Linda Lapwood will graduate from Otago Polytechnic today with a bachelor’s degree of applied management, after taking up an opportunity offered to her by her employer Downer Group.
"If anybody’s offering me anything, I’m thinking it’s always a good thing," Mrs Lapwood said.
Although she was hesitant at first, her decision to study helped her reconnect with her sister with whom she had not spoken for more than five years, she said.
"One part of my story is that I lost contact with my sister, and this process has brought us back together.
"Through all of this, the opening of the doors, through learning about our culture, it’s brought us back."
During her degree, she had to reflect on her childhood in an essay — something she found difficult.
"We had to look at ourselves quite deeply, which was super uncomfortable.
"Once you look back at everything, you realise those values were there the whole time."
Mrs Lapwood’s father did not speak much of their Māori culture or values growing up in Dunedin.
"Dad always said being Pākehā in the world that we grow up in was quite advantageous, and I never really felt like I fit in anywhere.
"It’s not until really recently that I’ve been able to accept my past and say, you know, Dad would be very proud of me today."
Mrs Lapwood completed the three-year degree in one year while working fulltime.
"If Downer hadn’t offered that, it wasn’t something I would have pursued on my own, it was so far our of my realm and my comfort zone."
Her sister Debbie Rawiri said their mother was surprised at the different factors involved in a graduation ceremony.
"She said, ‘when we grew up, it was just about leaving school, having babies and running a house’ and she said ‘I thought you two would do the same and I never dawned on me that I would be coming to a graduation’."
Ms Rawiri said reconnecting with one’s culture showed how strong it was to one’s identity.
"I admire my sister for taking that challenge because it’s not easy, especially when, for us growing up, Māori wasn’t a big part of our life in Dunedin.
"We were very outnumbered, it was a tough place to grow up within."
Mrs Lapwood has worked in the construction business for 20 years.
When she first started, there were not many women in the industry, let alone in management positions.
"Now, it’s so pleasing to see in my lifetime that 30% of the room are women.
But what I’d really like to see in our construction business is more women stepping forward, because I know they definitely have that potential."
As part of an initiative to create better opportunities for Māori staff, Downer supported 10 Māori women and men working for the company to study towards a Bachelor’s Degree in applied management through the Otago Polytechnic.
The programme, led by Te Puni Kokiri and Capable NZ pathway, will bring through another 10 Māori candidates this year.
Mrs Lapwood felt grateful to have been set on an entirely new path in life.
"I’ve never thought of myself as being particularly smart but just getting a degree reaffirms to yourself that you can keep growing and you can keep showing the way."
