Diona (19) is driven by her vision of designing and building her own home on her piece of whānau land.
This guides her decision-making and goal setting strategies that she has honed during her time at G&H
Training, supported by Chris Treacher, EIT’s Te Ara o Tākitimu’s Māori and Pasifika Mentor.
After leaving school in Year 10 Diona tried a few different education paths including hospitality and
flight attending. She has found her niche in her construction course and enjoys the mix of ages and life
experiences of all the students. She credits the pastoral support she’s received as pivotal to her success
so far. “I don’t like meeting strangers and telling them my problems but the staff have been so
supportive. Whenever I have problems that are affecting course I just call Chris. I feel like they advocate
for me.”
As well as learning key construction techniques and theory Diona has gained her restricted license and
completed First Aid Training. However she considers her biggest learning has been her shift in mindset.
Her confidence in her ability to reach her goals and think long term, focused on the future.
She is determined to complete an apprenticeship and then study to become an architect. “I am so
grateful for the reassurance and appreciative for everything. I can’t explain just how amazing it is.”
Too often we aren't looking at our problems through the right lense. Often we stay stuck on the wrong aspects of a problem, without analysing situations as a whole...
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On Friday the 31st, 2020, the staff and students of Te Ara o Takitimu engaged in an all-day welcoming hui, Kua Takoto Te Manuka. This was the final step in the scholarship application process. Coordinator, Rhys Thurston, described the day as “a time for us to come together to learn and talk about resilience and overcoming the barriers to employment”.
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