Student Profiles

Elizabeth (Liz) Tereroa is a living example that you can have your cake and eat it to. After completing school Liz went on to work full time in a fast food restaurant where she worked her way up to become a store manager. However, she had a passion for design within her that was bursting to come out.

Liz wanted to study architecture and while attending an “Info Day” event at Waiariki Institute of Technology she discovered that elements of both architecture and design were taught in the Certificate in Interior Design. This, thought Liz, would give her the perfect platform on which to start her education. “I always wanted to study architecture but I didn’t know how to get started,” said Liz.

After taking the plunge and resigning from full-time work Liz became a full-time student. Having a young child to care for as well created more challenges on top of the pressure of study and assignments. However, Liz loves a challenge and in her own laid back manner earned great marks in her courses. But she still wasn’t satisfied.

Having completed her interior design qualification, Liz then set her sights on studying landscape design as well. Transferring her designs from inside to outside came easy and now allows Liz a ‘whole-of-house’ view when completing design work for assessments and customers.

“The students get along really well with each other and with the tutors, too,” she said. “And the students learn off each other as well.”

Completing the Certificate in Horticulture has expanded both Liz’s opportunities as well as her knowledge. She has learnt about topics as diverse as botany, soils, growing plants in tissue culture through to plant identification.

In the near future she has plans to study landscape design at Unitec and then move on to earn the Diploma in Architecture. One day, when Liz is ready to move on from study, she hopes to become a landscape designer and architect to the stars!