What our Students are Saying
Toi Ohomai is home to an amazing community of students.
Come to campus and you'll hear our talented music students jamming, taste the delicious food served up by our hospitality students, get fit with our passionate sport and recreation students, and get the latest industry insights from our engineering team.
We're continually inspired by our students - read about some of their amazing journeys.
In a full-circle moment, Toi Ohomai Bachelor of Creative Industries graduate, Jade Baxter, has returned to the Tauranga campus where she studied, this time as a graphic designer within the institute’s Brand and Engagement team.
In December 2022, just a week before Christmas, Logan Poole (Ngāi Tūhoe, Te Arawa) received a phone call that would change his life. He was diagnosed with life-threatening liver disease and liver cancer, so he stopped working to focus on his treatment.
Kaelieb Hare (Tūhourangi, Ngāi Tūhoe), a hospitality management student at Toi Ohomai, has secured a role at Te Puia - Rotorua’s premier Māori cultural centre - before even completing his qualification. Kaelieb is studying towards a Diploma in Hospitality Management (Level 5) and is set to graduate.
After years of working long hours at a factory, things changed for Daniel when the company he worked for closed down, and along with his colleagues, he was made redundant. Rather than let the setback define him, Daniel saw it as an opportunity to pursue something he had always enjoyed.
New Zealand Diploma in Construction (Quantity Surveying) graduate, Daniel Padua, says he’s “living the dream!” While completing his quantity surveying qualification at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology’s Tauranga campus, Daniel worked locally as a Junior Quantity Surveyor at Master Plumb and Gas.
Tristan Katu studied a Diploma in Construction (Quantity Surveying) at Toi Ohomai and is now working in Australia in the construction industry. We caught up with him to find out how he's finding working as a Quantity Surveyor across the ditch!
Toi Ohomai graduate, Kelela Pepa has landed her dream job at The Spa at the Millennium Hotel in Rotorua. Kelela has been working at the newly refurbished spa and wellness salon, providing mud facials, hot stone and relaxation massages, and a range of other body treatments and spa packages.
Sam Gibson is an adventurer, but he gets to make a difference while he’s at it, working as a Technical Expert at Goodnature. What started off as a small New Zealand company and is now one of the world leaders in trap manufacturing.
Emma-Louise Ball is about to take the first step in her international chef journey. The Toi Ohomai culinary arts graduate is excited to combine her passion for food and travel as she prepares to work at a prestigious ski resort in America.
Makayla Todd is set to graduate in 2025, having achieved a Certificate in Cookery at Toi Ohomai. Makayla travelled three days a week to complete her training at our Mokoia campus and says the skills and industry knowledge she has gained – along with the free, daily shuttle have helped immensely.