He's not sure yet what that will be. Next year he plans to work full time, save, polish up his maths, refresh his memory of te reo Maori and ponder his future.
He's a strong and active young man, and in his early teenage years he trained at the Ratana gym and imagined joining the army or navy.
When he was excluded from Wanganui High School in Year 9 Jesse was hanging out with "not the greatest bunch of people". He fought and did "silly stuff at school, like smoking or drugs".
He had lost contact with his father at that time, and was feeling angry, he said.
"I would take it out on everyone else and I didn't really see much purpose in my life."
After being out of school a while, he decided he didn't like the kind of life he was heading for.
"I didn't want to be someone living off the government's money because I was too lazy to get a job and be a braindead from too much drugs and drinking and end up in prison."
He persuaded Wanganui City College to give him another chance. He was in the school's Military Services Academy during his Year 11. The school treated him like "a normal person who had just made mistakes". He didn't want to let it down.
He also wanted to make his mother proud and had some uncles who would train at the gym with him and were good role models. He was sponsored on a 21-day Outward Bound course earlier this year, which was also life changing.
School was hard work. He wasn't used to studying, and had to make some sacrifices. But he probably has enough credits to pass NCEA Level 3 and also discovered a talent for art.
Now he's not sure whether to join the army or navy, or seek a career as an outdoor instructor. Both of those options would rely on his physical strength.
But his heart is leading him toward a career in the new talent he discovered - in art, design or architecture.
For the past 12 months he's also been a committed Christian, and since June has boarded with his Faith City Church mentor, Caleb Kingi, and Caleb's wife Abby.
He's working part-time at McDonald's and wants a full-time job.
His message to others with the same rocky life path is don't give up your dreams.
He wanted to share a favourite Bible passage, from Jeremiah 29:11. "For I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope".
That promise was kept for him, he said, and he was grateful.
"Whatever path I decide to take I want to show His love and who He is through it, and help people."
