Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
December 9, 2024
Tori Cowan-Smith has recently completed a Graduate Diploma in Business at EIT.
A teacher who earned her qualifications at EIT before embarking on a successful early childhood education career, has successfully pivoted to complete a Graduate Diploma in Business and found a job in management.
Tori Cowan-Smith, 26, who was born in Wellington but grew up in Hastings, finishing school at Karamu High School in Hastings.
Tori says that having grown up amongst many children in the family, studying to be a teacher was the natural pathway. It made sense to stay local and go to EIT, where she completed a Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education).
“I’ve got a lot of cousins and young siblings and I think I just really liked to be around kids. Even at school I was always a natural leader so it just felt right”
“I just thought that I would give it a go because at the time it was a toss-up between early childhood or business. I decided to do early childhood and see where that takes me.”
She finished her degree in 2019, and has been teaching in early childhood full time for the past five years, the most recent place of work being Launch Active Early Learning Centre on Pakowhai Road.
Her role as a Team Leader drove that desire to study further and gain more experience in management. Over time this desire grew stronger, so Tori enrolled in the Graduate Diploma in Business at EIT’s School of Business.
“I do have a really big passion for education, and I think the more time I spent in the education system, the more I realised I really enjoyed being a leader of teachers. So that grew my love of business, especially in HR and people and building strong teams.”
Tori majored in Management, but soon found herself drawn to HR.
“My lecturer Russell Booth also helped me realise that my strengths were in building relationships and helping people grow, so I just ran with that idea.”
Halfway through the programme, Russell was told a job was going at Te Whatu Ora, so he suggested it to Tori.
She applied for and was given the role in Organisational Culture and Development.
“It’s a learning and development-based role where I coordinate the learning for nurses employees in different areas of the hospital, both in Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne”
In another irony, her role sees her dealing with EIT nursing students and graduates who come to Te Whatu Ora.
Despite juggling work and study (up until this month when she finished at EIT), Tori is loving her role.
“I’ve made a lot of good connections there and I’ve gained new insight into the healthcare system. I’ve got a really good team and I feel like I definitely get to use my strengths and I feel valued in what I do. It’s meaningful work.”
While doing her Master’s degree is a consideration in the future, for now she is content to focus on her job and career.
EIT Head of the School of Business, Dr Gareth Allison, said: “Tori’s journey exemplifies the transformative power of lifelong learning. Her ability to transition from early childhood education to business management while leveraging her skills in leadership and teamwork highlights the diverse opportunities a foundation in education can provide.”
“We’re proud to see EIT alumni like Tori thriving in their careers and creating meaningful impact through their professional growth.”
