From jungle path to career
There were no cars in the village in Myanmar where new UCOL graduate Ray Htun hails from.
Now, he is working as an apprentice mechanic and has graduated with his certificate in level-three automotive engineering yesterday, one of the 1950 people graduating from the polytech this week.
Htun, 36, came to New Zealand 11 years ago, having spent six years in a Thailand refugee camp, before arriving in Palmerston North.
He is originally from a small village, near the town of Kyainseikgyi. There were no cars when he lived there, but there were bicycles.
Since he completed his studies in April, having done one day a week of work experience, he has been doing his apprenticeship at Lance Keall Auto Repairs.
Htun said he knew he needed a career and a job and he liked cars, so started studying how to work on them.
‘‘The studies helped me into a job and my mates, tutors and everyone supported me.’’
Htun fled Myanmar during civil unrest when he was 17 and spent six years in a refugee camp, before coming to Palmerston North in 2006 and studying English.
He then worked for 8 1⁄2 years as a fisherman for Sealord in Nelson, before returning to Palmerston North.
Htun met his wife Eh Nar in Palmerston North and her family are also from Myanmar. The couple have a 2-year-old daughter named Grace.
One of the other graduates yesterday was Pamela Jewitt, who completed a bachelor of nursing. Before coming to UCOL, Jewitt had worked as a pre-school teacher, a teacher aide and a special education administrator. ‘‘I’m big on the quality of compassion and nursing is a profession where that is probably the main value you need to show,’’ she said. ‘‘I love the science behind how the body works, but it was more the human-interaction aspect that appealed to me.’’
She said placements during her studies were a highlight because she learnt things she wouldn’t in a classroom.
When Jewitt started studying she thought she would end up in paediatrics, but realised she wanted to work in mental health following a placement. Now, she is a mental health nurse for Midcentral District Health Board and is studying a postgraduate certificate in mental health nursing at Whitireia.
Of the 1950 graduates this year, 1335 were in Palmerston North, 413 will be at the Whanganui campus, 173 at Wairarapa and 29 at Horowhenua. The graduation at the Whanganui campus is on Friday, Horowhenua’s is next Tuesday, which will be the first graduation at the campus, and Wairarapa’s is next Wednesday.
‘‘The studies helped me into a job and my mates, tutors and everyone supported me.’’ UCOL graduate Ray Htun