Congratulations To Our Wai Tech Graduates of 2023

An impressive 71 graduates were honoured at the Wai Tech Class of 2023 ceremony in front of almost 300 friends and whānau in West Auckland today.

This included 13 from Te Whānau o Waipareira, some of whom were the "guinea pigs" of the new Diploma in Whānau Ora Level 6 course. The auspicious occasion was opened by Matua Albie Tepania, Chair of the Kaumātua Roopu and proceedings included speakers Te Whānau o Waipareira Chair, Ray Hall, Dr Donna Morrison from Wai Tech, Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency Chair, Merepeka Raukawa-Tait and Waipareira board member, Merepaea Dunn.

The incredible 96 per cent completion rate showed a level of unwavering commitment to study while maintaining a full time role and something the 2023 Wai Tech Valedictorian, Merekaraka Hawaikirangi, was quick to acknowledge.

“What an honour it is to be given the opportunity and congratulate all of us doing the hard yards and getting across the line. I also want to acknowledge whānau who didn’t make it. It was a hard year and working for whānau goes beyond your 9:00 – 5:00 PM job. Especially last year with the flooding clean up, the electoral roll mahi, the early hikoi for the elections and our BAU. Then we had the audacity to add studies onto that. We will always second guess ourselves and our chosen pathways and what difference they really make to our whānau, our iwi and our mokopuna. We constantly ask ourselves, is this enough for the time we have? But if you listen hard enough, we can hear that voice that says, yes, we did good!".