Celebrating our future trades leaders

tradesmerged Pip Schollum-Manase, MIT General Manager – Schools presents Saraiah Fatai of Pukekohe High School with Tohu Tiketike – Top Student Award for Level 2 Building (left) and Aorere College celebrating their success at prize giving (right)

18/11/24

The achievements and hard work of MIT Trades Academy students have been celebrated at our annual prize giving.

More than one hundred where awarded either Tohu Maia – Diligent Student or Tohu Tiketike – Top Student awards.

“You are doing things that are so important to us. What you’re doing is what gets teachers and staff at MIT out of bed in the morning,” Deputy Chief Executive Learner Experience & Student Success Simon Nash told an audience of students, staff, secondary schools partners, whānau and supporters.

“You have taken a really important first step on the pathway towards a future career. We are very proud of you. Congratulations!” Mr Nash said.

Manukau Institute of Technology runs the largest tertiary-based trades academy in the country. The scheme allows secondary learners to pursue vocational training through our institute while completing NCEA.

Currently, the Ministry of Education supports 862 places in the academy which is attended by learners from thirty different schools in the region.

As well as providing opportunities to learn skills in a broad range of professions including trades, hairdressing, hospitality, healthcare and IT; the academy arranges opportunities to visit industry and attend expos.

In 2024, these engagements included ākonga visiting the Women in Trades and Building Expos. While Level 3 Engineering students toured New Zealand Steel’s Glenbrook Mill.

Maneesh Singh who has graduated from MIT with a Diploma in Civil Engineering while also serving as a Student Councillor spoke about how the academy helped focus his journey towards a career starting in Year 12 at Afriston College.

“Stop wondering if you’ve missed your chance,” Mr Singh told the audience. “So long as you’re breathing it’s never too late. The only thing between you and your goals is the narrative you keep telling yourself you won’t succeed. Instead of comparing yourself to others focus on your own goals. Your journey is unique. The person to the left of you may be facing battles you may not know about. The person to the right might be looking at you thinking you’ve got it all worked out.”

“The only person you need to be better than is the person you were yesterday,” he said.

Tohu Maia – Diligent Student or Tohu Tiketike – Top Student Award winners 2024.

Manukau Campus - Tohu Māia - Most Diligent Student Awardees

Level 2 P-Tech (Digital Technologies)

Paul Fukofuka

Aorere College

Level 2 P-Tech (Digital Technologies)

Thien Huynh

Manurewa High School

Level 2 P-Tech (Digital Technologies)

Aayan Leewai

Southern Cross Campus

Level 2 P-Tech (Digital Technologies)

Kyle Labitad

Tamaki College

Level 2 Youth Health Care

Fereshta Moradi

Papatoetoe High School

Level 3 Nursing, Health & Counselling

Irish Comia

Alfriston College

Level 3 P-Tech (Digital Technologies)

Tayson Le

Manurewa High School

Level 3 P-Tech (Digital Technologies)

Andy Duong Nguyen

Aorere College

Manukau Campus - Tohu Tiketike - Top Student Awardees

Level 2 P-Tech (Digital Technologies)

May Nainy

Tāmaki College

Level 2 P-Tech (Digital Technologies)

Mel Ivan Magracia

Manurewa High School

Level 2 P-Tech (Digital Technologies)

Briana O'Sullivan

Onehunga High School

Level 2 P-Tech (Digital Technologies)

Shaarav Lal

Aorere College

Level 3 Nursing, Health & Counselling

Bavleenjot Kaur

Pukekohe High School

Level 3 P-Tech (Digital Technologies)

Teariki Daniela

Manurewa High School

Level 3 P-Tech (Digital Technologies)

Nathan Krishna

Aorere College

Otara Campus - Tohu Māia - Most Diligent Student Awardees

Level 1 Life Skills for Living

Faamoemoe Lesa

Pakuranga College

Level 2 Early Childhood Education

Amy Ukufia

Alfriston College

Level 2 Hairdressing

Oceana Taaka Te Kaute

Pukekohe High School

Level 2 Hospitality

Anmolpreet Singh

Alfriston College

Level 2 Hospitality

Amolika Kumar

Aorere College

Level 2 Hospitality

Emma Hall

Alfriston College

Level 3 Bakery

Talalelei Henare-Brown

Aorere College

Level 3 Career Preparation (Police Studies)

Tapaitau Joel Marsters Pepe

Alfriston College

Level 3 Early Childhood Education

Sharleen Pillay

Ormiston Senior College

Level 3 Hospitality

Grace Park

Alfriston College

Level 3 Hospitality

Vamolian Sau Pike

Aorere College

Otara Campus - Tohu Tiketike - Top Student Awardees

Level 1 Life Skills for Living

Logan Simons

Pukekohe High School

Level 2 Early Childhood Education

Libby Robson

Pukekohe High School

Level 2 Hairdressing

Amy-Jo Ligaliga

One Tree Hill College

Level 2 Hospitality

Jayden O'Neill

Tuakau College

Level 2 Hospitality

Teingoa Sam

Alfriston College

Level 2 Hospitality

Brooke Mani

Alfriston College

Level 3 Bakery

Zoe Peverley

Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu

Level 3 Career Preparation (Police Studies)

