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...
Falling in love compelled Hazel Thelin to travel 18,390 km across the world to New Zealand. It also led to a career change for the former environmental scientist, now a Building Consent Processor. She has nearly finished the two-year NZ Diploma in Building Surveying (In Employment), which she is studying while working at Tasman District Council.
Scotland-born Hazel settled in Nelson 18 years ago after meeting the love of her life, “a Kiwi bloke” at the London engineering firm where she worked. “I basically got swept off my feet and left half a world behind me- my home, family, friends and career,” she says. “My first job in Nelson was draughting because I knew how to use draughting software and had a can-do attitude.” Hazel drew a large battleship marine fitout, ships systems, structures and even the engines.
She became a mother of two and launched part time engineering draughting support. She volunteered frequently as a parent helper until two years ago “when the lovely Dawn Rosie and Matt Feely hired me fulltime as a Building Consent Processor.” As part of her contract, Hazel agreed to undertake regulation 18 diploma course training. So she turned to Future Skills Academy. “I have learned so much and have been given so much support and encouragement in training subsidised by the government due to the skill shortage.”
The programme has given a good grounding in building laws, regulations and compliance pathways, she says. Hazel relished learning about processing commercial buildings, going on inspections and gaining knowledge about fire compliance pathways. She is thriving in the building industry where she says everyone is down to earth. “I feel sorry for my colleagues as I’m not your typical BTO processor type, and with my accent there aren’t many straight faces listening to me every day!”
