As well as building local capability, with all four Chatham Island trainees successfully achieving their NZ Certificate Drinking Water Treatment (Level 4), the visit highlights Connexis’ strong commitment to developing skilled water operators in remote communities.  

Expert assessor and respected water treatment specialist Marty Simpson travelled to the islands to complete final on-site assessments for the operators Latoya Hough, Bruce Winter, Russell Phillips, and Rikard Kamo. Their on-job practical, full-time experience at the Waitangi Water Treatment Plant on the Chatham Islands was supported by Connexis with structured learning, including workbooks, e-learning modules, and a block course delivered by WSP in Petone, Lower Hutt. 

During their time on-course in mainland New Zealand, the group also visited leading facilities along the Kāpiti Coast, including Waikanae, widely regarded as a gold standard site for treatment plant operations. 

It was a first trip to the Chatham Islands for assessor Marty and one that has left a strong impression. 

“Supporting trainees goes beyond technical learning—it also means providing strong pastoral care to ensure they feel supported throughout their journey.” 

“It’s really encouraging to see the momentum continuing. All four newly qualified operators are now progressing to the Level 4 Wastewater qualification, further strengthening their expertise,” he says. 

The newly qualified operators, who have reached this professional milestone after several years working in the industry, say access to eLearning was important to their training success from a remote location like the Chatham Islands. 

“When I first enrolled, I wasn’t that interested in a career in water, but the online course made it accessible and really got me engaged in the subject.  

“Now that I’ve finished the course, we’re excited to progress into the wastewater learning programme and I’m keen to explore some of the Connexis plant operator courses too. Being so remote, the block course on the mainland was amazing, it gave us a chance to see bigger, more complex operations and processes than we have on the Chathams,” says Operator and Connexis learner Latoya Hough. 

The thirst for learning is continuing at Chatham Island water with team manager, Shingy Torga, also enrolling in the NZC Drinking Water Treatment (Level 4), demonstrating strong leadership and a proactive commitment to ongoing professional development within the Chatham Islands team. 

“The industry is evolving, and over the past two decades we’ve seen increasing diversity among trainees. The Connexis Drinking Water and Wastewater certificate and diploma qualifications are now widely recognised as a viable and rewarding career pathway, with strong opportunities for progression, including diploma-level study,” Marty says. 

This successful training initiative on the Chatham Islands underscores the value of investing in local capability and highlights the collaborative efforts between Connexis and employers to ensure sustainable water management across Aotearoa New Zealand, even in its most remote communities. 

For more information about water qualifications and career pathways, visit: https://connexis.org.nz/water-qualifications/

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Deciding to move here permanently Kyle began working for his uncle at Final Fusion where he is now a water supervisor and foreman, supporting major contractors and working alongside other civil companies to help deliver water infrastructure projects for the small Bay of Plenty contracting company.

Kyle, who completed his NZ Certificate in Pipeline Construction and Maintenance (Level 4) with Connexis, says though he has previous UK experience, training has been a key part of his career in New Zealand. 

“I started off here just learning the fundamentals of what I needed to do in this country, because the standards are completely different.”  

Since then Kyle has gone from strength to strength within the company, and is a huge advocate for the importance of training and its benefits for trainees and small civil businesses – as well as the general public. 

“There are a lot of challenges in the industry and it’s pretty competitive, so being able to train and develop our staff is really important for the business. But it also helps strengthen the civil infrastructure sector and improve the networks the public rely on. At the end of the day, that’s why we do this work — it’s for the public,” he says. 

Training also helps everybody adapt to the needs of the job on the job, which can vary greatly. 

“You need the ability to be able to think on your feet and come up with a solution to the job at hand, while providing the best service that you can.” 

Part of Kyle’s current role is to work with the company’s apprentice as they learn on the job. 

One of the biggest lessons Kyle has learned from working with the Final Fusion team is that there is more than one way to correctly complete a job.  

“There are multiple ways to get to the number 10; or the end result. We all have our own way. As a leader, it’s not necessarily about telling someone how to do it. It’s giving them the opportunity to figure it out as well. At the start of the day you have your briefing, and you might need to lay 12 meters of pipe, but how someone trenches it or where they put their dirt, might be completely different to how you’d do it. So it’s about allowing them to give it a go, or let other people lead as well, because that’s what allows them to develop as a person, and from an apprentice into a leader.” 

For those considering a civil apprenticeship Kyle says it offers great opportunities, though the first six to 12 months can be challenging. 

“The key thing is to just be patient, keep learning, be clear minded and just keep showing up. It’s always going to be hard getting started because you’re figuring out something new, as well as learning about the people around you, but if you’re open-minded and start building a relationship with the team around you, that’s what’s going to help see you through.” 

