Wintec supporting Tonga to deliver internationally recognised carpentry qualification

Wintec’s Oire Pacific Team, along with the International and Trades teams, have been collaborating with Tupou College Toloa in Tonga to bring a version of Wintec’s New Zealand Certificate in Construction Trade Skills (Level 3) pre-trade course to the oldest history-rich boarding school in the Pacific region.

L-R: Leni Lolohea – Kaiarahi Pacific, Rose Marsters – Group Director for Manaaki Services and Oire Pacific, Rev Minoa Fifita TVET Director and Project Manager, and Warwick Pitts - Executive Director - Learner Success and Oritetanga.

Tonga’s Tupou College Toloa offers education at all year levels from kindergarten and has a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) arm for Years 7-13. Through TVET, students learn engineering, motor repair, carpentry, metalwork, electrical engineering, and art and design.

Tupou College already had its own Level 1 and 2 carpentry courses, but they wanted to introduce a Level 3 course that was aligned with what’s delivered in New Zealand, so their students could gain a qualification that could be recognised overseas.

The college secured a grant from the World Bank Group and began searching for an external provider to partner with in developing a course and gaining accreditation. Wintec’s success rates in its pre-trade carpentry courses made it a standout option, and they made contact.

Leni Lolohea, Wintec Kaiārahi Pacific, has been instrumental in helping build this partnership.

In 2023, once the project was signed off and secured, Leni, along with a team from Wintec—Stanley Caffery, Dr. Elisapesi Havea, Adie Haultain, and Annaleigh Corlett—visited Tonga to meet the teachers and students, evaluate the available resources, and plan how the course might be developed.

Leni said there were many factors to consider in adapting and delivering the course in Tonga.

“We needed to make sure what we were offering was sustainable for the course to be run over there.”

Tonga’s building and health and safety codes are the same as New Zealand’s, making that part straightforward. However, because Wintec uses Moodle, something Tupou College doesn’t have, Stanley Caffery, Wintec Academic Staff Member, was brought in to ensure the right paperwork was in place so the course could be successfully delivered in this paper-based environment.

“Stanley played a major part in getting the ball rolling. His industry knowledge, as well as his knowledge of delivering the Level 3 carpentry course from back in Wintec’s paper-based days, was vital. He has experience in both worlds and ensured the smooth transition of knowledge,” Leni said.

The pilot program in Tonga began last year with six students.

Then in April this year, Tupou College’s Head of TVET, Rev. Minoa Fifita, visited Wintec for a week to discuss how the pilot course was progressing and what the next steps would be.

Marlene Pouri-Lane (Faculty Operations Director) being presented with a koha from Rev. Minoa Fifita (TVET Director and Project Manager).

The pilot is still underway, now with 12 students, and Leni said it is heading in the right direction, with the college pleased with its progress.

“We need to get everything accredited to create the official unit standards under Tonga’s education system, the Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board (TNQAB). TNQAB ensures that Tonga's qualifications are valued as credible, both nationally and internationally. Once accredited, it will be delivered as a full unit standard program.”

Leni said this project was not only important to him because of his job but because it’s close to home.

“I was born in Auckland, but my grandparents are Tongan, and I was fortunate enough to be raised by them. Their English wasn’t great, so my first language was Tongan, making this very close to me. I have always wanted to give back to Tonga, and this is the first time I have had the chance to act on that. I wanted to go back, live and breathe the culture, and give back in some way.

“I’ve been privileged to be in this space. I got to visit Tonga in a professional capacity and help enrich the space. It’s an honour to know you are there on behalf of Wintec and doing something sustainably good, which also helps you grow personally. Tonga is a small island, and if you go there on behalf of an organisation, people hear about your actions, good or bad, so I’m glad they were good,” Leni laughed.

“The opportunities are endless for these kinds of projects. Infrastructure gives people jobs; it injects the economy. If we can help small islands like Tonga do that for themselves, that’s great, and it’s even better if they want to look for work overseas, and it’s all in alignment with New Zealand and Australia.

“Level 3 carpentry is just the start. The dream is to provide more. Now it’s about setting more goals and tasks and actively working towards them.”