Steve Perks
Welsh
Technology teacher
“New Zealand’s more relaxed and outdoor lifestyle really appealed to us.”
Steve arrived in New Zealand at the beginning of the year with a wealth of technology teaching experience behind him.
“I spent 15 years at one of the largest colleges in the UK in a variety of roles – lecturer in engineering, design technology teacher, manager of the Prince’s Trust Volunteer Scheme and Student Services Manager for one of the larger campuses.” Added to this, during the last three years, Steve worked on a scheme to bring 14-16 year old disillusioned youngsters from local secondary schools into college to try and revitalise their interest in education.
However it was having his children emigrate to Australia which eventually motivated Steve and his wife to shift to New Zealand. “We wanted to move to a climate and country that was similar to Wales but warmer, and still be near our family,” remembers Steve. “New Zealand’s more relaxed and outdoor lifestyle really appealed to us.”
Steve found job hunting very straightforward when he responded to an advert in the Times Educational Supplement. “MultiServe Education Trust, the recruitment agency, was excellent. I can’t praise them enough for their help and advice, which is still happening even though we are settled in our jobs.” Steve emphasises the importance of working with a reputable recruitment agent.
He’s now teaching a variety of technology subjects – motoring studies, motor body repair, electronics, resistant materials and food technology – and also is a lead teacher in IT. The school is well equipped with both text books and other resources.
“The students in New Zealand are not as confrontational as in the UK,” says Steve. “Like all students there is always a small minority who cause disruption but on the whole the students here are much more respectful.”
Teaching in a lower decile school has meant Steve has had to call on all his teaching experience to find new and improved methods of classroom delivery. “A number of students have difficulty with lesson content and so I’ve enjoyed the challenge of finding new ways to teach them.”
Although the new NCEA system has its teething problems, Steve finds that generally it is an easier system to work with than GCSE in the UK. He also finds the amount of paperwork slightly less than back home.
“The staff and management here at The Manurewa High School have been tremendously supportive and helpful. If you ask someone for help, they go out of their way to make sure you are not left ‘high and dry’. It has been one of the best schools I’ve worked in from the point of view of helping teachers settle in.”
Outside of school, Steve has been bowled over by the friendliness and helpfulness of complete strangers. “Even our real estate agent, whom we had only just met, asked us along to his child’s first birthday party as a way of meeting people in the neighbourhood.”
Steve was thankful he came to New Zealand with all his documentation intact. “It is quite difficult to arrange university documentation from thousands of miles away and even more difficult if you completed your studies many years ago!”
House buying is more straightforward than in the UK and although not as cheap as he expected, Steve felt he’s got more for his money. “Consideration must also be given to the drop in salary although this is offset by the cheaper cost of living.”