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To support learner success, Connexis developed a tailored learning plan that recognised both the learners’ workplace context and their limited prior experience with online learning. The programme included fortnightly online tutorials led by Connexis Water Treatment Consultant Martyn Simpson, who provided encouragement, structure, and motivation to help learners stay on track with workbooks and agreed timelines. 

“This collaborative approach aligned well with the learners’ strengths, as they were accustomed to working together as a group,” says Kate Wallace Quality Assurance Manager. “One learner naturally stepped into a mentoring role, helping others link their learning to practical workplace experience.” 

Regular engagement with To Tatou Vai Ltd was a key contributor to the programme’s success. Connexis worked closely with the learners’ manager, with monthly progress meetings involving the Connexis Quality Assurance Manager and a Customer Service Account Manager. These conversations reinforced the importance of giving learners dedicated time and resources to study while learning on the job. 

After completing their online learning, the learners travelled to Wellington to attend a four-day block course. Connexis worked to provide pastoral care, ensuring learners were well supported during their stay, including accommodation. In partnership with Wellington Water, Connexis also arranged a site visit so learners could complete one of their compulsory Level 4 assessments at a working water treatment facility. 

In June 2025, Connexis Water Treatment Consultant Martyn Simpson travelled to the Rarotonga to conduct onsite assessments of all five learners. Every learner successfully completed their assessment and attained the qualification, a testament to their commitment and the strength of the support around them. 

“We are grateful for all the assistance and support we have received in enabling our learners to complete and attain this qualification.”- Ringi Tumutoa, HR Admin, To Tatou Vai Ltd. 

This initiative reflects Connexis’ commitment to high-quality pastoral care and inclusive learning pathways for all learners. As part of its Code of Pastoral Care, Connexis continues to develop and strengthen opportunities that support diverse learners. 

* The Cook Islands is a self-governing state in ‘free association’ with New Zealand, with a population of around 25,900.

Images: Learners Patricia Taea and Wilson Rau at the Greytown Water Treatment plant working on their Chlorine Assessment with one of our contracted onsite Water Treatment Assessors, Nick Hewer-Hewitt.

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Our industry partner Water New Zealand has launched a new collection of 14 career videos designed to showcase the water industry which is essential to our health and wellbeing and invite people to consider a career in water.

The videos feature the experience of individuals currently working and training in the water sector – including our very own Connexis trainees: Shannon Reti, Mason Wilkie, and Nick Shaw! As well as highlighting the wide range of career opportunities available in the water sector, the videos also showcase the skills and day-to-day work involved in different roles.

Created in collaboration with employers and industry training providers, and supported with funding from the Infrastructure Education and Training Charitable Trust, the videos are part of a broader effort by Water New Zealand to align with the Waihanga Ara Rau Workforce Development Council’s Workforce Activation Strategy. That strategy identified promotional videos as one of six key initiatives to attract talent to the water sector.

Water New Zealand is making the videos freely available to schools, industry partners, and other organisations. The videos are also featured on Tahatū Career Navigator, the new careers planning platform from TEC, which replaces careers.govt.nz.

At Connexis, we’re proud to support this initiative and will be sharing these videos across our website and other marketing channels to help spread the word: that the water industry offers interesting, varied, and rewarding career paths within a growing and vital industry for New Zealand.

You can check out the full video series on Water New Zealand’s Schools and Community page HERE.

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Denay Cottam is a standout example of how a solid foundation in the trades can open doors to a long, diverse, and future-focused career in infrastructure.

A qualified plumber, gasfitter, and drainlayer, Denay completed his apprenticeship in New Plymouth before heading offshore. Over more than a decade, he worked across New Zealand, Australia, and Malaysia in high-pressure roles—both onshore and offshore—in the oil and gas sector. From nitrogen pumping to pre-commissioning and subsea testing, Denay built a reputation for reliability and technical depth, all underpinned by a strong commitment to safety.

Returning to New Zealand, Denay rejoined his family’s business, OPS Plumbing and Pipeline. Originally a plumbing firm, OPS has since evolved into a civil infrastructure company. Denay responded to this shift by expanding his own skillset—completing both the New Zealand Certificate in Infrastructure Works (Pipeline Construction and Maintenance) and the New Zealand Diploma in Infrastructure Asset Management through Connexis.

“OPS has grown into more of a civil company, so completing those pipeline qualifications was a natural step,” he says. “It added another dimension to my CV and gave me a great refresher on the fundamentals I learned as a plumber.”

Today, Denay wears several hats. He’s the company’s Health and Safety Manager, leads projects, mentors junior staff, and still gets hands-on when required. He also works as a casual Asset Integrity Technician with Verbrec, where he contributes to the inspection and maintenance of natural gas infrastructure. NEC4 ECC Project Management accredited, he’s increasingly stepping into strategic planning roles while keeping his boots firmly on the ground.

