International student exchange opportunity adds up for Wintec Accounting student
A Waikato mum’s brave decision to U-turn her career and retrain with Wintec has led her to the Netherlands.
Gabrielle (Gabby) Rawhiti is a proud Māori single mother of two teenage girls, who made the courageous decision to leave her job of 17 years in pursuit of a new career in accounting.
A career she had long had a passion for, and which would also allow her to better support her girls through their transition into high school.
Gabrielle (Gabby) Rawhiti, Wintec Bachelor of Accounting ākonga (student)
Some sudden changes in her life motivated Gabby to enrol with Wintec and finally work toward a qualification in accounting.
“I’ve always been fascinated by financial literacy and good with numbers. In my spare time, I was reading books on wealth and attending seminars,” said Gabby.
“I was sent a link to study with Wintec, and the whole degree was defined in a way that inspired me, and so, I took that as a sign. Wintec is where I need to be.”
“From day one, I fell in love with the community here. It’s very warming and I could see myself making a future amongst the Wintec environment.”
Now in the second year of her Bachelor of Accounting degree, Gabby continues to approach her education the same way she does everything else in her life, by jumping at opportunities.
With this mindset, she has become a peer tutor at Wintec, a voice of accounting students as a Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ) representative, and received recognition as a top student by her tutors.
Always seeking new challenges, she applied for and was accepted into Wintec’s international student exchange programme to study at Zuyd University in Maastricht, the Netherlands, for one semester.
Zuyd University, the Netherlands
For a solo mother managing study and part-time work, this was a bold and visionary move. She embraced it wholeheartedly, not only as a personal growth opportunity but as a way to represent Māori students and show what’s possible.
Earlier this month, Gabby began her first day of studies with the Dutch university.
As part of her trip, she is experiencing the Dutch self-teaching style of learning, which differs from traditional classroom-based learning, common in New Zealand.
During her time overseas, she’ll work with a learning coach to establish study goals and connect with local businesses to solve real-world professional problems.
“It’s very entrepreneurial, you’re learning to navigate everything yourself – self-created project teams, self-created learning outcomes, self-selected challenges. I’m really looking forward to just connecting with the people and the businesses over there.”
Alongside her coach, she will jointly evaluate her progress to determine if her learning goals have been met.
She’ll spend five months in Europe, away from her family, a decision she admits was not made easily.
Gabby had a healthy amount of nerves and excitement heading into the trip, but believes her drive, authenticity, independence, and enjoyment of connecting with people will serve her well.
“I’m very conscious of the fact I’m representing New Zealand, Wintec, Māori, women, single mothers, and my family by going over.”
In addition to her formal studies with Zuyd University, Gabby is also keenly interested in engaging with Dutch culture and learning the language.
Just over a week into her overseas study experience, Gabby was awarded a Wintec Māori and Pacific Adult Learner Award, recognising her enthusiasm and commitment to learning, her willingness to take on challenges, and her consistent efforts to support and lift her classmates.
Karen Kemsley, International Student Support Manager, who nominated Gabby for the award, sees Gabby as a shining example for her peers and the profession.
“She shares her own learning journey openly, demystifies the profession, and helps others see a future for themselves in accountancy. Her authenticity makes her a powerful ambassador for the field.”
Gabby will return to New Zealand in January 2026.
