Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
1 min ago
EIT graduate Zoe Gordon says her Bachelor of Computing Systems degree gave her confidence to find a suitable job.
Zoe Gordon has always had two passions – technology and sport, especially horses.
It was that sports passion that earned Zoe an EIT Sports Scholarship, thanks to her netball prowess, to follow her other interest – computers.
The former Havelock North High School student enrolled in the Bachelor of Computing Systems programme after a gap year spent doing various jobs.
“I went to one of EIT’s Information Days and was looking at either a business or architectural programme. The advice I got was that computing might interest me and after the first week of study, I knew it was right for me”
Going to EIT proved to be the correct decision as she graduated in 2019 and went straight into a job as a Junior Analyst at local Public Health Organisation (PHO), Health Hawke’s Bay. She is now working for AskYourTeam in Havelock North and has been recently promoted from a Product Analyst to a Product Owner.
“I don’t think I would have been in a position to apply for the type of roles I have if I didn’t have my degree from EIT. I would say that it was probably the lecturers’ support that was most valuable and their confidence in me that helped me get my degree.”
Zoe, 25, considers herself from Hawke’s Bay but has moved around a bit with her family.
“We were in Taihape until I was eight years old and then we moved down to Pahiatua, but we have been in Hawke’s Bay for about the last 12 years now. I lived in Waimarama when I was at EIT.”
For Zoe, the future is focused on learning as much about her craft as possible and progressing up the ranks. Management is a goal and owning her own company a dream.
“At this stage I want to continue working in the product team. I really enjoy the development environment, speaking with customers and building exciting technology.”
As for how her career began, Zoe has no doubts that it is rooted in EIT.
“There’s so many good things about going to EIT. I think the smaller classes with better support and being able to feel quite confident in an environment really suited me.
“I am also happy living in Hawke’s Bay. I love being here. I couldn’t see why you would want to be anywhere else.”
It is not just work that keeps Zoe motivated, there are her horses – about 6 of them – who she rides in equestrian events.
For the last six months, with the blessing of her company, she has been spending time riding and learning at a dressage stable in Wairoa. She wants to continue training her own young horses and taking them through the grades.
Ian Purdon, a Lecturer and Programme Coordinator in EIT’s School of Computing, says: “Zoe embodies all the reasons for EIT’s role in Hawke’s Bay – to keep talent within the region and enable our students to succeed in their studies, and to meet the needs of the local economy.”
“ We have immense pride in recalling Zoe’s time at EIT, where she was as dedicated to her studies as she was so obviously passionate about her sports. We wish her well and commend her as a role model for current and future students. Zoe is a flag-bearer for EIT and Te Pūkenga to lead the charge in retaining our best and brightest talent within our regions.”
