Kalpana, an Indian migrant, completed English language studies to pursue a Diploma in Electrical Engineering. Her consistent enthusiasm is evident through exemplary presentations, labs, reports, and projects. It is obvious she really enjoys her studies and is focused to contribute to the electrical engineering industry. 

Dedicated, determined and proactive, she consistently finishes assignments ahead of time while maintaining superior quality. She sustains top grades, achieving an a throughout the programme.  

Kalpana excels as a team player and leads by example, demonstrating excellent leadership skills. She believes in whanaungatanga and assists her peers, and fosters strong relationships with lecturers and students. 

Initially reserved, she now confidently explains concepts and excels in teamwork. She has grown so much in this space and it is obvious she will continue to grow further. 

Her innovative and authentic ideas and adaptability stand out, as she combines industry trends and research value. Kalpana has the right attitude to sail through challenges and to make pragmatic calls on how to manage the available time without compromising on quality of work.

Hugh consistently approaches class tasks with enthusiasm and a strong desire to learn from each experience. He dedicates himself fully to class work and assessments, learning skills quickly and consistently achieving high levels of performance. His industry experience enriches class discussions, aligning his studies with future goals and enhancing his success in every completed course. With grades ranging from A to A++, Hugh's commitment to excellence is evident. He is already looking for an internship opportunity. 

In group activities, Hugh excels and inspires his peers to excel by guiding the team to meet project requirements. Hugh's ability to share knowledge and skills enhances class dynamics. He is an active participant during class activities, contributing to the understanding of his fellow students.  

Hugh thrives on challenges, offering diverse problem-solving approaches. He fosters discussions and leads peers in innovative problem-solving methods, recently spearheading group efforts to enhance a real client application, resulting in a substantial improvement. 

Beyond his studies, Hugh previously served as a peer tutor and currently supports peers and staff through ITS at Wintec | Te Pūkenga. His role at Montana involves managing vendor sales machines for major events, demonstrating his planning and troubleshooting abilities. 

Nick, a 34-year-old UK expat and new dad, always brings positive energy to every class, which rubs off on everyone. He's dedicated to his family and volunteers for local tree planting and pest-free initiatives. 

Despite financial challenges from student life and parenthood, Nick maintains a careful balance of study, family and work as a Project Arborist. He strives for excellence and produces thorough, high-quality work, achieving some outstanding academic results. 

Nick's enthusiasm and willingness to learn and try new things is infectious. He upholds values of whanaungatanga with his genuine care for his classmates. Success for the whole class is important to Nick, who has built many strong friendships.  

Nick readily shares his knowledge and skills with others in a humble and positive way, including proactively seeking insights from industry experts and sharing these with the class. He set up a group chat, through which he actively encourages his classmates and supports their learning. He has volunteered as a guest speaker on the Level 5 programme several times. 

The degree of new information and ideas Nick seeks, reaches beyond the classroom requirement, leading towards him becoming a future leader and authority in the arboriculture industry. 

Suzy's educational journey started at Wintec | Te Pūkenga Centre for Languages, progressing through language courses to the Paetahi Tumu Kōrero counselling programme. She still mentors current language students and is active in the community, volunteering at Age Concern. 

Suzy consistently showcases a strong dedication to learning, always striving to complete tasks to the highest standard. Her determination to deeply understand subjects positively influences her peers, leading them to bring a similar questioning attitude and engagement to tasks. Attending classes punctually and participating actively, Suzy often achieves top marks despite English not being her first language. She brings an ethical and responsible approach to her work with tāngata whaiora. 

Suzy demonstrated a high level of skill when practising counselling skills with her peers and worked supportively with other students both as a counsellor and as a client. She has a humble approach to learning, working collaboratively to jointly question and explore new knowledge. 

She brings a valuable cultural perspective, sharing insights like her country's colonisation history. Suzy efficiently organises group tasks and actively promotes diversity. Her commitment to learning Te Ao Māori is evident, impressing tutors with her Indigenous Liberation Studies presentation. She fosters relationships with students from various backgrounds, showing genuine inclusivity. 

Rochelle manages her responsibilities as a student and a mum, alongside the demands of living on a farm, and still does very well in assessments and interactions. 

Rochelle is always engaged with the class content and ensures all preparatory work is done. She is always involved in group discussions and helps keep them on track. She always works hard at her studies and does everything to the best of her ability. When she isn't clear about something, she will actively communicate with kaiako for clarity, understanding and support. 

