Honours recipient says finding the right job more important

EMBARGOED TO 14.00 (2PM) TODAYMedia Release 12 April 2013

Honours recipient says finding the right job more important than the money

Master Chef Brenton Low, one of two NorthTec Council award recipients at today’s graduation ceremony, spoke to graduating students about how getting the right job is far more important than just making money.

Mr. Low and former head of the New Zealand Refining Company at Marsden Point Ken Rivers were today recognised by the NorthTec Council for their contributions to the Northland region.

Mr. Rivers, who returned to the United Kingdom after five years at the end of 2012, had his award accepted on his behalf by NorthTec Council member Anna Cassels-Brown.

Mr. Low, a born-and-bred veritable Northland living treasure; and a four time Beef and Lamb Platinum Ambassador, spoke about pursuing his childhood passion for cooking and turning it into an immensely successful and highly decorated career.

“Being successful at what you want to do in life is not always about the money, “ he said.

“If you want to be successful and happy in your career then you have to think about three things, getting a good job with good employers in a good place.

“While money is important, it is not as important to fashioning a good career by being able to work in the right place, at the right time with the right people,” Mr. Low said.

Mr. Rivers, who was unable to attend today’s ceremony, felt compelled to salute the work NorthTec does in the region’s education sector.

“It is a great honour to accept this award; I feel proud to be associated with NorthTec and all that it is doing with raising the aspirations of Northland,” Mr. Rivers said.

“I feel especially honoured to be among those people being acknowledged today who are making a difference to the Northland community through raising their and others aspirations. I want to recognise their courage and fortitude to do better and the perseverance and hard work to see their studies through to a successful conclusion.

“It is people who make the difference and bring those two letters to everything they do as they ‘X L’.”

Mr. Rivers noted that today allowed him time to reflect on how much he learned while being part of NorthTec, working at Refining New Zealand, being part of the Northland community, and living in New Zealand.

“I came to New Zealand with one family and returned to United Kingdom feeling part of two whanau. I now understand that rugby is the greatest team ball game in the world (and not soccer) and how the All Blacks are more important to me now than Leeds United Football Club,” he said.

Today’s annual NorthTec Graduation ceremony acknowledged the successful qualification achievements by over 260 graduands who were conferred with their Diploma and Degree certificates at Forum North.

The Whangarei public and business owners had an opportunity to recognise the students’ success when the graduands marched through the city centre prior to the official ceremony at Forum North.

Another of the highlights of the ceremony was the valedictorian address by Applied Social Services graduate Sue Vaughan who spoke on behalf of her graduating colleagues (her speech will be posted on the NorthTec website).

The last word went to Mr. Rivers and his thoughts from afar:

“Kua tawhiti ke to haerenga mai , Kia kore e haere tonu
He tino nui rawa ou mahi , kia kore e hmahi nui tonu”
“You have come too far not to go further
You have done too much not to do more.”

NorthTec is the Tai Tokerau (Northland) region's largest provider of tertiary education, with campuses and learning centres in Whangarei, Kerikeri, Rāwene, Kaikohe and Kaitaia. NorthTec also has over 60 community-based delivery points from Coatesville in rural Rodney to Ngataki in the Far North.

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