Tu: Kia ora. My name is Tuwhakaraua "Tu" Taute.
I'm a leading hand, training to be a junior foreman with McKee Fehl.
As a junior foreman, it's a bit of a juggling act. You're more so trying to keep an eye on what all the subcontractors are doing, if they're on task, if they're on time as well as your own boys.
Pretty much my role is staying ahead of all our workers. Just so once they have done their task, they are ready for the next one and so on.
At that stage I am still studying with WelTec, a Construction Management course.
I go in every Tuesday after work and I've got another year to finish that off.
My key inspiration for wanting better in my life was pretty much my old lady.
She didn't know how to speak English, she was able to get a degree in Māori and storytelling.
Just seeing that I thought to myself, I've got no excuse why I can't achieve the things I want in life.
What I first did in McKee Fehl I was pretty much the new kid on the block. Came out of Weltec and was lucky enough to get my apprenticeship with McKee Fehl.
Really at that stage I was just willing to learn, ears wide opened. Now with McKee Fehl, they helped me a lot with that side of things. I was with a carpenter my whole time and I think that improves all your skills.
With Weltec they helped me out a lot to even get my apprenticeship. They understood which ones were really keen in the industry and they had a broker, he helped quite a bit of us to get apprenticeships. You know, I wouldn't be at McKee Fehl if that one broker didn't get me this job.
My job broker gave me a bit of advice - he told me "What do I want out of this career? You know there is nothing really stopping you. If you want to achieve more, you can." And then I got my qualification as a carpenter.
I stayed on with McKee Fehl, they gave me more responsibility. They gave me a year, in learning how to be a leading hand and then from there they are training me up for the next step.
I want to provide an opportunity for my people to see that you can achieve. You don't have to stay in the same bubble.
My advice I would give to whoever wants to jump into the industry