Car Detailer to Apprentice: How 5 Students Just Mapped Out Their Future
Whether you’re a petrol head or just looking for a career path that doesn’t involve sitting in a cubicle for 40 hours a week, the automotive world is shifting gears.
Last week, five Year 13s took a “behind-the-scenes” look at where the magic happens, visiting Giltrap Prestige, Ray Hasler Autohaus, and Truckstops Penrose. If you think an apprenticeship is just about turning a spanner, here’s the real talk from the people who actually run the shops.
1. The “Starting From Zero” Strategy
Forget the idea that you’ll be rebuilding engines on day one. The managers at Giltrap and the owners at Ray Hasler were incredibly blunt: everyone starts somewhere.
- The Grind: Many of the top-tier techs and managers started as car detailers (yep, washing cars) or van drivers.
- The Payoff: They weren’t just cleaning cars; they were proving they had an eye for detail and a work ethic. Do the “small” job well, and the apprenticeship offer usually follows.
2. Protect Your License Like Your Life Depends On It
This was the biggest “mic drop” moment of the tour. The presenters pleaded with the students to keep their driving records spotless.
The Reality Check: In this industry, you’ll be driving six-figure client cars around workshops and lots. If you’ve got a record of “after 10 PM” restricted license violations or reckless tickets, you are unhirable. The industry needs “responsible adults,” not just fast drivers. If you can’t follow the road rules, they won’t trust you with a customer’s Ferrari or a heavy-duty truck.
3. More Than Just “Fixing Cars”
MITO (the industry training org) isn’t just about standard mechanics. The career paths are actually huge:
- Diesel Technology: Think massive engines and heavy machinery.
- Collision Repair: The art of bringing a wrecked frame back to life.
- Coachbuilding: Building the bodies of vehicles from scratch.
- Parts & Accessories: For those who love the logistics and tech side of the build.
The Bottom Line
The speakers were professional, helpful, and didn’t sugarcoat it. The automotive industry is desperate for new talent, but they want people who are reliable, patient, and—most importantly—safe behind the wheel.
Welcome to the Careers Hub at WSCW
Supporting your child’s career journey
Dear Parents and Whānau,
Choosing a career path can feel overwhelming, but we are here to support our students every step of the way.
We’ve recently updated our Careers Hub, which you can find under the Helpful Links on the student landing page. Whether your child needs help writing their first CV or you want to understand how NCEA pathways work, it’s all there in one place.
In Whānau time this term, students have also been using a tool called Careers Central. They have been updating their details and later will take quizzes (Bullseye) to match their interests with potential careers. This is a great starting point for our subject selections and expanding their career possibilities.
We hope these tools help spark some exciting conversations at home!
Step by step to a career they love
Tahatū Career Navigator has been rolled out into all secondary schools and kura kaupapa across the country. Tahatu.govt.nz is designed to give you, and your rangatahi a new way to explore careers advice and information.
You’ll find information to support subject selection at school/kura, over 4000 qualifications in one place, and be inspired by more than 800 career ideas.
To get started, check out the ‘Interest quiz’, a quick and easy quiz that can help your rangatahi discover their interests and explore future careers that align with them.
Ngā mihi,
Kay Wallace
HOD Careers
Guiding your Child through Subject Selection
Choosing your school subjects can feel like a huge decision, but don’t worry, there’s lots of support available to help you figure it out! Here’s how to get started:
- Explore Your Options Online Check out the WSCW Careers Hub, especially the “School Subjects” section. The NZ University Subject Guides show you which Year 13 subjects are recommended (useful) or required (needed for entry) for different university programs.
- Talk! Don’t be afraid to ask for advice. Chat with your family, people who are working in jobs you find interesting, and even senior students who have been through this before. Most importantly, talk to your teachers! If you went to the Matariki Pathways and Subject Choices Expo, you’ve probably already spoken to some subject teachers and heads of departments.