In 2024, Denay broke his elbow in a snowboarding accident. Rather than sit idle, he used his recovery to complete the Level 6 Diploma in Infrastructure Asset Management. The qualification deepened his understanding of how to manage assets across their lifecycle—reinforcing his ability to align practical field knowledge with high-level planning.

Throughout his career, Denay has embraced every opportunity to train, grow, and adapt. It’s given him a career that’s not only stable but constantly evolving.

His message to others considering a trade career?
“Start with a solid trade, but don’t stop there. If you stay curious and keep building on your skills, you’ll be surprised where it can take you. There’s no one path—just lots of doors waiting to be opened.”

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As of 1 November 2024, New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi no longer registers some TTM warrants, as part of a shift to the new risk-based approach to TTM outlined in the NZ Guide to Temporary Traffic Management (NZGTTM).

Existing TTM warrants gained up to and including 31 October 2024, remain valid and recognised and stay on the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi TTM warranted workers database.

Some workers may wish to recognise their warrants against the unit standards by applying for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). This simply recognises that the TTM specialist already has met the skills and knowledge required by the unit standards.

The new RPL process needs to be completed by an NZQA-approved provider. Connexis is encouraging assessors working with TTM specialists interested in taking up the RPL, to direct them to the TTM page on the Connexis website to get started.

Find out more:

Apply for TTM recognition of prior learning

Read more about Waihanga Ara Rau’s retirement of prerequisite unit standards

Read more about the new NZQA-approved changes to TTM micro-credentials

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Temporary Traffic Management (TTM) is a core skill requirement affecting almost any infrastructure project, whether it is building new roads, or maintaining the country’s energy, water and telecommunications networks.

The micro-credential, which is aimed at those who design, plan and develop TTM ensuring safe outcomes for activities conducted in or impacting the road corridor, is the first of a new suite of micro-credentials to be rolled out in the coming months, all of which have been developed to meet a new risk-based approach to TTM as outlined in the NZTA Waka Kotahi New Zealand Guide to Temporary Traffic Management (NZGTTM).

Connexis Executive Director Kaarin Gaukrodger says the training programme for the micro-credential is aimed at staff who have a health and safety role or responsibility, which is critical to keeping workers as well as the public safe.

“At Connexis we are excited to be a part of implementing this new approach to traffic safety,” Gaukrodger says.

The Temporary Traffic Management Risk Assessment (Level 4, 15 credits) micro-credential contains two unit standards that must be achieved before it is awarded:

• 33252 Describe the principles and process for managing risk for an activity requiring temporary traffic management (Level 4, credit 5)
  
  
• 33253 Complete a risk assessment for an activity requiring temporary traffic management (Level 4, credit 10)

For more details on industry changes to the delivery of TTM training, and the new Temporary Traffic Management Risk Assessment (Level 4) micro-credential, please visit the TTM page on our website or contact a Customer Service Account Manager near you.

Image credit: Danny Wood, NZTA

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Abby completed her NZ Certificate in Water Treatment (Level 4) in 2022 after training through Connexis to become a qualified water technician; a job she finds many people have never heard of!

“No one really knows that water tech exists,” she says. “When you turn on the tap and water comes out, most people don’t really think about the fact that a team of people has just spent however many hours treating and testing that water!”

Abby first heard about the possibility of a career in water via a family member who also works in the water treatment industry.

After finishing high school in 2020, she started at New Plymouth District Council in a cadet-style role where she learned the basics of water treatment like manual chemical mixes, basic labs, and the bacteriological testing system. “All the dirty jobs no one else wanted to,” she laughs.

After several months of that she started her formal apprenticeship training.

“The flexibility of being able to study and work at the same time was amazing. I was very well supported in getting my qualification,” she says.

“I love that this role covers not just theory but practical work as well. One minute you’re sitting at a computer looking at trends and reports, the next you can be in a river taking and testing water samples.”

The biggest challenge of Abby’s work so far has been becoming competent in a range of different systems, from permits and processes to lab procedures.

Though Abby hopes to travel one day, to work in the water treatment sector in other countries, for now she is keen to share what she has learned and loves about her job.

“If I was talking to someone thinking about getting into this as a job, I’d say ‘get stuck into it’,” she says. “Ask lots of questions, be really interested and keen to learn. Everyone needs water in the world and it’s found everywhere meaning you will always have a job – so get learning!

“For other young women thinking about doing it, I’d say that it’s more fun than you think. It may be scary at first but it is well worth it in the long run.”

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Instead, Hugo is looking for new ways to implement and expand on his wastewater knowledge. Currently, having worked for 18 months on wastewater treatment at Wairarapa wood solutions company, JNL, Hugo is now working in one of the company-owned forests, where the treated water is used to irrigate the trees. “So I’m now on the receiving end of the cleaned water as well.”

Hugo, who spent most of his working life as a researcher and historian, as well as a TV presenter, now wants to find some additional spare-time work as a data collector or researcher in the wastewater sector.

