Domestic Division

Brent Rodgers lives in Kaeo in the Far North with his partner Beck, their child, and Beck’s two children. Brent also has two adult children and eight grandchildren from a previous marriage. He moved to the Far North from Auckland three and a half years ago after completing a Bachelor of Sport and Recreation in 2018 at AUT in Auckland.

He holds a certificate in Tertiary Teaching, a bachelor’s degree in Sport and Recreation (double majoring in Coaching and Management), a Diploma in Building Surveying (Level 6), and a National Certificate in Carpentry.

“Most of these were achieved as an adult while working so I understand what it is like to be an adult learner.”

Brent spent 16 years in the construction industry as a carpenter, building contractor with his own business, and a contract site manager on mainly residential construction. He went on to become a Senior Lecturer of Construction at Manukau Institute of Technology for six years. He returned to MIT to teach construction management for a three-year contract while studying full-time for his degree.

Brent has worked as the Team Leader for Building Consents at the Building Consent Authority of the Far North District Council. During this time, he studied for another two years to gain the NZ Diploma in Building Surveying.

His goal for each learner’s journey is twofold.

“To inspire in them a quest for personal development through education and to assist with better equipping them for their roles in the building controls environment. Students should feel empowered by their teaching and learning experience,” he says.

“My message to prospective learners would be that I may not have all the answers, but I will be able to help you develop the skills and the desire to find your own.”

Making a difference to others inspires him.

Outside work, Brent relishes riding his motorcycle and playing bass guitar – although not at the same time. He completed two full-distance Ironman Triathlons in 2014 and 2016. He holds a certificate in artificial insemination of cows and had a franchise pregnancy testing cows.

Helen Hegley has a diploma in Nursing and a bachelor’s degree in health science, having specialised in Coronary Care Nursing before getting into an educational role within South Auckland Health.

She was fortunate enough to be a stay-at-home Mum when her kids were young, working part-time for Foodstuffs marking unit standards assessments while participating in committees and going on school trips and camps.

When her youngest started school, Helen returned to work as an auditor for Diabetes Project Trust, now Diabetes Aotearoa, which offered a fantastic service to local doctors to support the care they provided their diabetic patients.

Seven years later she joined New Zealand Tertiary College as a tutor in the Health and Wellbeing programme. She later moved to Skills Update where she was the Programme Manager of the Health and Wellbeing team, developing Level 2 and Dementia programmes to support industry growth. 

She is now putting her management skills to good use and relishing the opportunity to work at Future Skills with such an amazing team.

Helen says she loves working with our students. Her focus is to empower them and to instil belief in themselves as gaining a qualification and skills is life-changing not only for themselves but also their families and generations to follow.  She says fun learning is good learning and happy students are productive students.

Outside of work, Helen enjoys reading, yoga, walking and tramps (particularly the glamping tramps when your bags are transported, and the meals are catered and with wine is cold).  She has a great network of friends and a special ‘Sunday funday’ group formed after our stormy summer in 2023.

Helen has three adult children, two boys who are in the building industry and a daughter who is an Occupational Therapist.  They all live in Auckland.  She loves interior design and has bought her own place in Half Moon Bay which she is busy painting.

Carl has gained a wealth of knowledge throughout his working life from being a trade-qualified carpenter and a qualified building inspector in the New Zealand building environment.

“I have had the privilege of spending my whole working life (41 years) working in various aspects of the building industry,” he says.

His previous roles range from working as a hardware assistant and a building supplies sales representative to employing staff in his own construction business and directing the establishment of a nationwide housing charity for affordable homes.

“I have seen a lot of change in the New Zealand building landscape.”

Carl completed his apprenticeship in Pukekohe where he gained a trade certificate and an advanced trade certificate as a carpenter. He worked for a firm that specialised in quality homes across the commercial and light industrial markets. Upon receiving his apprenticeship, he went into the building business and served across the whole sector on residential, commercial, and industrial building sites.

“My greatest joy from this was being able to supply pathways for my employees towards their trade training hopes via BCITO and ITAB (Industry Training Apprentice Building),” he says.

