Our tutor Saran Read with Duane Nuku
A huge congratulations and shout out to our star T & G learner on the Branch Out programme, Duane Nuku. Duane won the Champion Learner Award of this year’s Skills Highway Awards.
Duane participated in ‘Branch Out’ at T & G’s Whakatu site in Hawkes Bay. He credits the programme with changing his life because it’s made him more confident.
“I don’t sit in the corner now, I mingle with other people. There were times when I didn’t understand what they were talking about. So I’m really grateful to Branch Out,” says Duane. “I reckon it’s awesome.”
Duane believes the programme has helped him at home too.
“It’s kind of made me a better person around my family, too, because I used to push them away but now it’s great because I’m right in there. For me, it’s helped a lot.”
Duane received his Champion Learner certificate and gift from the TEC at a celebratory morning tea with his manager and colleagues. “Thank you to my boss, and thank you to Saran at Upskills,” he said in a moving speech. “I’ve started climbing the ladder now and I’m not going to stop.”
Duane impressed the judging panel with the extra effort he put into boosting his reading skills as a result of the programme. Congratulations, Duane and T & G!
Whāia te iti kahurangi ki te tuōhu koe me he maunga teitei.
