Selina Te Miha-Barlow
Selina had the opportunity to enrol in both the Hospitality and Manaaki Tāpoi Trades Academy programmes in 2016 and 2017, and was able to complete both Level 2 and Level 3 in each programme over the two years she was enrolled. “Both of these programmes gave me the confidence to work alongside other people. They also opened my eyes to the opportunities available within the tourism sector.
“Both of these programmes gave me the confidence to work alongside other people. They also opened my eyes to the opportunities available within the tourism sector. I was able to develop my confidence to work with people I’d never met before and it really acted as the springboard for me to take the next step into fulltime tertiary study”. Selina is particularly grateful to her tutors at Trades, who were always willing to help out and share their knowledge.
Seeing how the hospitality industry works and the opportunities available in the NZ tourism sector, has led Selina to take on the exciting challenge of moving to the Waikato to study fulltime at the NZ School of Tourism in Hamilton. “I’ve just completed my Level 4 Certificate in Tourism, Airline and Flight Attending and I’m about to start the Level 5 Diploma course in Tourism and Travel. My course has been mind-blowing. I never realised how much there was to learn. My first course focused on fight attending and now I’m studying hotel management.” Selina says that completing the Manaaki Tāpoi and Hospitality programmes at Trades Academy really helped her application to study, which included both a written application and face-to-face interview. She also says that having a background in customer service and Maori cultural tourism has made a real difference when studying – “it makes everything easier.”
Selina’s long term goal is to become a long-haul Flight Attendant with Air New Zealand. “I miss home a bit and being in Motueka and Nelson, but I need to be in a city to get experience and to complete my qualification. I want to see the world and travel when I finish my course, as I love learning about different cultures and also sharing my own with others.”
Selina’s advice to students at high school is: “Never say no – take the opportunities you’re given. Trades Academy is definitely one of those good opportunities!”