December 12, 2023
SWIFT support takes travel worry off Tokoroa trainees
A Tokoroa health support worker says being able to study close to home helped in her decision to train as a nurse.
Ripeka Snowden has received one of 23 new South Waikato Investment Fund Trust scholarships which were awarded as part of the opening of Pukenga Rau, Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology’s new $14 million South Waikato Trades Training Centre.
She says having the new facility in Tokoroa means people in the community won’t have to travel hours to study.
“The closest otherwise would be Rotorua or Hamilton and the cost to get there and back and you know causes fatigue as well for the constant traveling so it’ll be good for the community to be able to just be here with their whānau, no stress about travel,” she says.
Ms Snowden says she wants to step up to nursing after 10 years as a support worker because of the way her own whānau has struggled with health.