“It was during this time that I became an on-site adviser for BCITO (Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation).”

Carl spent 41 years in these different areas of the industry.

In Jan 2009, he was employed as an inspector with Auckland City Council. It was at this time that he completed the Diploma in Building Surveying.

“I spend my free time involved in community endeavours, with my church, as a Justice of Peace, and as a committee member of the Building Officials Institute. When I have any freer time, I spend it with my wife Nikki and eldest son Jesse, doing dishes and walking my dogs.”

Carl has a Trade Certificate and Advanced Trade Certificate in Carpentry as well as a Diploma in Building Surveying.

He joined the teaching team at Future Skills Academy in April 2020.

He aims to provide each student with an individual experience by sharing deeply his range of experiences to encourage their learning journey. Each student will be given the same information but their application to this journey will be different, he says.

He is inspired by watching students connect with our teaching and getting inspired for their career development.

He says the Diploma in Building Surveying provides a builder who wants to enter the academic world a graduated process to develop their skills beyond the purely practical aspects of their current role. Adult students can add value to their personal experience and move towards a more academic world if they want.

Married to his wonderful wife for more than 16 years, Sam has two daughters and two dogs. The family trains together in karate and he takes them hunting whenever he can.

“As I am getting older, I enjoy mowing my lawn, the simple pleasure of barbecuing and smoking meat for friends.”

Sam left High School with School Certificate, Sixth Form Certificate, Bursary, and University Entrance. He studied law at Victoria University of Wellington but left university and went on to complete a building apprenticeship. He holds a certificate in Carpentry and a Certificate in Advanced Trade in Carpentry.

Building runs in the family with his dad a builder. Sam launched his early career as a carpenter before following in his father’s footsteps to share the same career.

“I have had two full-time apprentices and mentored two others. One competed at a national level and another came third in the worlds.”

Sam delivered both commercial and residential work across the country and still receives Christmas cards from satisfied customers today.

He was employed as a technical specialist for Wellington City Council, defending, advising, and representing the council in a tense climate of leaky building litigation.

“Having been in numerous expert conferences on issues before the High Court and Weathertight Homes Tribunal, I have been at the razor’s edge of technical discussions before the court. Unfortunately, I have needed to undertake building surveys on behalf of the Coroners Court, making statements on compliance where a death had occurred.”

He also held the role of Team Leader Compliance for Wellington City Council where he acted on behalf of the Council.

Sam held the position of Claims Manager for Wellington City Council and delivered the Financial Assistance Package (FAP) where the crown and council together would pay 50 percent of the cost of repairs for leaky buildings. At the same time, he belonged to a few working groups for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment on timber remediation and the steering group for FAP.

“As part of this, I was tasked with providing lessons from building defects to building control staff and delivering training.”

He served as the Regional Maintenance Manager for Housing New Zealand. In this role, Sam integrated the maintenance schedule with the asset plan, oversaw the transition of a new main contractor, and developed the training needs to meet the performance expectations for contractors.

“To me, teaching is not about showing I know the material, rather making that material accessible to others.  I want them ‘to get it’, and not to feel dumb for asking questions.”

For students coming into building control, acknowledging this is a daunting body of knowledge helps, he says.

 “Between earthquakes, building collapse, leaky buildings together with trying to digest the law, building code, and regulations I’d expect students to feel a little overwhelmed. Having rubbed shoulders with some of the best experts in New Zealand, I am confident to say I don’t know it all, and there are times even I need to ask for advice.”

Sam shares this fact with students, so they are comforted by knowing they are not alone in such an expansive industry. He teaches a framework that empowers students to know when to ask for help and where to look.

He is inspired by simple acts of kindness.

There was a time when building inspectors had a perception as broken-down old builders, Sam says.

“The community expects more from it than such a perception deserves.  People make financial decisions based on our work. They trust us to get it right and to do the right thing for them and their families.”

We have moved into a more professional age where education and training are an investment, he says.