Rochelle volunteered to be part of the tuakana-teina programme as one of the tuakana. She is always willing to engage with other students and create spaces for conversations around things she has learnt that have helped with her studies. Rochelle is very collaborative in her learning with others, especially in small group settings.  

Social work studies bring so much learning and new ideas. While this is often exciting, it can also be uncomfortable and challenging. Rochelle always engages in new ideas and spends time reflecting on that knowledge and her place and space with that. This is very evident in her conversations and assessments. 

Sarah balances study with managing a busy household of three school-aged children, involvement with the school PTA and her girls’ Cheerleading Club, and owning her own business. She does this through effective time management and a strong commitment to personal growth. She is always on time and 100% focused in class, often asking questions and seeking clarifying ideas. 

She actively engages with the course material and works hard to ensure her assessments meet all the criteria, earning some of the highest marks in class in her first semester.  

Sarah knows how hard it can be when feeling lost and unsure, so she works with other students to share ideas and information and help them understand difficult concepts. She explains things in creative ways and is always excited to make activities fun and interesting. Sarah is not afraid to ask or answer questions in class, even if they are wrong.  

Sarah is proud of her uniform and maintains high ethical and moral standards. When she strikes a learning barrier, she finds ways around it. It is important to her that she shows herself and her children that it is possible to achieve your goals, even later in life. 

Trish has gone from being the Principal of a primary school to studying midwifery, an area she is passionate about. This is a huge change for her and one she is excited for, so she challenges herself every day in her new career change. 

Alongside her study, Trish continues to be a parent and run a household, and though she needs to travel for just over an hour to get to class, she is never late. 

Trish always comes to class with a smile. She is thoroughly enjoying what she is learning and it shows. She arrives for each session ready and eager, having done all the preparation and pre-reading, and always puts in 100% effort. She contributes freely throughout hub sessions and always asks if she is unsure of something. 

Trish loves learning new things and is always keen to offer assistance to others to help with their learning. She actively offers her assistance in class to her peers, and will happily help out her peers with study sessions online, as she does not live locally. 

Alongside her own study, Belinda helps her daughter with her three sons to enable her to study also. She has also been recovering from a major surgery in recent years.  

Belinda's journey at Wintec | Te Pūkenga began with the New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Social and Community Services) (Level 4), enhancing her study skills and confidence to take on her social work degree. Despite initial doubts, she embraced her studies and consistently challenged herself to grow. 

Belinda is always brimming with enthusiasm for her studies. Her resilience and dedication reflect her determination to succeed. She has a proactive attitude and constant thirst for knowledge, enthusiastically utilising library resources. When she was first learning how to use the library catalogue, e-books and databases, she approached this with such enthusiasm that one library kaimahi commented that she embodied everything that makes them feel that this is why they do what they do. Now skilled in utilising these resources, she actively coaches her peers to make the most of them too. 

Belinda’s commitment shines as she studies alone or collaborates with peers in their study group, sharing insights and engaging in meaningful discussions and debates. Belinda takes advantage of all the support that is available and encourages her peers to as well.  

Dion is a vibrant participant in the learning process, fostering engagement and camaraderie among peers, and bringing fun and laughter to activities while keeping things on task. He seamlessly integrates personal experiences into his studies, inspiring fellow students to engage with the learning process. Consistently attending classes and meeting deadlines, he demonstrates dedication and professionalism in both academic and practical settings with his strong ability to put skills into practice. 

Dion excels in group work, assuming leadership roles and promoting a positive atmosphere. He supports classmates academically and emotionally, readily sharing his life experiences and wisdom. In the Paetahi Tumu Kōrero programme, he effectively merges life experiences with learning, enhancing the collective educational journey. Classmates often call on him when they need a safe space to talk through personal issues or support dealing with difficult situations. 

Despite initial unfamiliarity with academia, Dion adapted quickly, demonstrating enthusiasm for theoretical concepts while remaining unafraid to question things if he feels they don't necessarily match his experience. His ethical commitment and natural leadership shine through his proactive interventions, such as facilitating productive discussions during conflicts.  

Beyond his studies, Dion is also active in the wider community.

Jayden has shared custody of his little girl and was always extremely invested in her health and wellbeing whilst still being fully engaged in his study. His leadership was displayed every day through his commitment to and organisation of his daughter's wellbeing while maintaining regular attendance of classes. 

