Young Wellingtonian Sean Hoffman is forging his own path in civil engineering, inspired by the journey of his mother, Michelle—herself a graduate of the New Zealand Diploma of Engineering (Civil) at Whitireia and WelTec. Their story is a testament to the power of family influence, hands-on learning, and the exceptional support provided by the Whitireia and WelTec teaching staff.
Michelle and Sean share more than a surname; both found their passion outside the classroom, preferring hands-on activities over textbooks from an early age. Their natural inclination for building and creating led them to careers in engineering.
Michelle’s journey began after she left school at year 12, completed a Diploma in Business, and spent several years as a stay-at-home mum before stepping into the world of civil engineering through an administrative role.
“Once the kids went to school and I had a bit of extra time, I decided to go back to work and got a receptionist role,” Michelle recalls. “I didn’t know much about the company or the industry initially, but I gradually progressed through different roles from reception to contract administrator and was learning more and more. It was at that point that I decided to upskill and found the New Zealand Diploma of Engineering (Civil) at Whitireia and WelTec.”
Balancing full-time work and part-time study, Michelle is now a qualified project manager. “I’m now working as a project manager and am really loving the variety. It means that I can be in the office or out on the site depending on what work needs to be done. It’s the best of both worlds,” Michelle says.
Sean, inspired by his mother’s determination and success, is now in his first year of the same diploma. Having worked with civil contracting companies since he was young, Sean initially resisted the idea of following in his mother’s footsteps, even spending a year at university in Otago. But the pull of Civil Engineering—and Michelle’s gentle encouragement—proved too strong to ignore.
“Mum says she always saw that I had the right kind of brain for Civil Engineering but I kind of pushed against the idea of going into the industry and decided to get out of Wellington and went to University in Otago for a year. I guess Mum was right though, and after that year I came back and decided to study Civil Engineering at Whitireia and WelTec and I am really enjoying it,” Sean admits. “The close-knit learning environments and supportive teaching staff have made a huge difference for my learning.”
He’s now thriving at Whitireia and WelTec, relishing the opportunity to apply classroom learning to real-world projects during his weekend job. “I have been working for different civil engineering firms on weekends and holidays for a few years and I always thought how cool it was being able to work alongside these professionals,” he adds.
Central to both Michelle and Sean’s stories is the unwavering support of the teaching staff at Whitireia and WelTec. Fred Harris, a veteran tutor with 50 years of teaching experience—24 of them at Whitireia and WelTec—remembers Michelle as a hardworking, conscientious student who brought maturity and leadership to her classes.
Mother and son Michelle and Sean Hoffman with Whitireia and WelTec tutor Fred Harris.
“Michelle was my student over a decent period, as she was working full-time and had kids while she was studying so I feel like I got to know her pretty well over the years. She was always a hardworking and conscientious member of the class, and I think that having an adult perspective and work ethic created a great atmosphere in her classes and a lot of the students looked up to her,” Fred says. “I would say that Sean is very similar to his Mum in a lot of ways so I have no doubt that he will do very well in the course, and the fact that he is working onsite while he is studying will really help to consolidate what he is learning in class.”
Together, Michelle and Sean exemplify how inspiration, family support, and dedicated educators can shape rewarding careers. Their journey highlights the unique learning environment at Whitireia and WelTec, where students are empowered to turn their passions into professions, supported every step of the way by staff who truly care.
More information about studying civil engineering at Whitireia and WelTec
New Zealand Diploma in Engineering - Civil
What you will learn
Learn to make informed decisions and competently perform technical work using national and international standards, and apply civil engineering theory to design, contract administration, and construction practice. You’ll gain a solid understanding of water, structural, geotechnical, and road engineering and develop invaluable civil and structural drawing skills.
Develop a range of skills essential for the civil engineering field - Technical proficiency in land surveying, civil and structural drawing, and hydraulics, as well as the ability to apply engineering theory to design and analyse water systems, waste systems, and structural components. Adept in project management, including contract administration and construction practices along with expertise in geotechnical engineering, highway engineering, and problem-solving, all while adhering to national and international standards.
