Candice Pretorious wasn’t really sure what she wanted to do for a career when she attended a Careers in Infrastructure expo for secondary schools held at the Takitimu North Link project site in June 2024.

At the time she was a Year 13 Tauranga Girls’ College student and thought something around accounting would suit her and was interested in what that looked like in an infrastructure setting.

“I visited all the stalls and was surprised there were so many career options,” said Pretorious in a statement from NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.

“I spent some time talking to the Survey team but then I visited the stall the Commercial team were at. I was very interested in the information they had available, and they were really engaging and good to talk to.”

Pretorious was interested in work experience and asked on the day if she could get some further insights as to what the job involved.

“They took my details and rang me to ask if I wanted to do a day of work experience in August,” she said.

“I really enjoyed it and was really inspired as I thought with accounting I’d be sitting in an office in town. It never occurred to me that I could be working in a site office on a major construction project.”

In December, Pretorious was offered a one-day a week role as an accounting intern to gain work experience, and started in January.

“My first day I got to go out on site, the job is very diverse with something different every day.

“This is also my first time in an office environment because I had previously worked in retail. I was a bit intimidated, but everyone has been so kind and supportive, and I’ve learnt that you can still have fun in a professional environment.”

Since leaving Tauranga Girls’ last year, Pretorious is now studying accounting at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology and is in the first year of a three-year degree.

She works at the project site on Fridays.

“It’s great because I am working in the area I am studying in and the things I learn at school I can put into practice here, so I am benefiting in that way as well.

“I’ve done so much. Going on site to see work being done, making sure equipment is correct for the project to run smoothly as well as doing the traditional tasks like debits, credits, invoicing and budgets.

“It’s not just figures; there are huge consequences if you muck up so there’s more of an imperative to get things right.”

Pretorious’ advice to students is to take advantage of the open days and visit every stall because something might spike your interest, just like it did for her.

There are 275 people working on the Takitimu North Link project, and more than 2478 people have been inducted and worked in various project areas to date.

The 2025 Careers in Infrastructure expo will be held at the Takitimu North Link project site in Te Puna on July 25.

The expo is for secondary school students years 10 to 13 and students attending training and alternative education organisations.

Attendance is by registration only.  Please email info@takitimunorthlink.co.nz or phone 0800 865 776 for further details.

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