Lecturer sees opportunities from Maori Trade and Industry events

^{10 August 2012}

Unitec Lecturer, Andy Pivac endorses this month’s two Unitec supported Maori in Industry Events.

Unitec Lecturer, Andy Pivac endorses this month’s two Unitec supported Maori in Industry Events.

The events include the Maori Affairs Trade Training Dinner on August 30 followed by a Maori Trade Event at Unitec for secondary students.

Andy comes from the Far North settlement of Oturu and is of Maori and Croatian heritage.

Like many at the time, he left school with no formal qualifications.  However, when an opportunity arose at age 17, Andy entered the Maori Affairs Trade Training Scheme in carpentry.

This was the beginning of a career journey that would allow him to reach far higher goals than initially anticipated.

The Maori Affairs Trade Training Scheme was considered a success for training and equipping Maori with trade and industry skills and qualifications.

Through this scheme Andy gained his Advanced Trade Certificate and completed his apprenticeship but decided that was not enough.  He went on to study further at the Auckland Technical Institute and gained certificates in Building and Civil Engineering (NZCB and NZCE).

Andy worked in Auckland on residential building, development of light office commercial and warehouse construction until an opportunity arose which took him overseas.

Abroad he worked in construction project management roles in the South Pacific, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

After returning to New Zealand to raise his family he also decided to go back to study - this culminated in a Conjunct Property and Commerce Degree.

Driven by a desire to achieve academically, Andy went on to complete Post Graduate Diplomas in Finance and Law, then topped them off with the completion of his M.B.A  “This was the finishing touch to round things off”, he says.

Andy Pivac enjoyed learning and so to share that with future generations, he embarked on a career in education.

Today he is a lecturer in the Bachelor of Applied Technology programme at Unitec.

“For someone who started off in life with little in the way of education or any qualification – I’m a big believer in giving back to kids, young people and our community” says Andy.

Through his work at Unitec, he is satisfied that he is achieving this.

A key objective of the Maori Affairs Trade Training dinner is to create and foster internship and employment opportunities.  It further aims to create a network among employers for Maori students studying toward trade and industry qualifications.

“The Maori Affairs Trade Training Scheme gave me a great start in life – if this new network creates similar opportunities for Maori graduates among trade and industry employers – that’s got to be a good thing” says Andy.

Click here to read more about the Maori Affairs Trade Training Dinner on 30 August and the Trade Event at Unitec on August 31^.

Media enquiries:

Mahau Kingi, Corporate Communications Advisor, Unitec Institute of Technology

Tel: 09 815 4321 Ext 8744  Mobile: 021 236 9115