Student story

When the Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing lockdowns began to affect Krystal Sardelich-McNutt’s career in hospitality, she decided to look further afield for a new role.

“I was into my fifteenth year in hospitality and I started thinking, what’s next? I love to create things and a trade was a clear choice so I took a look at what Tai Poutini Polytechnic was offering fees free.”

Krystal joined the Carpentry programme in 2020 under the Government’s fees free Covid-19 recovery fund. She’s now employed as an apprentice builder and looking to grow her career with more training planned.

“I enjoyed gaining confidence in myself during my training, thanks to the support of tutors and classmates. I was able to assure myself that this was the career for me and, because there are so many facets to the job, I could grow in the industry for quite possibly the rest of my life.”

She says she went into the training with eyes wide open, knowing that a woman starting out in a male-dominated industry was likely to bring challenges beyond just learning the skills.

“But I’ve been incredibly lucky to have met so many wonderful, supportive builders. The good outweighs the bad and I’ve become confident in my abilities. The most important thing to remember in any working environment is that you are part of a team.”