge difference in my life in just 1…
“I’ve been really surprised at how much I’ve learnt about myself through the personal development part of the small business programme, and amazed to think we’d learn that in an apiculture course. It’s so much broader than I imagined and I’m confide…
"The stand-out of the course for me is that all the content is relevant to what I want to do and the tutors help us get two days a week of work experience."
“I decided to study nursing because nursing seemed like the place where I could show my compassion. I could care for people who really wanted the help. It will be a really rewarding career for me.”
“Doing this course has put me on a career path around the world that I could never have imagined."
“I decided to do the Architectural Technology course because it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I was going through a career change; the opportunity came along at the right time. I chose NorthTec specifically because it was close, and I have a…
“It’s years since I’ve studied and I didn’t do that well at school, but because I’m interested in architecture my marks and motivation are good and I’m keeping up with the deadlines. It was challenging at first but there are other mature students in…
“I now look forward to Mondays to learn more, and I find rolling paint on walls soothing and very satisfying.”
“NorthTec’s tutors also have great connections and networks with people locally and throughout New Zealand that can help us get a foot in the door of the industry as students. I was able to gain some work experience with Manganui Logging Trucks, whi…
“Come to NorthTec to study because it’s supportive, there are easy steps to follow, you can learn a lot from the tutors who are passionate about different things, and, it’s fun!”
“The best thing about being at NorthTec is that it is close to home, I didn’t have to move away from my family. I like everything about this programme – the building, the people in my class because we are all here for the same reason, and my tutors.”
“Everything is a challenge here because I haven’t studied for years but the tutors help me to wrap my head around it and all of the students bounce off each other."
“My advice to anyone thinking about coming to study is – stick to what you’re passionate about!”
“I’m loving my class here and all the people involved. If you want to do something, go and do it. Don’t procrastinate any longer. Share it with your core group of people who matter to you.”
“I wanted to work in a trade and I wanted something that would make me think, so I looked into uni but it wasn’t for me. I’m from up north and lived on a farm so I knew some of the basis of electrical engineering and knew I was interested."
“Having worked with people in the industry that had come through NorthTec’s Cookery programme, I have seen first-hand the quality of training they received, so coming to NorthTec was an easy choice for me.”
“With what I’m learning, it’s exciting to think about what the future holds – both as an individual and for our greater culture.”
"I had no qualifications and minimal family or other support, so the complete wrap-around support I’ve received here is something I’ve never experienced in my life before."
“The best aspect for me is that the whole industry is so broad with lots of potential work options."
“I grew up on a sheep and beef farm so I’ve always been around farming but I wanted to step up a level in my knowledge and broaden my experience."
“NorthTec seems more friendly, it definitely seems like it’s more of a community than just going to school and going home again. It feels like a home. Everyone is so friendly.”
“This course is really hands-on. It’s only three days a week and we work in a workshop on real cars. These cars are brought to us by people around Kaitaia who might not be in a position to afford taking them to a mechanic. We work on them, gain the …
“I’ve learned that if you want to do something, do it. Even if you don’t succeed at first, just adjust and self-correct. What you do after you come through those little knocks, makes you a stronger person.”
“I decided to do the beauty course because it's something that I've been passionate about my whole life. So, it just seemed like the right path to go down.”
“I will be fit and ready for a job in hospitality after this course.”
“It has been difficult for me to be back in the classroom after over 30 years, but the tutors have been really awesome in helping me with the process. The whole class is really encouraging and we all help each other.”
Tia Lord has recently undertaken the NZ Certificate in Exercise Level 4 and her journey has been full of great experiences.
“I decided to get into the exercise programme because of my father. He's 75 and he has a lot of health issues. I really wanted to learn about the body and how I could help my dad just enjoy everyday life a bit more.”
“When I complete the course I hope to have the knowledge and confidence to help our community with keeping their cars on the road in an affordable way."
The training here is so hands-on and I’m loving the community involvement. Some of the papers are designed around Sports Northland events and we get to volunteer at things like turbo-touch in schools.
“Prepare to be inspired - by the tutors, the students and the patients. And, prepare to be successful and rise to the responsibilities that come with that.”
“At my work there is more te reo spoken now, so the course also gives me a chance to understand more there.”
“I decided to do the Apiculture course because it was stepping out of my box. My family are all teachers, and I became a teacher myself. However, I love being outdoors. And being with bees was probably the best option for me.”
“I love that we have a lot of practicum in this programme and we get the opportunity to actually do what we learn out there in the community”