Celebrating our kaimahi graduates

Peter, Zarina, Ankita and Jeffery at Business School’s graduate celebration

Four of our kaimahi, three from the same team, are graduating this week. Before they walked across the stage to be presented with their qualifications, they spoke to The Nest about their journeys working and learning at Unitec.

If there are more who graduated this week, we’d love to hear from you. Please email communications@unitec.ac.nz

Student Central Manager Jeffrey Wu is ‘proud, excited, relieved and thankful’ to have received Master’s of Applied Business (Business Analytics).

“Back in 2021, when I started I wasn’t sure if I would actually complete the whole qualification, as I never saw myself as an academic person,” says Mr Wu.

“That very first course I took in the first semester set such a solid foundation for me, and I just enjoyed the learning too much to stop.”

Balancing work and study was tough to begin with, however the sense of achievement that came after completing each semester and being one step closer to the finish line kept Jeffrey going.

Through the degree, Mr Wu gained understanding of SWOT analysis, exploring the dynamic capabilities of a team and using Design Thinking to find creative solutions to business problems. He hopes to use the skills he has learned to improve student academic performance and completion rates in the longer term.

Jeffrey Wu would like to thank Liz Rainsbury, his manager Annette Pitovao, his family, friends and amazing partner for their endless support, care and encouragement.

“I wouldn’t have gotten here without them,” he says.

Senior Communications Partner Peter Rees received Master of Applied Business majoring in Digital Marketing.

Mr Rees, who worked in communications at Unitec’s School of Creative Industries for 14 years, was always looking out for an opportunity to complete a post graduate qualification and saw the introduction of the master’s degree in 2021 as a chance to upskill and advance his career.

“I guess my work experience helped with time management and adapting to the rigour of studying again. I was a more disciplined student than my younger self who struggled through undergraduate study many years ago,” says Peter.

“Extra challenging also because my bachelor’s degree was in the arts, so I had to learn a lot of new things and digital marketing is quite a technical area that is constantly evolving.”

Having completed the qualification, Mr Rees moved into Unitec’s Comms Team, working closely with Marketing to use his newly acquired skills to position our institute as a top tertiary provider.

As he crosses the stage at graduation, Peter’s thoughts will be with his father who passed away the week he began his degree.

“During one of our last conversations, he told me he was happy I was going for my masters. I promised him I would finish and do him proud. I’m rapt my mother has flown in from Samoa to attend my graduation. I will be looking out for her, as well as my daughter and some of my close friends and family who will be watching.”

When asked what the most important lesson he learnt through his studies was, “knowing my true value” is Peter’s response.

Student Central advisor Zarina Caacbay graduated Master of Applied Business with Specialisation in Business Analytics.

Her interest in the area stemmed from working in customer service and witnessing personally how data insights lead to better decision-making.

“I was captivated by how data could reveal trends, optimise operations, and improve customer experiences,” Ms Caacbay says.

Zarina also relied on her time management skills and careful planning to balance education with home and work commitments. Creating schedules and setting realistic goals as well as support from family and friends were the secret to her success.

“I can say that completing my Master’s degree while managing full-time work and family commitments is one of my proudest achievements as it required immense dedication, resilience, and careful planning. This milestone is especially meaningful because it demonstrates my capacity to balance competing priorities and achieve my goals despite challenges.”

Ms Caacbay would like to thank the Student Central, AskMe and International teams, her lecturers, especially Dr Mitra Etemaddar as a major influence in research, her family for their constant support and “last but not the least, I thank Father God for guiding me throughout this journey.”

She says the quickest way to succeed in life is to possess the humility that you can always learn from others, no matter how experienced you are.

Student Central advisor Ankita Oommen also graduated Master of Business Analytics.