Horizon apprentice identified as “a future leader”

This week Horizon apprentice Paraone Muru has been heading out to Galatea as part of the Horizon Energy Tech Team, working on the rebuild of the new electricity sub-station, but for a day last week he joined 10 of the country’s most promising energy industry trainees at a knowledge-sharing forum in Auckland.

The former Trident High School deputy head boy and representative sportsman was selected to attend the forum by Connexis, the Industry Training Organisation (ITO) for the electricity supply industries.

He joined 70 trainees from other industry training programmes, identified as future business leaders.

“It was a real honour to be nominated. The forum was great, lots of excellent speakers, inspiring and it really opened my mind.  It made me think about my goals in life and what's the best strategy to achieve them,” Mr Muru says.

He adds that attending the forum has given him a good starting point and direction, especially so early into his apprenticeship.  "It was really motivating and inspired me for my future."

Mr Muru began his training with Horizon in February this year, with assistance from the Eastern Bay Energy Trust's apprenticeship programme which supports locally owned businesses to create new positions.  In 2015, he was also part of the Trust’s Taster Course, which introduces year 12 and 13 students to career options in the electricity industry.

The Taster course is a ten-day, live-in experience in conjunction with Tarawera High School, where attendees take part in a variety of industry-related and team-building/personal development activities. This year’s Taster Course, which takes place at the end of September, is full.  Applications for the next course will open in mid-2017.

Eastern Bay Energy Trust Manager Rawinia Kamau says it is local talent, like Mr Muru, that the Trust aims to identify and assist in building career pathways, to ensure that there is a solid workforce available to fill industry opportunities within the local area.

Photo caption: Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Louise Upston with Horizon Energy Apprentice Paraone Muru at The Future Business Leaders dinner held at MOTAT – Auckland’s Museum of Transport and Technology.