He whare hou ki Te Wānanga o Aotearoa mō tēnei Kīngi | King of the castle finds new home at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa
If your house is your castle, then Qalandar Skeandar must feel like a king.
The 44-year-old picked up the tools last year to build a house as part of his Te Wānanga o Aotearoa carpentry programme, and has no plans to put them down.
"Every day I see the growth of Auckland and what good it will bring for the future," says the father of three.
"I want to be in this business."
From Tajikistan, in the former Soviet Union, Qalandar came to New Zealand with his family in 2009.
Although equipped with a Masters' Degree in advertising from a University in Moscow, he was unable to speak any English.
After getting some language tuition, Qalandar first came to Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in 2012, to take the Level 2 First Steps to Business programme.
It was this positive learning experience that brought him back through the doors a few years later to ask about working in the building industry.
He talked to John Olo-Whaanga, kaiako for the Certificate in Applied Technology, majoring in carpentry. He liked what he heard and enrolled.
"I understood John and I knew he was a good teacher and a good person," says Qalandar.
Through the Level 4 programme - located at Ngā Whare Waatea in Māngere - Qalandar became acquainted with the health and safety aspects of the building industry, including legislation and compliance.
He was also taught how to operate power, portable and hand tools used in the construction process, but the tangible hands-on tuition came in the form of building a single level, timber framed, relocatable house with his class mates.
"The boys - 17, 18, 19 - they were smart boys," he says.
"It was not easy but yes it's been worthwhile. Every day I would get better and the teachers, they're like your friends. All the staff are good. From the managers to the receptionist."
But the best part of the experience, he says, is being that much closer to owning his own business working in construction in Auckland.
He's re-enrolled with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa once again but this time it's for a Level 4 Certificate in English Language so that he can take his building study even further and commit to a Bachelor in Construction Management in the near future.
"I would do it here if I could because I like it here. Here, the feeling is good."
Pūrongo whakahirahira
Featured stories
Wānanga launches first of their kind mātauranga Māori certificates, marking a new era for Indigenous knowledge education
Responding to the growing needs and aspirations of tauira, iwi and communities, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa is breaking new ground with the launch of 2 new Level 4 certificates that will be the first standalone programmes of their kind in Aotearoa.
Learning tikanga to strengthen community work
After making the move to Aotearoa in 2014 from Germany, Almaz Bergz set out to gain a better understanding of the people, whenua, and culture that shape life here.
Thriving as a kaiako after He Korowai Ākonga
When Marlena Martin began her studies in He Korowai Ākonga – Bachelor of Education (Primary Teaching) in 2023, she never imagined where it would take her and how much she would grow as an individual.
Te Wānanga o Aotearoa launches new international reo Māori learning
iReo is a flexible, self-directed, online short course made up of 5 standalone modules, each running over 6 weeks. Learners can study at their own pace, weaving te reo Māori into everyday life alongside work, whānau, and other commitments.
Wānanga business programme helps launch The Dog Nanny
Ōtautahi local Jane Dungey turned her passion for animals into The Dog Nanny after completing the Certificate in Small Business at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
From closed doors to open pathways
After the closure of Grace Foundation Whanganui, Craig Kara used his Manaaki Tāngata studies at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa to create Te Ara Kimihia, a kaupapa supporting tāne toward positive futures. His journey of healing, leadership, and transformation now inspires others to find their own pathway forward.
Governance grounded in te ao Māori for future generations
Discover how Māori governance grounded in te ao Māori is shaping future generations. Learn about Manu Taiko – Toro Parirau, a unique programme at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa that empowers whānau with tikanga-based leadership and decision-making skills.
Companion of Te Apārangi, Champion of Te Reo Māori
Te Rita Papesch, musician, educator, and kapa haka stalwart, has been inducted as a Companion of the Royal Society Te Apārangi. Discover her inspiring journey of music, haka, and te reo Māori, and how her lifelong dedication to Māori culture shaped generations.
Keil Caskey – former tauira, now kaiako
Keil Caskey’s journey from tauira to kaiako at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa shows the transformative power of toi Māori education. Discover how his passion for taonga pūoro and commitment to whānau and whakapapa inspired him to teach and give back to his community.
Building confidence, careers, and culture through Māori performing arts
Discover how Te Wānanga o Aotearoa’s Certificate in Māori Performing Arts goes beyond kapa haka, empowering tauira with skills in drama, screen acting, and public speaking. Hear how graduates like Niquita Samuel are building confidence, careers, and cultural pride.
Making connections between media and Māoritanga
Lizzie Dunn created Te Arawhata to help people reconnect with te ao Māori through media, resources, and kōrero. Discover how her reo journey and passion for sharing knowledge are inspiring thousands to embrace Māoritanga and strengthen cultural connections.