Isaac has a strong background in graphic and industrial design. His passion for furniture and cabinetry began while he was at university studying towards a bachelor’s degree in industrial design.

Following a brief but formative experience in the film industry as a model maker, Isaac spent 15 years working in furniture and cabinet making. During that time, he worked in workshops internationally, acquiring a wealth of expertise in the industry.

Isaac is now committed to sharing his extensive knowledge and hands-on experience with the next generation of learners.

Kanchana holds an MSc in Quantity Surveying and is working towards her PhD in Construction Management at Auckland University of Technology (AUT).

She has spent 18 Years working as a Senior Quantity Surveyor & Estimator for commercial, residential, and industrial buildings in the construction Industry around the world. She has also worked as a Graduate Teaching Assistant in Quantity Surveying & Construction Management at AUT.

Kanchana is an affiliate member of the New Zealand Institute of Quantity Surveyors.

Her research interests are construction procurement, building construction management, quantity surveying, and estimating.

She aims to give each of her learners the theory and industry knowledge they need to enter the world of work.

Outside of work, she enjoys exploring beautiful places and spending quality time with her family.

With Diplomas in Adult Education (Levels four and five), a BA in English, and a Master's in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), Garn brings a rich educational background to the classroom.

Over the past 25 years, she has taught TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) and TESOL both locally and internationally, and spent nearly two years working with Future Skills in 2023.

During her postgraduate studies, Garn developed a teaching innovation focused on “Developing English Knowledge Using Grammar in Context,” reflecting a strong interest in practical, learner-focused approaches.

Her goal for every learner is simply to help each student reach their goals while making their learning journey enjoyable and engaging.

Outside of work, Garn has a passion for trekking and reading. Trekking, especially in groups, offers a chance to connect with people and nature, while reading provides continual learning and inspiration.

She believes that it's never too late to learn and that education not only keeps the mind active but also opens doors to new friendships and opportunities.

Megan Rodrigues holds a Bachelor of Nursing and a Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Nursing with Distinction from the University of Auckland, specialising in Education. Her academic background provides a strong foundation in learning theories and educational design, allowing her to deliver high-quality, learner-focused programmes.

She worked at Te Whatu Ora Auckland as a registered nurse, where she developed a passion for teaching. This led to further study and teaching roles at both Massey University and the University of Auckland, working with undergraduate and postgraduate students. She also delivered and led the NCAP programme for internationally qualified registered nurses at NZITE which is part of the Future Skills Group.

Her teaching philosophy is rooted in the belief that learning is a lifelong journey. She values diverse learning styles and fosters a supportive, experiential environment where students can connect knowledge to real-world situations. Empathy and encouragement are at the heart of her approach.

Outside of work, she enjoys connecting with people and building positive relationships. She encourages students to stay engaged, communicate openly, and enjoy their learning experience. She is proud to be part of Future Skills, where the focus is on nurturing confident, capable graduates, and warmly welcomes students to the Future Skills whānau.

Hilda has completed a Bachelor of Nursing and a Master of Psychiatric Nursing.

She has been teaching since 2003 in India. In 2016 she moved to New Zealand where she completed a Level 7 qualification in healthcare management.

In 2017, she joined AGI Educational Ltd as a healthcare lecturer, was promoted to Programme Coordinator for Level 6, and worked there for five years.

Teaching is Hilda’s passion.

“I believe teachers pave the way and let learners choose their own paths to become the best version of themselves.”

Hilda is the mother of two daughters and savours reading and taking long walks during her spare time.

Chintal has a background in complementary and alternative medicine and has been teaching for 20 years. She has coached a range of health and wellbeing programmes in New Zealand.

“I particularly enjoy teaching mental health and addiction as this aligns well with my professional background in complementary medicine that lays a strong emphasis on holistic care and person-centred approach.”

She has achieved a Postgraduate qualification in health science in New Zealand and a qualification in adult and tertiary teaching. Chintal has also given back to the community as a support worker.

She believes that every adult learner brings a wealth of experience to class.

“My role is to mold and facilitate their existing knowledge and experience with the new learning. Teaching and learning has to be reciprocal, and this will provide a holistic learning experience for the learners.”

