Skip to main content

Timaru graduate grateful for a second shot at study

17 February, 2020

Filled with nervous excitement 67 graduates walked across the stage at Ara Institute of Canterbury’s Timaru Graduation last week (13 February), with proud family and whanau watching on from the audience at the Southern Trust Events Centre.

Kaiarahi, Te Marino Lenihan, opened the ceremony with a mihi and Chair of Council, Thérèse Arseneau extended a welcome to the graduates and guests.

Then Liam Delaney, who graduated with the New Zealand Diploma in Business (Leadership and Management) represented his fellow students with a speech to the audience and his graduating class.

Timaru graduate grateful for a second shot at study.jpg

Although his first graduation, this wasn’t Delaney’s first experience of tertiary education.

Delaney grew up in Timaru, but moved to Christchurch to give university a try, before deciding it wasn’t for him. He then moved to Wellington where he worked for a few years before returning to his hometown when his wife got a job as a nurse.

“There wasn’t a job here for me which matched the skills that I had so I thought ‘why not try education again’. I enrolled at Ara to do a business management diploma because I thought it was versatile and I could do a lot of different things with it.”

While he’s not set on how he wants to use his qualification yet, Delaney admits he dreams of opening a brewery with his friend and managing the business side of it.

In his speech Delaney celebrated the success of his classmates.
“Congratulations and well done - we made it! Whether this is the beginning, middle, or end of your study at Ara I wish you all the best with your goals. Dream big, work hard and don’t be afraid to start.”