Tiana charting her course with Brian Perry Civil “The thing I’m most proud of is getting my skipper’s ticket.” Tiana Samuels works as a spotter and skipper with Brian Perry Civil, operating a boat that tows pontoons of scaffolding beneath the wharf and supporting the wider site team. Originally from Kaitaia and now living in Māngere, Tiana joined Ara Skills after hearing about the Ara Rangatahi Pathway to Employment programme through one of her aunties. “I was at home doing nothing,” she says. “I was out of school for a year before I joined.” Tiana decided to take the opportunity, and says the guidance and support she received were the most valuable parts of the programme. That support helped her move into employment with Brian Perry Civil, where she has now worked for 11 months. She spent her first six months at Auckland Airport before moving to her current project. Since joining the company, Tiana has built practical skills, gained her driver licence and settled into the routine of full-time work. “Since leaving Ara, the things that have changed for me are that I have a job, I have a routine and I have my licence,” she says. Her mentor at Brian Perry Civil, Peter Fa’apoi says her work ethic stood out from the beginning. “She’s very quiet in demeanour, but when it comes to her work ethic, her actions speak,” he says. Early in her employment, Tiana worked alongside an environmental team on a demanding winter project. The role involved dewatering activities, working through mud and helping manage environmental risks across the site. “She was not shy to get stuck in,” Fa’apoi says. “She started to get better and better at it. Her actions were doing the talking.” Her performance led to further opportunities. When Brian Perry Civil needed boat captains for its current project, Tiana was nominated for the role. She completed the required training and earned her skipper’s ticket. She now operates the boat beneath the wharf, transports materials and pontoons, and coordinates with the team working above ground. According to her Fa’apoi, Tiana has continued to grow in confidence and is becoming more comfortable contributing her own ideas and judgement. He believes she has the potential to go far within the industry. “She’s going to be a great leader one day,” he says. The next step is to give Tiana experience across different parts of civil construction. After building a strong foundation in environmental work, she is now interested in learning more about other areas of the business. Her progress reflects Tiana’s hard work and the strength of the partnership between Ara and Brian Perry Civil. Senior Project Manager Sam Temple says Ara helps the company understand learners’ interests, introduce them to the realities of construction and connect them with suitable opportunities. “The support Ara gives us as part of that lead into actual employment is really beneficial,” he says. For Brian Perry Civil, the partnership with Ara helps connect the company with young people who are ready to learn, contribute and grow within the industry. “Hiring young people into the construction industry is a real driving focus for us,” Sam says. “When we’ve got the talent available through the Ara programmes, it’s really a no-brainer.” Tiana is still exploring where her skills and interests might take her next. “What I am most excited about going forward is discovering what I want to do,” she says. Her advice to other rangatahi considering Ara is simple: “Take everything in and give it a go.”
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