“I’d really love to get some research work on the side and add to the huge body of knowledge that’s being developed in the area of wastewater. There is always a need for knowledge in that area.”

One of the highlights of completing his qualification for Hugo was digging deeper into the theory of why things happen in a particular way.

“I know how to operate things and what to do in the wastewater plant, but in studying the theory of it you start to get a better picture of why things happen in a certain way. With wastewater you’re dealing with live micro-organisms; it’s a living, breathing, changing thing that has different behaviours, just like humans. It’s really interesting.”

Another highlight for Hugo was completing his qualification in tandem with his colleague, 24-year-old Stephen Meyrick.

“Working and studying in parallel with Stephen was really good. We were working and studying individually and separately but we would talk a lot about what we were working on and you learn a lot from that sort of conversation.”

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Hugo Manson certainly doesn’t believe that’s true. At 82, Hugo is training toward a New Zealand Certificate in Wastewater Treatment (Level 4). What’s more, he’s doing it alongside his 24-year-old new colleague Stephen Meyrick.

Hugo, who previously had a long, successful career as a historian and researcher, came to Juken New Zealand Ltd (JNL), a wood solutions business, about four years ago to work as a cleaner at the company’s Wairarapa mill.

When a vacancy became available in the wastewater treatment department, Hugo was asked to step in temporarily until an apprentice for the role was found.

“I did that expecting it to be just for a short time, but to my delight, it ended up being longer than expected. Now Stephen’s come in and taken over, and I’m assisting him,” Hugo says.

Through that period Hugo became really interested in the subject of wastewater treatment and decided to take on training for the NZC in Wastewater Treatment (L4) – Multistage Processes Optional Strand.

“I didn’t need to do it, but, given my research background, I am always interested in the underlying reasons for things, and how they work. The whole area of wastewater just seems so important in the context of the environment and sustainability so I just wanted to know more about what seems to be an extremely interesting field.”

Hugo’s time handling the wastewater for JNL is coming to an end, but he has been thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to hand the reins over to Stephen, while working and training with him.

“I have been very lucky in the last few months to work with Stephen, and we’ve really hit it off.”

Stephen has been with JNL for almost seven years, initially as a process worker, before making the move to the company’s wastewater treatment plant about six months ago.

“I always wanted to get a qualification in something. Wastewater treatment hadn’t really crossed my mind before, but when the opportunity came up I thought it sounded interesting,” Stephen says.

“Then I just fell in love with the job. I love that we can turn used, dirty water into really clean water that’s good for the environment and I love the science that’s behind doing that.”

Stephen adds that he really enjoys working with Hugo and the pair help each other with their training challenges. He helps Hugo in some of the maths areas of their training. “It will always be the thing I have to work hardest at, it’s never been one of my strengths,” says Hugo. “I’ve really had to go back to basics of things like algebra.” And Hugo helps Stephen, who is dyslexic, with some of the training reading and assessments.

“Hugo keeps me on my toes with facts and knowledge. Work is never boring. Every day is a different conversation, with some friendly arguments about who is right and wrong about things,” Stephen laughs. “It would be a lot more boring doing it on my own.”

Hugo says he has also appreciated the opportunity to work closely with some of a much younger generation. “As you get older your attitude and way of doing things can solidify and harden up a bit, but there’s no chance of that with Stephen, he keeps me on my toes.

“I probably only spent three or four weeks helping him make the move into wastewater, before the tables started to turn and he was telling me how to do things!”

“It’s an opportunity to swap ideas, and tackle problem-solving not just with a colleague but someone who comes from a completely different generation, with different energy and a sharp intellect. Every day is interesting.

“It could have been a tough thing for Stephen to take on working with someone three or four times his age, but I think it’s worked out pretty well and I think the company is lucky to have Stephen coming in to take over the wastewater.”

JNL Training Coordinator Adrian Greig says having a little friendly competition between Hugo and Stephen in the training has helped keep motivation up and the company is very pleased with the way Stephen has grown into his new role.

“It’s been really good having Hugo to mentor Stephen, and seeing how well they have worked together. I think doing an apprenticeship and training is easier if you have someone, other than a supervisor, you can bounce your ideas off and ask questions. It’s worked out really well,” Adrian says.

Though his job in the wastewater plant is winding up Hugo has no plans to put his feet up. He’s happy to go back to his cleaning role with JNL. He also has plans for more research into wastewater treatment.

“I really hate the idea of not working, and it can be quite difficult to get a job so I’m very grateful to be working at JNL, which is just a wonderful place to work.

“I do want to do more research work in wastewater. I just need another 30 or 40 years to realise what I have planned.”

Check out the Seven Sharp piece here>

https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/08/14/the-82-year-old-apprentice-learning-from-his-24-year-old-senior/

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