Grad connects with identity en route to dream job

Chad-Steiner Mitchell (Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Hauiti [Rangitīkei]) describes beginning his degree as ‘a huge leap into the unknown’. That bold move has turned into a fulfilling career.

“I am a Whānau Ora Navigator for my marae in Karitane,” Chad says. “I got into the role as soon as I finished my degree in 2023. I’m working with whānau in my community around the marae, helping them achieve their goals and aspirations, and helping improve their health and wellbeing where I can.”

After leaving high school, Chad went to work in the trades. He began considering a career change around six years ago, but returning to study was a big step. Chad had previously tried university and found it wasn’t the right fit. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that he had something special to offer by working with people.  

“I’ve always had a knack, a good way with people, and I wanted to help. My lived experiences with mental health gave me that spark—I could use this to help others.”

Chad credits the birth of his daughter for giving him the final push he needed to take the leap and start his Bachelor of Social Services degree.

“She was about six months old by the time I started my degree. Having a young family was definitely my purpose and the main driver for wanting to develop myself — not just for my own benefit, but for the people I could help and my family.”

One of the challenges of working towards a degree with a young family is finding the balance between study, work, and family life.

“Time management was huge, and I didn’t get it right all the time. But utilising services like Te Punaka Ōwheo, OPSA, Student Success, the chaplain and communicating with the lecturers really helped.”

Te Punaka Ōwheo (TPŌ) is Otago Polytechnic’s Māori Student Success service. Chad explains that TPŌ helped him to connect with his Māori identity.

“I felt whakamā being Māori but disconnected from that part of my cultural identity,

Te Punaka Ōwheo were instrumental in supporting me to start my journey into te ao Māori. They helped me link in with my marae down here, which I hadn’t done previously.”

In his second year of study, Chad was thrilled to do a placement with TPŌ in a role where he provided pastoral care to other ākonga. He particularly enjoyed leading classes about wellbeing for the He Toki Māori Trades Training programme.

“Placements really do prepare you for the real world once you leave this place,” Chad notes.

“They let you test out things while you’re still learning in the classroom, and give you a safe place to do that, with the right supervision while putting these things into practice.”

Graduation was a big milestone for Chad, one that he remembers fondly.

“I was 34 when I started my degree, and study was a huge leap into the unknown for me, but keeping that graduation in sight, in mind, and then finally getting there was just huge. It was a really beautiful, beautiful day. Participating in the Māori pre-graduation was a highlight.

“A very proud moment—I was the poho kererū, that’s how I felt.”

Since then, Chad has felt privileged to work in a field where he gets to build relationships and trust with people.

“My favourite part is working with the people I’m supporting. The one-on-ones you have with people, you get little gems of the stories of their lives. People share part of themselves with you and it can be quite a blessing.”

Like many alumni, Chad continues to drop by campus to catch up with the people he’s gotten to know and enjoy the community atmosphere in the Hub.

“There is a lot that was really cool, and I’ve totally missed it, so I often just come in here and get a coffee.

“There’s so much support that can be utilised here and I found it to be a good space if there’s anything you ever need, there’s someone to help you find it. It’s not just the teachers, it’s the café, it’s the front desk, and of course the student services like OPSA and Te Punaka Ōwheo. Everyone’s really helpful.”