Staff and Student Profiles

Daniel Whitaker
Lecturer
Looking for a meaningful path forward after completing his Bachelor of Arts degree in Wellington, our Early Childhood Education Lecturer at UCOL Te Pūkenga, Daniel Whitaker, discovered a rewarding career in Early Childhood Education (ECE)
Meet Daniel
Mariana Raukawa
Early Childhood Education (ECE) Lecturer
Our Early Childhood Education (ECE) Lecturer Mariana Raukawa (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāi Tūhoe) found her calling to work with tamariki early in life after becoming a mum at just 16 years old.
Meet Mariana
Jess Hemi
Early Childhood Education (ECE) Lecturer
Jess Hemi is passing on her experience and knowledge to the next generation of ECE teachers.
Meet Jess
Rain McAdam
Bachelor of Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
Looking for something to challenge her skills, 23-year-old Rain McAdam (Ngāti Raukawa) started an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) degree at UCOL | Te Pūkenga. It was a subject she knew almost nothing about, yet her life soon fell into plac
Meet Rain
Te KuraHuia
Music Graduate
Growing up in Horowhenua, Te KuraHuia (Ngāi Tara, Ngāti Raukawa) went to a kura where all her classmates were dedicated to elite sports, but she found herself pulled towards the performing arts.
Meet Te KuraHuia
James 'Hemi' Pringle
Accounting Ākonga
Born and bred in Masterton, James didn’t grow up with big accountant aspirations. Yet, James found himself with multiple job offers before he officially graduated, thanks to his diligent studies, high marks, and his warm and open-minded nature towards oth
Meet James
David Ee
Business Graduate
While volunteering at his local church, David realised he wanted to set his sights higher and make a bigger impact in his community - which led him to study at UCOL | Te Pūkenga.
Meet David
Ethan Gwyn
Joinery Apprentice
Ethan Gwyn has already made his mark in the world of joinery, being honoured with the Best Fitment Under 2 Years award at the Master Joiners Apprentice Awards 2023.
Meet Ethan
Keila Allen
Automotive Student
When asked about her choice to study automotive engineering at UCOL, Keila Allen says she didn’t need much convincing.
Meet Keila
Camryn Watt
Hairdressing Graduate
“It has been a rollercoaster ride, but sticking with it was the best decision I made. I honestly don’t know where I’d be without this course. I used to be someone who would try different things and easily lose interest, but I feel like I’ve really found m
Meet Camryn
David Napier
Cookery Lecturer, Wairarapa Campus
"It’s about what feels right for me and what I can do to give back to the industry. That’s the main reason I came to UCOL."
Meet David
Alistair Thom
Creative Media Graduate
Alistair Thom knows that if you’re going to be successful in the creative media industry, you need to be versatile and always be adding to your skill set.
Meet Alistair