Proud Pasifika Community Celebrate Student Success

Proud Pasifika Community Celebrate Student Success

The pride, hopes and aspirations for the future generation of skilled builders and carpenters was keenly felt at a Pasifika community event held at Naenae Assembly of God Church. 18 young Pasifika carpentry students from the Maori Pasifika Trades Training Scholarship programme were celebrated for successfully completing a level 3 qualification with WelTec this year. The event was facilitated and led by the Hutt Valley Branch of the Fellowship of Samoan Ministers in Wellington.

Reverend Nove Vailaau, the Pasifika Churches representative on the Wellington Consortium overseeing Maori and Pasifika Trades Training, said of the celebration, “It is very heartening to see our young learners who have progressed so far from the start of the year achieve their goals. We believe these students are now very employable and we urge companies with skills shortages to make contact.”

“These young people are the forerunners and future leaders of our community. They should feel very proud of their achievements as the community feels pride in them,” said Reverend Samuelu, secretary of the Hutt Valley Branch of the Fellowship of Samoan Ministers in Wellington, who addressed the students, their fono, other members of the community, and the teaching and mentoring team from WelTec who had joined together to celebrate the students’ success.

“Pasifika Churches are involved in supporting trades training students and you should know that we will continue to support you as you move into the next stage of your career,” said Reverend Malaki Muaiava, chair of the Hutt Valley branch of the Fellowship of Samoan Ministers Wellington.

The students who learnt together as a group throughout the year under their WelTec tutor Len Matautia built a house from scratch and it is now for sale.

“The students’ work has been outstanding and they have worked well as individuals and as part of a team. The house they built is to a very high standard,” said Neil McDonald Head of Construction at WelTec.

“We enjoy the opportunity to support young people’s achievement in the trades. Some of these students have come through the Wellington Trades Academy and have spent this year studying for this level 3 qualification. It is particularly heartening to see these students achieve so well.

“WelTec has a strong track record with the highest qualification completion rate of any institution in New Zealand delivering Pasifika Trades Training. Part of our approach is to work very hard on the skills needed to be a builder, but also to ensure students have computing, numeracy, literacy, teamwork and leadership skills which is what an employer looks for in their workforce. These students definitely have great potential to go far in the industry,” says Neil McDonald

ENDS

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