Shermini Priya Lawrence holds a Master of Science in Nursing (Public Health), and a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Science. She’s currently pursuing a New Zealand Certificate in Adult Tertiary Teaching.

Shermini Priya Lawrence has been teaching adult learners in the healthcare sector for around 14 years. She also has experience working in different healthcare settings.

Her goal is to provide an inclusive learning environment where all learners feel welcome and comfortable to share their views and thoughts, enjoy the learning, and achieve goals successfully.

She says teaching is a great way to keep learning and believes in the following quote by Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, Former President of India: “Teaching is a very noble profession that shapes the character, calibre and future of an individual. If the people remember me as a good teacher, that will be the biggest honour for me.”

Outside of work, Shermini loves spending quality time with family.

Kulbir has extensive experience in the healthcare field. As a registered nurse from India, Kulbir specialised in the occupational health and wellbeing department. Kulbir’s background also includes work at Middlemore Hospital in the pre-employment health screening of staff, mask fit testing and injury management.

Holly He completed a Graduate Diploma in ECE teaching at New Zealand Tertiary College and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education at the University of Auckland. She’s also completed a training course in Theory and Observation Course from the New Zealand Infant and Toddler Consortium (NZITC). Additionally, Holly holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Business Administration.

Holly is a qualified and fully registered early childhood teacher and worked in early childhood centres for around nine years.

Her teaching goal is to be a stepping stone or bridge to support and guide learners to achieve their success.

Her teaching philosophy in Early Childhood Teaching is respecting children for who they are and where they are from, respecting children`s emotions and their development milestones, and respecting children`s play and trusting their abilities. She believes respect is the key for all teaching and learning.

Outside of work, Holly loves yoga, reading, and playing Lego with her son Jonathan.

Lovleen holds a master’s degree in applied chemistry, a Bachelor of Sciences, a Bachelor of Education, and a Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education. She worked in the early childhood education field for four years before joining Future Skills Academy.

“I love to share my experiences in ECE with my students and help them become as passionate about caring for children as I am,” she says.

“I like to give my heart and soul to provide my students with the most welcoming and inclusive learning environment. I strive for professional growth and update my teaching practice for my students to benefit from it.”

Lovleen believes in building and maintaining strong relationships wherever she goes. She adores spending quality family time with her husband and younger brother. They like to travel and visit new places.

“I also like to spend my time in doing meditation and using my creativity as a therapeutic release.”

Priya holds a bachelor’s degree in hospitality and a postgraduate diploma in pâtisserie and confectionery, completed in the UK. She also completed an internship in Florida and earned an adult and tertiary teaching qualification in Auckland.

With 15 years’ experience in the hospitality industry and over three years in tertiary education, Priya is dedicated to engaging with learners and helping them to succeed. She believes that with the right support, learners can grow into confident individuals who achieve their goals.

Outside of work, Priya enjoys traveling and exploring new places whenever possible.

Simran holds a Master’s degree in Applied Management, which has provided her with a strong foundation in business operations, project coordination, analysis, and stakeholder engagement. Her academic background is complemented by practical industry experience across education, administration, operations, and systems support.

She has worked in roles supporting academic administration, programme coordination, registry operations, and process improvement, where she managed complex data, supported students and staff, liaised with internal and external stakeholders, and worked with systems such as Oracle, CRM, Proclaim, and EBS. She has also been involved in testing system improvements and supporting change initiatives.

Her areas of interest include process improvement, project coordination, data accuracy, and improving learner and staff experiences through efficient systems and clear communication.

Simran’s goal for each learner’s journey is to provide clear guidance, timely support, and well-organised processes, enabling learners to focus on achieving their academic and personal goals with confidence.

Outside of work, Simran enjoys travelling, exploring new places, baking (especially sourdough), staying active, continuously learning new skills, and trying new forms of art. She values personal growth, balance, and building meaningful connections.

She is passionate about supporting learners, improving processes, and contributing positively to a collaborative learning environment.