Photo supplied by Gisborne Herald
The desire for a better future is what led Logan Sweeney, 20, to study EIT Tairāwhiti’s Certificate in Engineering Trades. Born and raised on the coast at Ruatoria, Logan had been working as a fencer since he completed his studies at Ngata Memorial College in 2015.
“I was going to be a fencer for the rest of my life and it had started to get pretty boring.” In amongst fencing gigs, Logan had been contributing to his old school by welding together netball hoops for students to use.
“I really enjoyed welding, so I thought I would try to further it.”
He moved into Gisborne earlier this year to start engineering studies as part of the 2017 semester one intake.
Things are going well, with Logan planning to secure a mechanical engineering apprenticeship before
completing the certificate programme. An apprenticeship will take another three years — usually apprenticeships take four, but the certificate shaves a year off — after which he is off to Australia.
For now though he is enjoying “getting the brain working again”. “It is full-on keeping up with the paperwork but it is definitely worth it because you learn a lot. Shane has been really good to us too, he is a good tutor.”
Tutor Shane Cameron says the Certificate in Engineering Trades is a great option for students because it offers many career pathways. “Engineering is one word but under that umbrella, there are a lot of different branches and fields.
“Sectors like robotic engineering — which in the future is going to be a wanted trade — chemical engineering, aeronautical, general fabrication or even underwater engineering on oil rigs.”
Shane runs the engineering course with fellow tutor John Baynes. Between them the pair have more than 60 years’ experience, having worked in a range of different engineering fields including precision machining through Mr Bayne’s business Ican Engineering.
“There is a lot of knowledge between us,” says Shane, “knowledge we want to give to the students here at EIT Tairāwhiti