Christchurch local, Sai Vaega has always aspired to make a positive impact in his community and the well-being of those around him.
These aspirations led him to working as a Housing Support Manager at Kāinga Ora, a job he enjoys but one that he hopes will help him continue to forge his path and passion of supporting and serving others.
Sai knew that to grow in his mahi and self-development he would need to be proactive, and that’s when he decided to study the NZ Certificate in Business Introduction to Team Leadership at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
“For me, it’s about progression in life. I found that this programme caters to my needs but it will also see me through after Kāinga Ora.”
As a quiet observer and someone who was happy completing mahi on his own, Sai found it challenging to work in a team. That was until he completed the Team Leadership programme.
The programme taught Sai the values of collaboration and gave him the confidence to be more assertive. He soon recognised that his input is valuable and he was more willing to contribute to his team.
Sai says his kaiako (teacher), Preeti Bala was instrumental in helping him to reach his potential throughout his study and he admired Preeti’s ability to teach in an assertive, yet humble and polite way.
With a newfound confidence, Sai plans to continue to grow and upskill in his mahi and also hopes to start a business of his own.
Studying at the Te Wānanga o Aotearoa campus in Ōtautahi (Christchurch) has been a positive experience for Sai and he’s grateful that he could study while still earning an income.
“I thought, let's not waste that opportunity. Where else can I go to do this while I’m still working and it’s free.”
Sai encourages others to take up the opportunity to upskill in their careers and recommends the Team Leadership programme to do exactly that.
“Life is a journey, think about what you want to end up doing. If there’s a business you want to go for, or there’s a job that’s a step up from what you’re doing, then this would be the programme to study.”
