As the youngest of nine, Feaomoeata Lui was raised on strong Tongan values where family is cared for by family as they age and not by healthcare facilities. As her mother got older, she felt a deep responsibility to be able to provide more comprehensive care for her, if she should need it, beyond the basic healthcare knowledge she had. This eventually led her to New Zealand Tertiary College (NZTC). 

Before she moved into healthcare Feaomoeata was a young mother and wife, working at a cheese factory in Christchurch. But working at a factory full time with two young kids and pregnant with her third was exhausting. She wanted to be more present for her growing family and find a career that offered her more flexibility. Feaomoeata and her husband had a long talk about the future of their family and agreed that she should leave her factory job.

 Feaomoeata first saw NZTC through a Google Ad which caught her interest. She inquired and discovered she was eligible for the New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Level 2) free fees. As a family of four, soon to be five, with one income, this was the perfect incentive for her to start the New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Level 2) qualification and she quickly enrolled. 

Getting back into school was challenging and finding time to study was even more difficult, but Feaomoeata persevered. She gave herself the challenge of reading a section of the program every night. With two young kids this was especially tough, but she sacrificed and studied during her personal time. “It was hard, really hard,” she said, “but I committed and made sacrifices by cutting down on social media and movies.” This worked and Feaomoeata excelled, receiving distinction grades in many of her courses. Soon after graduating the Level 2 Certificate Feaomoeata enrolled into the New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing – Health Assistance Strand (Level 3).

During her Level 3 qualification, Feaomoeata maintained her routine of reading one section each night. The Lui family, as always, came together to support one another, and Feaomoeata successfully graduated with another qualification — but she was not finished. Once again Feaomoeata had proven to herself that she could excel as a healthcare professional. She is now enrolled in the New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Advanced Care and Support) (Level 4), with the goal of becoming an enrolled nurse (EN). She is expecting to finish her final Certificate with NZTC in March 2025 and then will apply for an enrolled nursing program.

Feaomoeata is excited about her future. She has loved the journey she has been on and thanks NZTC for their help in launching her on her new career path, and for providing a learning environment that helped her succeed. 

“Studying with NZTC Online was really helpful because I have three kids, now in preschool and kindy. I am working full-time and studying full-time, and I can’t take more time to go to campus. It helped me balance the different parts of my life while studying.” Feaomoeata is currently working as a Community Support Worker for Healthcare New Zealand, a job she is now qualified for thanks to her NZTC certificates.

One of Feaomoeata’s favourite parts of her new job is being able to interact and connect with a client in their home. “I enjoy going to a client’s home where I can talk with them, understand them and help them with what they’re struggling with. A lot of clients even request me to come back.”

Feaomoeata’s NZTC experience has shaped the person she has become, and taught her to be a more compassionate, tolerant and emotionally aware person. “We never know what someone is going through” she explains, “Health and Wellbeing changed my perceptions about the power of words. You may not realise it, but what you can say can hurt.” This way of thinking has also enriched Feaomoeata’s personal life as she is more aware of when friends and family are struggling, and reaches out to help them through it. “Mental health is very important. Sometimes, just sending a Facebook message lets someone know they’re not alone.”

We are proud of Feaomoeata and are excited to see where her future takes her.