Scholarship helps July  find solid ground in engineering

For one First Foundation scholar, the Christchurch earthquakes of 2011 not only devastated the city, they tore apart the life he knew, setting him on a path filled with upheaval and uncertainty. Over the next few years, July attended seven different schools, moving across the country to Auckland, closer to extended family. He constantly had to find his feet at new schools and admits he “was just there” rather than considering further academic pursuits.

Nevertheless, July’s sharp intellect and potential caught the eye of his teacher. As his mentor said, “He is extremely bright academically, and it’s awful to think of this talent remaining untapped”.

July Evagelia is not only a remarkable young man, but he also shows precisely why the First Foundation programme is so important and impactful to individuals, families and industries.

July is the first in his family to head to university. Scholarship Partner, HEB Construction Ltd and mentor Paul Durdin are delighted they’ve connected with him.

A shared vision for the future

As a partner, HEB invests strongly in local communities and in developing people. “It’s all about growing and empowering people as they navigate the workplace – from early careers all the way through,” explains Dayna Stone, HR Business Partner at HEB.

First Foundation’s programme aligns well with the organisation’s values. In fact, HEB nominated First Foundation as a charity of choice when their parent company, VINCI Construction, established a charitable foundation in New Zealand, VINCI NZ Foundation (VNZF).

Mentor Paul Durdin is Technical Director & Executive Director at Abley. He felt compelled to mentor as a way to help enrich his industry. He’s found it both rewarding and enlightening.

“I wanted to see a greater diversity of people succeed, but that can only happen if they’re given the right support at the start. Mentoring for First Foundation is something I can do to play my part.”

July and his mentor Paul connecting on campus outside the Engineering building.

“I believe everyone should give something back to their profession, especially when they’ve enjoyed success and rewards in their own career.”

July is now underway in his engineering degree at the University of Canterbury. Exposure to the world of work through HEB and the support of his mentor have already had a major impact on his aspirations.

Exposure to the real world of work

During his summer break, July was employed as an intern with the HEB Maintenance team in Christchurch, and was able to shadow one of HEB’s civil engineers. Dayna says, “The team that he works with absolutely loves him and gives nothing but really good feedback.”

July explains, “I love seeing the practical work happen. Uni is pretty theory-based, so it’s been good to see how that all applies in the real world. It was cool to see how machines work and how roads are built.

“I assisted my supervisor as he visited different sites. He would direct the forepersons on their work and then explain to me what they were doing.”

In addition to giving July insight into the work of civil engineering and infrastructure, the work experience has shown him sides of the career that he wouldn’t have understood otherwise.

“I saw that sometimes, the relationship between others matters more than what you know.”

“You might find yourself dealing with a council and the politics of government investment and politics. Next, you might be talking to a foreman and people working right in the trenches. You need to interact with everyone. 

“You can’t just go in assuming people are coming from the same perspective as you, or that they have the same knowledge as other engineers. Instead, you’ve got to be able to explain things so that people can understand their part.”

Both the team at HEB and mentor Paul are delighted with how quickly July understood these dynamics.

Sharing success and satisfaction

For HEB, supporting First Foundation is one way to celebrate what they love about their industry. Dayna says, “People aren’t necessarily aware of the diverse roles that we have within our own business.

“Whether that’s going into mechanical engineering or construction management, there’s sometimes an expectation that you’re just on a computer, hidden away in a locked room. However, we’re actually building things, and you can’t do it alone; it’s all about people working together as a team.”

“It’s such an exciting industry, and it holds so many possibilities. When our scholars see ‘inside’, they start to realise the big world of opportunities within the field.”

Paul agrees, explaining that although he initially trained and worked as a civil engineer, he now writes policy and strategy for major industry and government groups. His company runs projects across the southern hemisphere and brings expert consultancy to transport safety.

“I’ve been able to remind July about the big picture and what he will unlock through his degree. Although the day-to-day study is demanding, it’s the promise of the future that can keep you motivated,” Paul comments.

Breaking barriers is easier with support

July’s path hasn’t been without challenge, and Paul said he’s been deeply impressed with the young man’s grit.

“I was also the first in my family to go to university, and I came from a humble background. It’s been a real eye-opener to see all the things outside of study that July has had to take in his stride. He’s had a huge amount going on in his life. It’s remarkable that he’s been able to manage so much and keep persisting.”

Paul says he’s enjoyed being able to offer support for July. “The benefit of seeing him regularly is that I can tell how he’s faring. And when things are getting tough, I’m able to keep encouraging him.”

July is grateful for the support and was surprised by how much his mentor and the programme have wrapped around him.

“I’ve faced some hard times over the last couple of years,” says July.

“But if anything, I wish I had understood earlier how much support there was. For example, there were a couple of things I was a bit unsure about in uni, and I wish I had asked my mentor, Paul, about them right away because he’s already been through the process and can really help.”

Time to keep building 

July is excited about his study and future, especially with a deeper understanding of how effectively First Foundation’s pillars of support work together.

“I’m still considering which speciality to do. I’m thinking either mechanical or civil engineering. Both are attractive, I can see myself having a career I love with either of them. First Foundation’s focus on the world of work offers me a chance to attend an industry event next year, where I may learn more about the different pathways. It’s all helping me find my way. 

HEB and Paul are equally excited for July’s prospects.

“He’s doing something momentous,” says Paul. “By succeeding at university, he’ll be changing the outcomes for future generations in his family: he’s really breaking through barriers.”

“I’d like to see more young people have this chance. I have always wanted our profession to be more reflective of the communities in which we work.  I looked hard into what needed to change and found we’re just not getting a diverse pool of talent through the tertiary programmes. First Foundation is addressing this and mentoring is something I can do to contribute.”

Working in partnership

Dayna is impressed by working in partnership with First Foundation. “The process with First Foundation has been so smooth. The team has worked very closely with us from the start.”

“When we meet potential scholars, I love seeing these young people with bright ideas and a clear goal for what they want to achieve. Of course, it has made the selection process so hard; you want to give everyone the opportunity for the scholarship.”

Dayna encourages anyone considering their future talent pipeline to meet some of First Foundation’s scholarship applicants and find out for themselves what it’s all about.

“Every single person that we’ve met in the years that we’ve been partnering with First Foundation has absolutely been 100% worthy of receiving this opportunity.”