I was born and raised in Suva, Fiji, and moved out to New Zealand in 2014. I have a lot of Fijian family here in New Zealand, who are plumbers and builders, so moving into trades was a logical move for me. However, I owe a lot to a great teacher in high school, Mr Wong, who helped guide me to Wintec. It’s fair to say I wasn’t the best-behaved student, and school wasn’t a great fit for me. Mr Wong recognised that I was a practical, hands-on learner and knew what type of environment would suit me best. I am so pleased that he encouraged me to study at Wintec and I have no regrets about it. I really like the sense of whānau in the class - it’s been an eye-opener and a great experience that has broadened my mind about different cultures and perspectives. The tutors are always helpful and give you good one-on-one teaching that really helps you build skills and confidence. I love the sense of achievement of being able to build and create things. Once I finish my pre-trade study at Wintec, my next step is to complete my building apprenticeship at the NZ Army. I am really excited about my future in construction and the army, and I feel like Wintec has been a great stepping stone to get there.