Kelela Pepa
Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology graduate, Kelela Pepa (Ngāi Tūhoe), 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 since January, providing deluxe and mud facials, hot stone and relaxation massages, and a range of other body treatments and spa packages to international and domestic guests. She says she couldn’t be happier in her new role.
An alumna of Western Heights High School, Kelela previously worked in the retail sector before making the move into beauty therapy. In 2023, she took her first step by completing a Certificate in Makeup and Skin Care (Introduction) (Level 3) at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology’s Rotorua campus. Building on this foundation, she went on to earn a Certificate in Beauty Therapy (Level 4), followed by a Diploma in Beauty Therapy (Level 5) in 2024.
Throughout her studies, Kelela immersed herself in hands-on learning experiences by completing work placements and getting involved in local community events and creative collaborations.
“Toi Ohomai connected us with so many opportunities to gain real-world experience during our studies,” Kelela says. “It was awesome to get a feel for the industry before graduating.”
This included completing event makeup looks for Miss Rotorua 2023 contestants, which led to Kelela appearing on TVNZ’s Te Karere news bulletin, as well as participating in events such as the Rotorua Business Awards and Dancing for Hospice, and running several pamper days for the elderly.
Kelela credits some of her success to ample support she gained from her classmates, as well as the guidance she received from her Toi Ohomai tutors.
“We held numerous salon days on campus which customers booked into. It was scary at first, especially doing brows, but week by week, my technique and confidence grew. It was awesome,” she says.
Kelela says the more time she spends in the industry, and speaking with customers, the more she’s learning how beauty therapy can help people from the outside-in.
“Vibrant make-up and self-care practices can build that extra bit of confidence in an individual. They leave the salon feeling proud and special,” she says. “It can go a long way, and that’s one part of the job that I love.”
Looking ahead, Kelela is considering whether to further her career by going into cosmetic nursing – a move that would require her to complete a Bachelor of Nursing.
“I want to keep learning, and one day move into the medical side of the industry and master clinical skincare” she says. “I think you just have to go for it. Decide what you want to do and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. You learn along the way,” Kelela says.
Interested in a career like Kelela’s?
Completing a beauty therapy course at Toi Ohomai will teach you everything from introductory makeup to advanced beauty services.