Image: Aimee Pickles (Career Navigator Coordinator), Giovanna Burtenshaw and Livvy Procter (Career Navigator Graduates), and Janice Nield (Career Navigator Mentor) catch-up at a Constellation Brands vineyard
When Giovanna Burtenshaw joined Career Navigator she thought she’d join the airforce when she left school, but wasn’t sure if she was “good enough to get in – or how to go about it”. Fellow Career Navigator student, Livvy Procter was considering a job in the defence force, but her biggest concern was “making the right decision”. Both were keen to explore more options before they locked anything in. Both say the programme, and support of their mentors, was important for opening their eyes to possibilities.
Career Navigator is a programme run by the Graeme Dingle Foundation for senior college students. It partners students with mentors, guiding them through sessions on skill and knowledge development, and ‘worksite visits’ to discover a wide range of pathways.
One of the programme’s mentors, Janice Nield, explains “you can’t be what you can’t see, and Career Navigator is an ideal opportunity to see beyond what you already know, or what your family does for work”.
Janice is a Chartered Accountant working as Operations Finance Manager at Constellation Brands in Marlborough. Janice is in her third year as a mentor and enjoys seeing how Career Navigator “helps students grow in confidence and skills, and build a plan for their future”.
Giovanna and Livvy also attended the “Future of Work” youth conference and found it an “inspiring” event which likewise made them reassess what they could do for a career. They both emphasise the importance of having such opportunities available to Marlborough young people.
When they finished college, both applied – successfully – to Constellation Brands for permanent roles as Vineyard Operators. Giovanna works in the Dashwood Vineyard, and Livvy in the Spring Creek Vineyard.
“Through Career Navigator we discovered a career in viticulture is so much more than picking and pruning!” Giovanna laughs.
Janice says the “hardworking, practical young women” have made a “great impression”.
“They’ve experienced their first harvest and proved themselves in the most challenging time of the year in the vineyard”.
Livvy explains she was drawn to the opportunity by potential for career progression. “Constellation offers not just a job, but a career. There’s the option to do a global wine certification, and as a global company there are awesome pathways available to us”.
In a heartwarming example of things coming full circle, Giovanna and Livvy will represent Constellation Brands at the upcoming Future of Work. “It’s cool to ‘pay it forward’ and help inspire other young people, in a relatable way,” says Giovanna.
Constellation Brands has long been a supporter of Graeme Dingle Foundation Marlborough, and are now celebrating their first year of nationwide partnership, supporting the Foundation’s work across Aotearoa. They currently have cadetships available – and anyone interested can email tania.smith@cbrands.com.