Anita Keestra
Have you considered what a student working in your firm could do for business?
Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) prides itself on producing work ready graduates with real world skills.
We placed Sujith Sasikumar with construction and engineering firm, MaxBuild and the relationship has been of great benefit to both the company and the student.
“I’m a big fan of student projects,” Business Development Manager Paul Tanner said.
“He has done a lot of work for us.”
Valuable contribution
The Graduate Diploma of Project Management student has made a valuable contribution to the firm taking on the re-coating of Factory Bridge on Remuera Road in Auckland.
It was a small job for MaxBuild, but the student’s work with stakeholders and observing environmental compliance standards allowed the company to deliver the project profitably while helping Sujith earn his qualification.
“The Project Manager is everything. He is the one who should satisfy stakeholders and managers. It is a challenging position,” he said.
Very often, students of Manukau Institute of Technology already have strong overseas work backgrounds and that – along with the skills they learn with us – make them great additions to a business.
About Sujith Sasikumar
Take Sujith for example, he had worked as a safety engineer in Qatar handling four projects in Lusail City simultaneously. The new city is currently under construction and will eventually house 250,000 people as well as being a venue for the 2022 World Cup.
“From safety, I want to transform my career,” Sujith said.
That is why the recent arrival to New Zealand reached out to the Manukau Institute of Technology to help change careers and get all important local experience.
It is our purpose to get people into great jobs.
MIT scores high
A recent analysis of the Education Ministry figures for students five years after graduation ranked us first in terms of employment rates, with our students earning among the highest median incomes. That is, when compared to all polytechnics and universities nationally.
The reason we achieve that success is because of MIT’s close links with industry and the practical skills taught here.
“I studied Finance, Resource Management and Project Management. That has helped me a lot. MIT taught me to write Risk Management Profiles, Project Charters and documents for the construction industry. It is all about self-learning at MIT. It allows the platform to connect with real world jobs,” Sujith said.
Diverse workforce
And there is certainly plenty of work out there with companies like MaxBuild, that specialise in concrete repair as well as seismic strengthening delivering projects across the North Island.
The firm’s workforce is a diverse mix of nationalities including employees from Australia, Fiji, South Africa, the Philippines, Mexico and Britain.
“People from different cultures exchange their ideas. Everyone is from different backgrounds that makes the business a success,” Sujith said.
MIT trains about 14,500 students in a wide range of professions, from Hairdressing, Nursing, Engineering, Building and Construction and Creative Arts, Early Childhood Teaching to Social Work, Business and Information Technology.
Do you have a place for a student at your firm? If so, or if you would just like to talk through what we can do to help, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me.
Anita Keestra is Business Development Manager at Manukau Institute of Technology, Manukau Campus in Auckland. Email: Anita.Keestra@manukau.ac.nz
Manukau Institute of Technology is the Sponsor of the ‘Business Excellence in International Trade with India’ Category of the Eleventh Annual Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards. The Awards Ceremony will be held on Monday, November 26, 2018 at SkyCity Convention Centre, Auckland. Tickets, priced at $172.50 (including) GST and tables seating ten persons at $1725 (including GST) per table, including cocktails, networking, entertainment, dinner and the Awards Ceremony, are now on sale. Please contact Venkat Raman on (09) 5336377 or 021-836528. Email: venkat@indiannewslink.co.nz
