‘Important decisions’ led to new career

Rika Vermue was recovering from a head injury when Covid-19 hit her Tarras hairdressing business hard.

Faced with some important decisions about her future she looked to the vineyards which surround the Central Otago town.

So yesterday she had good reason to be thrilled when she graduated with a certificate in horticulture from Otago Polytechnic — Te Pūkenga along with about 120 others.

Her relatively brief walk across the Dunedin Town Hall stage will be the latest steps in a journey that has had its fair share of twists and turns.

Before her life took a turn Ms Vermue was a hairdresser, operating a mobile salon from a van to service rural clientele.

However, a severe accident several years ago left her with a head injury, a wrecked van and with more than a few questions about her future direction in life.

"I had to make some important decisions.

"As well as the accident, the effects of Covid on my business played a part. I found my heart was no longer in it.

"So living in Central Otago and being surrounded by vineyards prompted me to pursue a different career — in horticulture. For me, it was an obvious choice for my future work."

After working in a couple of horticulture jobs, Ms Vermue decided she needed to upskill, so she enrolled in the New Zealand certificate in horticulture (fruit production, level 4) at Otago Polytechnic’s Central Campus.

However, the last time Ms Vermue had studied was 35 years ago. Back then, she was doing so in the Netherlands. And adding to the challenge was her post-accident health, including dyslexia.

She was helped by a distance learning format that allowed her to complete the programme over two years.

"And I had excellent support from my teachers at Otago Polytechnic, as well as from my workplace."

Ms Vermue has special praise for Otago Polytechnic horticulture lecturer Rachel Petrie.

And Ms Petrie has plenty of praise for Ms Vermue.

"I’m looking forward to accompanying her in the graduation parade in Dunedin to celebrate her success.

"I have enjoyed the learning journey Rika and I have shared. It has been great to introduce Rika to new topics and watch her put the learning to practice with two fabulous employers, Chad Douglas and his team from Estate Vineyard Management in Cromwell, and her current employer Peregrine Wines.

"Rika is thriving in her new workplace and has a great rounded understanding of the practices and principles of viticulture that she has learnt while studying and working fulltime," she said.

— Staff reporter