Jayden was an enthusiastic learner, with excellent attendance and engagement in class. He always sought ways to increase his learning ability and knowledge.

Jayden was a quiet member of the class, however, he provided manaakitanga through his leadership, being a role model, particularly for the other male member of the class. 

Jayden would often share his processes for study, resources and techniques that supported learning. He would share unconditionally with other ākonga (learners), embracing the whanaungatanga within the class environment. 

Jayden learnt with an open mind, searching for processes, knowledge, and resources to strengthen his and his classmates' kete of learning.  

Jayden was fully supportive of the class representatives, supporting any kaupapa presented to the class or providing them with constructive feedback.

Keila is mum to a beautiful little girl and juggles the responsibilities of motherhood and study. Keila also took on the role of being a caretaker to her partner during his journey with cancer, with hospital and rehabilitation taking up much of her time outside classes.

Keila's excitement and enthusiasm for learning always shone, especially when she would master difficult concepts like Boyles law or sliding filament theory, which she tackled with perseverance and diligence. She eagerly discussed her newfound knowledge with her family. 

Despite facing personal challenges, including her partner's brain tumour diagnosis, Keila remained committed. She even used her time at the hospital with her partner to study, seeking help from nurses to test her using her cue cards for her upcoming tests. 

Frequently travelling for hours to support her partner's recovery, while managing her coursework, she displayed her unwavering commitment. Keila thrived in group settings, collaborating and sharing ideas openly. In her massage paper, she boosted a classmate's confidence who was struggling with some of the techniques being used. Her approach to unfamiliar concepts was marked by curiosity, not hesitating to seek help and embracing mistakes. Her resilience and diligence stood out while tackling intricate subjects. 

Les, a friendly 41-year-old Māori student, lives with his partner and two children. With diverse life and work experience, he's a tuakana, sharing past experiences patiently and aiding classmates. He brings enthusiasm to classes and is a calming influence with his melodious guitar playing which enhances the learning environment. 

Les exemplifies manaakitanga and whanaungatanga values by sharing time and resources, and his active involvement and encouragement bolster the class's success and foster strong friendships. 

Les is motivated by his desire to use his learning and skills to care for the environment at Titoki, and sharing his learning with his iwi, hapu and whānau.  

Les balances studies with family and financial responsibilities, achieving solid assessment results. He tackles challenging subject areas with the same vigour as his stronger subjects.  

He's a go-to person for advice, coaching classmates in tree climbing techniques and encouraging them with their assessments. Les is a tuakana and role model for his class, sharing his knowledge, encouraging peers, and supporting them when they are struggling.  

Les also actively promotes health and safety in project-based learning, actively participating in safety briefings and respectfully reminding other learners of safe work practices.  

Since completing his Applied Horticultural Services (Arboriculture, Level 3), Les has now gone on to begin his study towards an Advanced Horticultural Trades (Arboriculture, Level 4) qualification. 

Nate skilfully manages multiple roles and responsibilities while pursuing his studies. He is a devoted father, loving husband and active participant in the Fijian community. He contributes to community events and selflessly dedicates his time as a youth advisor through his previous mental health work. Despite these commitments, he excels in his studies and maintains a balanced approach to his responsibilities. 

Nate is shifting careers from mental health nursing to architectural technology with a great enthusiasm for learning and commitment. He consistently exhibits a strong work ethic, tackling each course and assignment with diligence. His perseverance and dedication are evident in his consistent A++ grades. 

Nate demonstrates natural leadership qualities and exceptional support and encouragement towards his classmates. He readily shares his skills, knowledge and resources. He fosters a collaborative learning environment, encouraging others to share their thoughts and ideas in class discussions and organising study sessions. 

Nate embraces new ideas, consistently striving to expand his knowledge and deepen his understanding, creating mentorships with technicians to further enrich his learning. 

Alongside her study, Lorel is a mother and looks after her family. She also commits a lot of her time to her wider whānau. Lorel is timely, organised and committed. She clearly demonstrates the ability to balance her personal responsibilities in and around her studies. 

Lorel already works in healthcare and she brings so much to class discussions through sharing her personal experiences within and throughout the healthcare system, which benefit her classmates. She fosters discussion, particularly in women’s health and Te Aō Māori. She shares her insights and challenges all of her peers to think openly. 

Lorel actively engages with all the learning material. She absolutely embodies whakawhanaungatanga, ensuring classmates are managing, and supporting them along the way. She actively engages with her peers in class discussions and openly encourages pātai (questions).