Helen Wightman, Architectural Draughting
As a part-time student of the New Zealand Diploma in Engineering (Civil), it’s been a balancing act for Helen Wightman to meet the demands of her job, the requirements of the programme and hold down her position as student representative in the Otago branch of IPENZ (Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand.)
She also has found time to play the tuba in the Kaikorai Brass Band, an activity that she jokes ‘keeps her sane’, but that’s another story.
Helen began her career in draughting, an area she chose because of her enjoyment of maths, physics and technical drawing at school. She studied for the Diploma in Architectural Draughting (Level 6) at Otago Polytechnic before joining CPG NZ Ltd Consultants (formerly Duffill Watts).
“I started as a CAD technician at CPG, working on American sub-divisions, but the work dried up because of the recession. I was already doing some design and thought I’d follow up by getting a qualification. There is definitely a need for CE technicians in the industry.”
CPG have sponsored Helen through the programme, and allowed her two days a week for study during term time. Since beginning the Diploma she has noticed her job evolving alongside her new skills.
“The course has been great fun and a lot of what you learn is super-practical. In the last holidays, I was doing things at work I had learned the previous semester at Polytechnic.
Juggling part-time study with work also gives you great time-management skills, which are essential in this job. I had the benefit of knowing what I wanted from the course, and therefore the content made sense – I wasn’t just learning it for an exam.”
Helen’s position as student representative for the IPENZ Otago branch, a role she was encouraged into by a former colleague and chairman of IPENZ Otago, has allowed her to network with other young technicians, and facilitate the growth of networks in the area through quiz nights and other activities.
She believes the free student membership is worthwhile for trainees as they can access remuneration surveys, employment information and career development advice through their website.
Now approaching the end of her Diploma, Helen shows no signs of slowing down.
“I’m going to finish an applied civil engineering diploma I’ve begun (through Infratrain) which will involve completing tasks such as managing a small project, and then getting peer-assessed. There are always ongoing training opportunities available within my work, so I will continue to gain more experience and further develop my career."