As the Pacific Advisor for Pharmac in Wellington, a matai for his family in New Zealand and Samoa and a father of two, Fono cares about people.
“I truly believe people should be the priority. Not just at home, but in any organisation. The greatest asset to any work culture is its people – both employees and senior management,” says Fono.
With a desire to understand people and human resources, Fono began a qualification in Applied Management in 2017. He is now one paper away from completing his qualification.
“Applied Management for me has been about gaining a better understanding of human resources and how it fits into the work place. I have been able to grow my knowledge of legislation; the rights of employees and how important ethics are within an organisation. While studying online with eCampus NZ, I completed a paper that expanded my understanding of the Treaty of Waitangi and more importantly how to embed this knowledge into protocols, policy and everyday business activities. It has been extremely valuable,” says Fono.
Having spent the majority of his qualification attending courses at Ara Institute of Canterbury, Fono embraced the opportunity to try online study with eCampus NZ so he could better fit study around his busy work and family schedule.
“I like attending classes on campus, but I have really enjoyed the paper I completed online. It has been fantastic. What I have been most impressed with are the tutors. The response time has been very quick, and they have been so helpful. The support has been just great,” says Fono.
Fono says anyone who is thinking about study should make it a priority.
“For me, getting this qualification is about bettering myself for my family. If you make time and set your mind to it, you can make it happen.”
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