Can you tell us a bit about yourself? If you were born on the islands, please tell us a little bit about that and your journey to Aotearoa.
I was born in Nadi, Fiji Islands, in a small village. I completed my primary and secondary education in Fiji before moving to New Zealand in 2007. My father was the only breadwinner in my family; I couldn’t pursue my education in medicine, which was my dream and I took whatever opportunity I got. I stopped planning that day as nothing went as planned.
I came to New Zealand on a student visa for 9 months to study for a National Certificate in Older People Level 3. I took it as a challenge as I wanted to be independent, and of course, my dad was the driving factor, and my mum believed in me. It was difficult as I had limited knowledge about New Zealand, although my sister had already settled here. I found a volunteer job in 2 care homes within 2 weeks of arriving in New Zealand. That set the pace for me to learn practical skills and understand the role of a caregiver. One of these care homes offered me a job offer, and I was employed as a Caregiver/Activities Coordinator full-time. I worked for this small care home for 5 years, and within this time, I completed a Diploma in Healthcare Level 5. Once I got an open work visa, I moved to work for Medcall Agency in multiple role titles; during this time, I started studying for a New Zealand Certificate in Diversional Therapy Level 4 and completed a New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing Rehabilitation strand Level 3. I got my PR while working for the agency before moving to Oceania Healthcare, where I accepted the role of a Diversional Therapist and worked for them for 2 years.
I moved to Metlifecare in 2017 full-time as a Home Support Worker and completed my observer and assessor training the same year. I registered as an assessor in 2017 and have been assessing Health and Wellbeing Levels 2, 3 & 4, Cleaning levels, and Dementia LCP Level 4. I moved into a part-time assessor role within Metlifecare in 2018 while still partially working on the floor as an HSW. In 2022, I became a Career Progression Coordinator full-time, taking over all MetLife sites as an assessor and coordinating trainees for care staff. In 2022, I completed my Bachelor of Social Services – Level 7 through Otago Polytech. Last year, I moved into a Career Progression Specialist role, and I am currently studying for a Diploma in Business Management and Leadership Level 5 with Careerforce.
What is your current role, and what does it involve?
My current role is a Career Progression Specialist. I offer mentoring, coaching, assessment, and education plans to enable employees nationally to successfully commence and complete the Caregiver and Vocational Therapist (and other equivalent roles) work-based qualifications and other specialised NZQA-recognised qualifications to facilitate effective career transitions. I engage within the team, developing resources and care pathways for the specific group of staff and ways to enhance their skills and knowledge without overwhelming them.
What do you enjoy about this role?
I love that I can share my knowledge and years of experience with others, motivate them, and support them in achieving their dreams. I enjoy helping trainees find solutions and strategies for juggling challenging day-to-day life with studying and setting high standards. Having a background in Caregiving and Diversional Therapist helps me understand the roles, and the background I come from helps me understand the challenges trainees may face.
What inspired you to get into this field of work?
Growing up in Fiji, I noticed one thing: the lack of opportunities, whether in education or access to clinical help. I always wanted to do something in the medical field, and when the opportunity arose to pursue this path, I took the chance. Inspiration has always been my parents and the hard work they put in for me to be who I am today. The values they instilled in me helped me build confidence and resilience in navigating and seeking guidance to choose alternatives as the opportunities came my way. My journey had a lot of challenges at each step, but I wouldn’t settle for anything less. I believed I deserved better, and my hunger for knowledge was never satisfied, so this kept me going.
How long have you been an assessor, and why did you decide to become one?
They say if the opportunity knocks at your door, take it, which I did. It didn’t even cross my mind to be an assessor; it just popped into my conversation with an assessor supporting Metlifecare trainees. Also, my manager back then supported me and completed the two-day training. Initially, I thought I would only support the staff working on the site where I was based, but not really. I suddenly was moving from sites to clusters and then into covering all the sites across Metlifecare. I have been an assessor since 2017 and will complete 8 years this year. I believe I was at the right place at the right time amongst a group of positive, supportive people, and thus, I took this path of being an assessor without considering anything.
What do you enjoy about being an assessor?
As an assessor, I enjoy analysing complex situations and making decisions based on a thorough understanding of a trainee’s circumstances, ensuring they meet the role expectation standards. I have always loved challenging situations and finding solutions without compromising my values and work ethic. Honesty and fair treatment for all are my mottos. As an assessor, I get the opportunity to make a difference to the current and future workforce, supporting the most vulnerable, not ignoring that I will be one of them accessing the service in future. I have been part of the aged and disability sector for the past 17 years, and this role allowed me to evolve, grow and understand the wider community and the systems better.
How have you found studying towards your Level 5 in Business – Leadership and Management?
The past few years have been challenging, but I am getting there. I appreciate the support from all the assessors who have helped build confidence and motivated me to continue this journey. Seeing how a natural leadership quality kicks in has been eye-opening, irrespective of your role. It has opened new pathways for me to explore and look at the system in different dimensions. I can see how this qualification sets new standards and scope within my current role and what difference it would make once I complete it.
What advice do you have for anyone considering study or currently working towards their qualification?
The most significant factor for me is time and discipline. Juggling workload, family, studying, and not forgetting unexpected events can be challenging. If I make excuses, I won’t get my purpose fulfilled. Throughout my journey, I have always looked for opportunities for growth and development, which has helped me get to where I am today professionally. If you think about waiting for the right time, there is no right time. Just take that leap of faith and put your best foot forward; I think the rest will be taken care of. This way, I have prepared myself for available roles and opportunities.
What have you enjoyed about joining the Talanoa study sessions?
I enjoy meeting other trainees from different fields of life and appreciate the cultural collaboration and bonding over food. Of course, do not forget to meet all the Careerforce staff who go out of their way to help with the assessments and help focus on studying. They help with putting “Me first”!
Anything else you would like to add?
My goal this year is to complete my Diploma and explore other opportunities.