NorthTec hairdressing graduate Elamein Poutai giving Motown colleague Bronwyn Carse (also a NorthTec graduate) a haircut before heading off to London and a job on a cruise liner.
NorthTec hairdressing graduate Elamein Poutai giving Motown colleague Bronwyn Carse (also a NorthTec graduate) a haircut before heading off to London and a job on a cruise liner.
A NorthTec hairdressing graduate is heading overseas for the opportunity of a lifetime, working on a luxury cruise liner.
Elamein Poutai, from Whangārei, will soon be flown to London for training, and then on to Miami, where the ship is based. From there, she will spend the next nine monthscruising around the Caribbean, South America and the Mediterranean Sea on the Carnival Magic.
The 26-year-old got through a tough application process to land a job with Steiner Leisure, a company which provides contracted hairdressing and beauty therapy services to major cruise operators throughout the world.
She was successful after going through a six-hour interview, presentation and salon test during which a recruitment panel watched her every move, including her personal appearance, punctuality and customer service skills, as well as hairdressing techniques on both male and female clients. The company also looks for confidence and management potential in its employees.
But while Poutai is looking forward to the challenge, she is also "freaking out" about leaving home, because she is making the sacrifice of leaving family behind, especially her two young children aged 4 and 7. Family have agreed to support her and do this together so she is able to make good money and buy her own home.
She studied the Level 3 New Zealand Certificate in Hairdressing (Salon Support) at People Potential, then the Level 4 New Zealand Certificate in Hairdressing (Emerging Stylist) at NorthTec last year. She has now completed her apprenticeship working for Motown Haircutters and Dan Black Creative, both in Whangārei.
Ants Lydiard, Motown owner, said he was proud of Poutai but very sorry to see her go.
"I'm pleased that she has found success and wish her all the best in the future. She can always come back here."
Her NorthTec tutor Jan Dawson will be tracking her progress around the world via Facebook.
Poutai wants to inspire others with her journey. She is proud to be of Ngāpuhi descent and is excited to share her Māori culture with the world. She said her whānau explained to her: "You are carrying all of your tupuna (ancestors) with you overseas, all our pride will be with you."