- Take a Career Quiz Try the free Bullseye Future Assessment Pathway quiz on Career Central (you can log in through the WSC Careers Hub). It only takes about 15-20 minutes and can give you a good idea of possible career paths, and deep job research will definitely help with choosing your subjects.
- Think About Transferable Skills in subjects. For example, subjects like drama, business studies, dance, music, or sports are great for developing skills such as communication and teamwork. Even if a subject isn’t required for a specific course, these skills are valuable for any career path.
- Get Some Work Experience If you’re in Year 12 or 13, Gateway can give you some real-world work experience. Volunteering also provides you with a non-paid pathway to gain work skills.
- Get Personalised Guidance While picking subjects you enjoy is important, getting good advice for your future pathway is just as crucial. So, if you’re feeling stuck, have a chat with a Head of House or someone from the Careers Department at careers@wsc.school.nz. We are here to help!
Extra advice Here are a few courses with specific subject requirements
Medicine – all 3 sciences in Year 12 with adv maths, Year 13 senior sciences
Engineering– L2 Adv Maths and Physics then L3 Calculus and Physics
Veterinary Science (Vet at Massey Uni) – recommend a good background in sciences and maths. 14 to 20 credits of NCEA Level 3 chemistry and biology, and 14 to 20 credits in Level 2 maths and/or physics. You also need to do work 40 hours experience or observation time in a veterinary clinic before the pre-selection semester
Bachelor Health Science UOA – Minimum of 18 credits at Level 3 in one of English, Geography, History, Classical Studies, History of Art, Te Reo Māori (or Te Reo Rangatira) or Social Studies and a minimum of 18 credits at Level 3 in one of Biology, Chemistry or Physics.
Mini Trade Expo
Matariki Pathways and Subject Selection Event
Kia Ora tatou,
Targeted for years 10-13, our unique Matariki Pathways and Subject Selection will be held on July 17th from 4:30 pm to 7 pm. Subject teachers and a variety of vocational and academic tertiary providers will exhibit in KHCL and Te Whare Tapere on the first Thursday afternoon of term 3. Mark this date on your calendar!
Te Whare Puoro is Back and Louder Than Ever
Te Whare Puoro is buzzing once again with the sound of hundreds of musicians and we are LOVING it. We have over 130 students in Year 12 and 13 alone! This means our little building is very full, but it also means you can look forward to a lot of excellent music to listen to, and also come and watch this year.
Be sure to follow our Instagram for updates – wscw_puoromusic
Big thanks to Benaiah Su for starting the fun with our first lunchtime gig in the quad last Wednesday. You can find more of his original music on Spotify – check him out! We look forward to many more of these gigs.
Speaking of original music – the two students who made it to the finals of the “Play It Strange” songwriting competitions last year have their singles out on Spotify for your listening pleasure:
Atawhai Te Maapi Pene – Karma’s Got the Gun
Henri Woodley – Fade (this song is being featured on Shortland Street soon)
Just a reminder we have a number of groups that are available to all Springs-Waiōrea students: Choir, Musical Theatre Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra, Jazz Band and Baby Band. We are also hoping to start a beginners Guitar Group and Drum Group soon.
Our lunchtime practice rooms are also open again for all our students. There is a form to fill in on our website or Music Google Classrooms and then anyone is welcome to come and make music.
Information about our groups, rooms, courses, lessons etc can all be found on our Music Department website – https://sites.google.com/wsc.school.nz/wscwpuoromusic/home
Things to look forward to:
The Musical!!!!!
Our Musical Theatre Ensemble is working hard to create an original musical which we will perform later this year. Full of great new tunes and terrible jokes so should be a fun time for all.
Music Month in May
We will celebrating all month long with gigs, events, Music T-Shirt Day, guest speakers and more!
Rockquest and Tangata Beats
Entries are open so if hurry up, start a band, make a song then fill in the form. All entries get sent a form for the Head of Music so forward the forms to wrightc@wsc.school.nz and we will get them signed for you.
Me raupā aku ringa, kia ao aku wawata.
