Brooklyn Webber is well on the way to building a career that combines two of her great loves – tinkering with engines and being outdoors. She is one of 33 recipients of a SWIFT scholarship for 2026, which will help her complete full-time study towards the New Zealand Certificate in Automotive Engineering (Level 3) at Toi Ohomai’s Pūkenga Rau campus.
Brooklyn’s passion for working on vehicles began at home, tinkering with cars that belonged to friends and family and then learning the ropes working on farms. “I’ve always enjoyed working on vehicles, especially heavy diesel,” she says. “Starting this course was a way to turn that passion into a career. Tokoroa is the perfect place for it. There are so many opportunities here, especially with all the forestry and other industries that rely on skilled mechanics.”
The South Waikato district is known for its strong manufacturing, agriculture, and forestry sectors, industries that depend on a talented workforce of tradespeople to keep things moving. According to recent economic profiles, manufacturing alone accounts for over 21% of local jobs, with agriculture and forestry close behind. Employers in these sectors, along with construction, consistently report a shortage of skilled workers.
That’s where SWIFT’s support comes in. The Trust’s strategic priorities include growing workforce skills and supporting local businesses, goals that Brooklyn’s journey genuinely reflects. By choosing to study at Toi Ohomai in Tokoroa, she’s investing in her own future and, at the same time, helping address the local skills gap. “The scholarship has taken a lot of financial pressure off,” Brooklyn explains. “It means I can focus on my studies and get the qualifications I need to start an apprenticeship, hopefully right here in Tokoroa.”
Brooklyn’s story is a positive example for other young people in South Waikato, where numbers for those not engaged in education or training remain higher than the national average. Her drive to stay local and continue to be part of her community highlights the impact that targeted support and encouragement can have. “There was a lot of motivation from my tutors and people around me to apply for the scholarship,” she recalls. “They were saying that, even if you don’t think you’ll get it, you should just give it a go.”
As Brooklyn continues her studies, she’s looking forward to a future working on heavy diesel vehicles, ideally outdoors, surrounded by the forests and farmland she loves. “Being able to work outside and stay connected to the land is incredibly important to me,” she says.
