Site visit for Building Regula...
Our NZ Certificate in Building Regulatory Environment (BRE) in-class stream of students had the opportunity to see their learning...
Students from 24 different nationalities and 40 towns and cities around New Zealand have graduated from Future Skills Academy this week.
The students graduated from 13 different programmes across three different campuses and online.
We came together to celebrate their achievements at our Graduation ceremony at Due Drop Events Centre in Manukau yesterday.
Future Skills Academy Group Chief Executive, Sam Alavi, addressed students at the ceremony, speaking about the Future Skills values.
He said one of those values was celebrating achievement and that’s what graduation was all about.
Sam said life was all about learning and achieving, and he knew graduates would go on to celebrate more achievements throughout their lives.
He said New Zealand and the world had dealt with a lot of adversity over the past few years and he congratulated graduates on their resilience.
Building Surveying graduate, Olivia McGregor, gave the graduate address at yesterday’s ceremony.
She talked about recent challenges she’d faced in her work life including pushback from stakeholders, and suggestions that being a minority in a male-dominated industry meant she wouldn’t be able to perform her job.
Olivia said she’d begun doubting herself, despite her passion for the industry, accolades, and positive relationships within the sector.
“As defeated as I felt, I got through that day, and I’ve got through many days since with the support of my family and workplace.”
She said she was proud of her qualification and said every other student should be too.
“The other achievement I’m equally proud of is facing and getting through that challenging period I was presented with and stepping onto the building site despite being defeated at that point in time and despite being in the minority.”
Everyone here would face challenges going forward, said Olivia.
“The knowledge that we have received from Future Skills is power but power also lies within us in facing and working through these challenges that we will be presented with.”
“I encourage you to embrace your newfound knowledge but I also encourage you to embrace your challenges.”
She also encouraged everyone to respect and value unique qualities and perspectives as this could lead to a more inclusive and diverse environment.
