Can-do attitude helps young tradesman
A can-do attitude and encouragement from Work and Income, has helped 23-year-old Eritna Tiune into a bright future with Auckland firm, BanTrans Engineering.
Eritana, who has been working with BanTrans for the past nine months, after completing a trades course at Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT), has just been offered a heavy fabrication apprenticeship with the firm.
Eritana, who lives in Mangere, had found it difficult to find lasting employment when he arrived in New Zealand from Samoa three years ago. He turned to Work and Income for assistance.
His Work and Income case manager suggested he do a six-month Preparation for Trades course at MIT because it was designed to help new migrants and refugees into employment.
Eritana jumped at the opportunity. “I made new friends and really enjoyed the course, which taught me how to do basic things like painting, laying tiles and gib-stopping”.
“I enjoyed the two-week work experience with BanTrans and felt I had learned a huge amount by the end of it,” he says. “I really wanted to keep on working.”
His hard work and natural enthusiasm for the job stood out to BanTrans workshop manager, Mark O’Neil, who decided to offer him a full time position.
“Eritana has a very positive attitude to the job and that is the reason he has done so well with us,” explains Mark.
“It’s not his skill base but his attitude that has got him this far. He started out as a trade assistant, helping the other tradesmen, and now he has an apprenticeship.”
Mark says BansTrans, which employs 50 people, undertakes a wide variety of engineering projects, including fabrication, machining and welding. He says taking on students for work experience has paid off and he would be willing to do it again.