My hands need to be calloused if my dreams are to come true.
So let’s get to work!
Team Puoro – Carmel, Victoria, Margaret and Dan
O Week 2025
O Week on the Great Lawn was the place to be during lunchtime on Tuesday and Thursday, Week 4. This year there were 27 clubs, activities and organisations ākonga could sign up to, and there are many events for ākonga that occur throughout the year
The leaders and enthusiasts did a fantastic job of promoting their groups. From providing sweet incentives, demonstrations of equipment, a chance to chat with keen like-minded students to throwing a sponge at the Physical Education Hakinakina kaiako – who generously volunteered themselves, O Week had a carnival atmosphere.
However, O Week offers far more than two lunchtimes of fun. For the ākonga, joining a group offers opportunities to learn and grow, meet new people and have some great fun. It is not ‘now or never’. The groups all welcome students throughout the year.
Triumphant Term 3 for Te Whare Puoro – Music Department Students.
Rockquest
Buzz have continued their Rockquest success, gaining a place in the National Finals to compete against nine other bands for prizes and glory. Huge congratulations to Felix Miller-Cooper, Harlo Brady, Holly Naish and Harper Sergeant. Come and support them at Sky City Theatre on Saturday 21 September. Tickets at Eventfinda.
Play It Strange
Henri Woodley is a finalist in the Lion Foundation Songwriting competition for Play It Strange. This means he has written one of the top original songs in the country and gets to record at a professional studio. We will let you know when this song is released online. Atawhai has also booked her studio recording so we look forward to hearing the final results!
Stand Up Stand Out
Henri has had a killer term as he is also a semi-finalist for Stand Up Stand Out so will compete in the top 35 on August 31 at the Concert Chamber, Auckland Town Hall. Come and cheer him on!
Universal Music Visit
Universal Music the record label did their annual visit to chat about all things industry related to a group of Y11-13s. It was great to get their perspective on the industry today and the most helpful ways you can promote your music to be successful.
Course Selection
Don’t forget to check out our department website for all things music but especially for the up-to-date information on the course for each year level when you are choosing your options. https://sites.google.com/wsc.school.nz/wscwpuoromusic/home
School Concerts
And finally our department music groups have been working hard all year and will be showcasing their talents in the last week of Term and you are all invited!
Vocal Showcase – Tuesday 24 September 6pm-7pm – KHCL Terraces
Featuring Choir, Musical Theatre Ensemble and some Y13 soloists.
Instrumental Showcase – Thursday 26 September 6pm-7pm – KHCL Terraces
Featuring Chamber Orchestra and Jazz Band and some soloists.
Brain Bee Challenge
This year, we had a number of our talented year 11 students compete in the Brain Bee challenge, an international neuroscience competition for high school students in Year 11 to learn about the brain and its functions, the latest discoveries in neuroscience research, dispel misconceptions about neurological and mental illnesses and find out about the exciting career opportunities brain research has to offer.
Two of our students, Bettie Lin and Lola McPhail made it through to the second round of the competition and were therefore invited to attend a neuroscience day at Auckland University medical campus. Throughout the day they heard from students working in the field, got to see some of the actual brains that have been donated to the university to help research neurodegenerative disorders and toured the lab spaces.
The standout of the day was the keynote speaker, Victoria Hawkins, an ex Springs student who has been researching chromosomal changes that occur in Alzheimer’s patients. She is also working on a project that uses gene editing to create sheep models of Fragile X syndrome in the hope of creating possible therapies for individuals that suffer from this condition. She gave a special shout out to Springs at the start of her speech and it was great to see the amazing things our alumni are doing.
Congratulations to Bettie and Lola for all your hard work!
Smokefreerockquest and Tangata Beats 2024
We have had a stellar year for Rockquest and Tangata Beats entries with 11 bands performing in the Central Auckland heats last Saturday and two entries for the Solo/Duo section this weekend. Today we found out that FIVE of our bands are through to the Regional Auckland Finals!!
