Meet Kaden
Kaden is a problem solver. He is on time, organised and knows how to “get things done”.
Kaden first enrolled at University of Auckland as part of the New Start programme in 2018. Having tried out marine engineering and trades, he eventually decided to enrol in a conjoint Bachelor of Arts and Science, majoring in Geography and Geographic Information Science.
“When I first left high school, I joined the New Zealand Maritime School,” he says. “However, it was structured more like a high school rather than a university, and going to University of Auckland was a big change.”
Rātonga Hauātanga Tauira | Student Disability Services worked with Kaden to provide flexibility in his studies, including extra time on tests and alternate pathways to completing assignments and exams.
“Their support allowed me to focus on my physical and mental health and discover ways to manage those while studying. I'm now in a much better position to handle change and stress, and I completed a lot of papers to my full ability.”
Alongside his academics, Kaden explored the inner workings of the University through his mahi as a class representative, and his advocacy as part of Unify – student focus groups for a university review of the Student Services Function.
Seemingly out of the blue, Inclusive Learning contacted Kaden about Be.Lab's Tertiary Internship programme – a unique 12-week paid internship for Kiwis with access needs or disabilities. Through the programme he was linked up to a Relationship Manager who helped him improve his CV and complete a personality assessment to identify his key strengths.
Soon after, the Relationship Manager and Kaden worked together to find him an internship at Countdown in their online delivery department. Unsurprisingly, Kaden thrived. The level of responsibility gave him a much-needed confidence boost.
I felt like I was making a real difference.
Kaden has since relocated to Waikato and is now part of a graduate program with the Hamilton City Council working with asset data. He hopes to learn about more about local government and continue to get things done at a grass-roots level.
“I'm also learning about project management, and I hope I can lead some big projects for the community in the future.”
Read more about Kaden’s experience with the Be.Lab internship here.