Josh Olive is a practical person who enjoys hands-on learning as he works towards his New Zealand Certificate in Automotive Engineering (Level 3) (Light).
He said he wasn’t sure what he would study after completing his Murihiku Trades Academy Automotive Engineering course last year. But with a little guidance from his tutors, he’s on the right track and has progressed to the pre-apprenticeship qualification.
“I didn't have a plan for this year until I completed the Trades Academy Automotive Engineering course. My tutors suggested I take the Light Automotive course this year, so I did”.
This prepares students for the automotive engineering industry, teaching them all the fundamentals required to successfully move onto the next stage – an apprenticeship.
Josh says in his course he’s gaining knowledge about automotive systems and servicing requirements. He has found there’s been good continuity of knowledge and skills from Trades Academy through to the light automotive course, and has enjoyed a smooth transition from one to the other.
“A lot of the information and skills from Trades Academy has transferred into my course, it has helped me gain a wider knowledge of what we are learning about. And from completion of the Trades Academy course I got accepted into my full-year course straight away”.
He says the highlight of his course is definitely the practical component. “I like the practical side of the assessments, learning from hands-on experience with vehicles and tools”.
Josh also engages in campus life and the student culture at SIT. He says “I enjoy socializing with students and tutors from other courses and talking about what they're doing”.
Like most SIT students, he’s found the The Zero Fees Scheme and an accommodation bursary really beneficial in keeping costs down and allowing him the freedom to pursue his study goals.
“Zero Fees has helped with course and material costs, which made it more affordable for me to enrol and attend. The accommodation bursary has helped me with travel and accommodation costs”.
Josh knows all of his learning will help him on the next step of his career path, when he enters the workforce and starts looking for an automotive-related job, “...whether it be fixing or driving vehicles, my qualification will help me”.