Students learn from CEO

Kayla Bergh doesn’t know where she wants to work, but she knows she wants to be the boss.

The Long Bay College student wants to be a chief executive so she took part in a AUT’s Shadow a Leader Day to see what it involves.

As part of the programme, Bergh joined Richard Keys, the chief executive of Abano Healthcare Group which owns Lumino The Dentists.

Bergh spent the day meeting with members of the senior executive team, visiting a dental practice and attending management meetings to get a taste of what a career as chief executive could involve.

She says she wants to be a chief executive because she likes managing projects and working with people but she doesn’t know which industry would be best.

‘‘I have too many interests, I have to pick one,’’ Bergh says.

The Murrays Bay resident says she’d enjoy anything from science to law and politics but she’s realised nothing’s set in stone.

‘‘A big thing that I enjoyed is realising how you can change in your field,’’ Bergh says.

‘‘Be OK with following your interests. It will lead you anywhere.’’

Bergh was also joined by Rothesay Bay resident Xavier Acarapi who’s studying accounting and finance at AUT.

‘‘It’s [the day’s] given me a peek through the window into the corporate world,’’ Acarapi says.

‘‘Learning from a leader of today hopefully teaching me to be a leader of tomorrow.’’

Keys says he tried to give the pair a look at different areas of business so they could get an understanding of what leadership is and what options there are in the career.

He says the biggest piece of advice he could give is to find a mentor who can help you understand things from a different perspective and guide you.

Keys says the best thing about his job is the people he works with and for.

‘‘I think what I enjoy about where I work is we’re making a difference in people’s lives,’’ he says.

‘‘The people give you energy.’’

More than 70 businesses and organisations across Auckland hosted students like Bergh and Acarapi as part of the day which aims to give students insight into effective leadership.

PHOTO: GEOFF OSBORNE From left, student Kayla Bergh, Lumino multi-site manager Matt Hansen-Knarhoi, Abano Healthcare chief executive Richard Keys and AUT’s Xavier Acarapi.