Ciryl Wilson

Aorere College

Level 3 Early Childhood Education

Hannah Morgan

Papatoetoe High School

Level 3 Hospitality

Eleanor Utai

Alfriston College

Level 3 Hospitality

Ariata Tonitara

Aorere College

Level 3 Hospitality

Aliya Ikrar

Ormiston Senior College

TechPark Campus: Level 2 Tohu Māia - Most Diligent Student Awardees

Level 2 Automotive

John Talitua

Aorere College

Level 2 Automotive

Bjorn Russouw

Pukekohe High School

Level 2 Automotive

Rhys Statham

Waiuku College

Level 2 Automotive

Lineti Taufui

James Cook High School

Level 2 Automotive

Isalina Simi

Alfriston College

Level 2 Automotive

Sione Taupaki

Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate

Level 2 Building

Annabella Vaka

Pukekohe High School

Level 2 Building

Latu Laloni

Aorere College

Level 2 Building

Cyrus Palmer

Aorere College

Level 2 Building

Maddison McNally

Alfriston College

Level 2 Building

Compton Mikaele

Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate

Level 2 Building

Uaisele Vuki

Pasifika Advance Secondary School

Level 2 Building

Nathanyal Iolamo

Alfriston College

Level 2 Building and Landscape

Oliver Reeve

Pukekohe High School

Level 2 Building and Landscape

Antony Yovich

Sacred Heart College

Level 2 Carpentry (Half year)

Nate Moloney

Pukekohe High School

Level 2 Carpentry (Half year)

Chivorn Sok

Ormiston Senior College

Level 2 Electrical (Half year)

Mehakpreet Singh

Alfriston College

Level 2 Electrical (Half year)

Mack Brady

Pakuranga College

Level 2 Electrical (Half year)

Marlah Pulefolau

Tuakau College

Level 2 Engineering (Half year)

Rayna Rajcharan

Ormiston Senior College

Level 2 Engineering (Half year)

Christofell Greyling

Pukekohe High School

TechPark Campus: Level 2 Tohu Tiketike - Top Student Awardees

Level 2 Automotive

Zavier Khan

Papatoetoe High School

Level 2 Automotive

Ben Porter

Wesley College

Level 2 Automotive

Jessica Phillips

Rosehill College

Level 2 Automotive

William van den berg

Waiuku College

Level 2 Automotive

Nataliya Sharma

One Tree Hill College

Level 2 Automotive

Wezley Ah-Leong

Alfriston College

Level 2 Building

Saraiah Fatai

Pukekohe High School

Level 2 Building

Lily Badger

Pukekohe High School

Level 2 Building

Quinn Dowdall

Pukekohe High School

Level 2 Building

Lafaele Paulo

Aorere College

Level 2 Building

Kohatu Pirini

Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate

Level 2 Building

Arani Tanga

Edgewater College

Level 2 Building

Lisiate Seau

Mt Roskill Grammar School

Level 2 Building and Landscape

Harlem Kawhena

Tuakau College

Level 2 Building and Landscape

Thomas Bus

Sacred Heart College

Level 2 Carpentry (Half year)

Shivneel Singh

Pukekohe High School

Level 2 Carpentry (Half year)

Jaedyn Blakelock-Nair

Pukekohe High School

Level 2 Electrical (Half year)

William De Vos

Papakura High School

Level 2 Electrical (Half year)

Tyler Mitchell

Pukekohe High School

Level 2 Electrical (Half year)

Leon Kotze

Pukekohe High School

Level 2 Electrical (Half year)

Julian Thomas

Ormiston Senior College

Level 2 Engineering (Half year)

Therese Juliana Avila

Ormiston Senior College

Level 2 Engineering (Half year)/ Level 2 Electrical (Half year)

Ben Tatler

Tuakau College

TechPark Campus: Level 3 Tohu Māia - Most Diligent Awardees

Level 3 Automotive Engineering

Ben Jansen van Vuuren

Pukekohe High School

Level 3 Automotive Engineering

Tavita Yu Hoi

Aorere College

Level 3 Automotive Engineering

David Trow

Waiuku College

Level 3 Building and Landscape

Sovite Uliefu

Pukekohe High School

Level 3 Building, Construction and Allied Trades (BCATS)

Teremoana Rakei

Alfriston College

Level 3 Building, Construction and Allied Trades (BCATS)

Paige Teinakore

Aorere College

Level 3 Building, Construction and Allied Trades (BCATS)

Amiri Ramsay

Pukekohe High School

Level 3 Electrical (Half year)

Nooroa (Darius) Tonorio

Pukekohe High School

Level 3 Electrical (Half year)

Jirah Matau

Edgewater College

Level 3 Engineering

Orin Pennycook

Tuakau College

TechPark Campus: Level 3 Tohu Tiketike - Top Student Awardees

Level 3 Automotive Engineering

Jhett Davies

Tuakau College

Level 3 Automotive Engineering

Suguturanga Vaimohea

Aorere College

Level 3 Automotive Engineering

Marc Sicely

Waiuku College

Level 3 Building and Landscape

Mackenzie Seymour

Pukekohe High School

Level 3 Building, Construction and Allied Trades (BCATS)

Zurich Minhas

Alfriston College

Level 3 Building, Construction and Allied Trades (BCATS)

Sione Tonga'onevai

Alfriston College

Level 3 Building, Construction and Allied Trades (BCATS)

Abhinav Ahuja

Pukekohe High School

Level 3 Electrical (Half year)

Tiaan Botha

Tuakau College

Level 3 Electrical (Half year)

Raaniya Rehiman

Zayed College for Girls

Level 3 Engineering

Elijah McCall

Alfriston College


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