Elenoa Tabudravu - Certificate in Plumbing and Gasfitting (Level 3)

After months of rigorous warfare training in the Navy as a Combat Systems Specialist, Elenoa was ready for the next challenge – this time on land.

In mid-2020, Elenoa decided to retrain as a plumber and gasfitter at the NZMA Trades West campus.

Having soared through the ocean on a fifty-ton ship, Elenoa had become accustomed to venturing outside her comfort zone.

“It’s something I developed a lot in my teen years. I went to boarding school when I was 13 so I gained my independence quite young. And then, when I went to the Navy, I was faced with the hardest challenges of my life. I’ve become much stronger and better at adapting to change because of it,”

Now, she is a trailblazer in the trades industry – one of the growing number of women in the sector going against the status quo.

Soon, she will graduate with a Level 3 Certificate in Plumbing and Gas-fitting – putting her in good stride towards her long-term goal of owning her own trades business one day.

“At NZMA, it is more than a school, it’s a family. Being able to train alongside supportive tutors and peers from all walks of life made me feel so at ease and motivated to achieve my dreams.”

Three job interviews later, Elenoa has been offered an apprenticeship with Collins Plumbing, Gas, Heating & Drainage – showing that a drastic career change is not nearly as daunting as it may seem.

Interested in studying Plumbing and Gas Fitting? Learn more here.