Mad shout outs to:
BUZZ – Y12 – Felix Miller-Cooper, Holly Naish, Harlo Brady, Harper Sergeant
GroopChat – Y12 – Huia Cameron, Aiyana Wanakore, Teina Pecotic
Sprawl – Y12 – Dasan Paullay-Beazley (and friends from other schools)
In Shade – Y13 – Yuga Yamasaki (and friends from other schools)
And a YEAR 9 BAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dopamine – Y9 – Maisie Mackintosh, Poppy Flavell-Browne (and friends from other schools).
Congratulations to all our stunning musicians – you performed brilliantly and we’re so proud of each and every one of you!
Gaming and Artificial Intelligence Talk
On Friday 10 May Dr Simon McCallum spoke to senior Mathematics and Digital Technology classes about the course he simultaneously teaches at Victoria University and Norwegian University of Science and Technology. He spoke about having the right motivational tools for gaming as well as some technical aspects. The students were fascinated and listened to his every word.
Simon spoke of Artificial Intelligence trends such as multiple AIs working together to reduce errors. He said AI could affect many jobs. He even described how robots are building kitset furniture in Germany allowing builders to become fast jigsaw piece assemblers. We are watching the Careers space with some nervousness and wait for the next big to replace some of the jobs being lost to AI.
Simon is a Senior Lecturer in software engineering, and has been teaching Computer Science since 1999 with Game specific courses from 2004. At undergraduate level he has taught everything from Game Design, with a focus on system design, to GPU programming and Multithreaded optimization. His research focuses on Games for Health and Education, and Dr McCallum teaches in our Computer Graphics & Games major at Te Herenga Waka. Dr McCallum has been working with NZQA, MoE and recently PPTA discussing the impact of AI on Education. You can read more about him here.
Thankyou Victoria University and Simon, Mr Watt and Ms Nagarajan!
Tira Puoro/Music Groups to Join
We have four music groups that run at lunchtimes that are open to anyone (no auditions). They all happen in Te Whare Puoro (Music department) in Puoro 3 (the big room). Anyone is welcome to join, and we are also happy for you to try out a group for a couple of weeks before committing.
Tuesday Lunch – Choir
Wednesday Lunch – Musical Theatre Ensemble
Thursday Whānau and Lunch – Chamber Group (orchestra)
Friday Lunch – Jazz Band
Mondays afterschool there is a new music opportunity! Andrew Isdale, one of our itinerants and a very talented musician, is supervising afterschool band/songwriter or practice sessions until 4:30pm. He can help with performance skills, songwriting, instrument skills, recording and more.
We’re Big Fans of Joel Little Here in Music
It’s not everyday a Grammy winning former student comes to visit Te Whare Puoro/Music Department so we counted ourselves incredibly lucky to host Joel Little at the start of March. We gathered with our Year 12 and 13 music students to hear Joel and his team from his not-for-profit recording studio and live music venue, Big Fan, which offers numerous opportunities to local musicians to help them into the industry. This visit was to launch their latest opportunity Fan Camp – a free songwriting camp for rangatahi aged 14-18.
Joel was reunited with and introduced to the crowd by his Springs music teacher, Margaret Robertson, who he has often mentioned in interviews because of her support during his time at school. He was also accompanied by the manager Big Fan, Savina Fountain, who interviewed him and managed the student questions, and Leauanae Laulu Mac, CEO of the Ministry for Culture & Heritage who are the main funding source for the camp.
Our students represented WSCW Puoro-Music incredibly well, providing a strong welcome with the school waiata and asking insightful questions about a range of topics including songwriting, career paths and, most importantly, working with Taylor Swift (yes, she is just as nice and fun as she seems). Joel was then treated to a thank you waiata from our own award winning musicians, the music students who are Ngā Puna o Waiōrea kapa haka champions. The whole visit was filmed by Newshub News at 6 and remains featured on their website if you want to watch the cameos of Margaret and our students. Come back any time Joel, Savina and the whole Big Fan crew!
