NorthTec Student Profile: Peter Magon

Name: Peter Magon
Course: Certificate in Fencing (Level 3)

“I’m self-employed and run a fencing business; this will be my third year out on my own,” says Peter Magon. “I found out that the Fencing Contractors Association has been promoting courses to become a certified fencer. Doing this course is the first step to getting fully certified.”

Peter, who runs PM Farm Services, is just finishing up the NZ Certificate in Fencing (Level 3) through NorthTec, with plans to enrol in the Certificate in Fencing (Level 4) in the future.

“I’ve been fencing for a while, but the course was still helpful,” Peter explains. “There’s always something to learn from others. I actually just changed the way I do stays. Instead of using a chisel and hammering it like always, I’ve switched to a power tool. It seems to be working; it’s still neat and looks the same. It’s just easier. You pick up different ideas and liaise between each other, so you always learn something.

“There’s a huge range of experience on the course. It’s nice, you chat with the others, you see the crews and can liaise with everyone. You can build connections that way. You can see what everyone is doing, discuss ideas and opinions and see their style of fencing.

“Even for someone who’s been fencing for a long time, [the course] is still helpful. You get the NZQA qualification behind you and your skills on paper. It’s coming to the point where you need to be accredited, as people will start looking for that. You can show you have the skills and stand out from the rest.

“If people are interested in enrolling, then I’d say fencing is a great career. Doing the course, having Level 3 under your belt, is going to really help you with any fencing project you plan and will put you a cut above the rest when you’re looking for a job. If you’re new to fencing, you can come and do the course and you’ll learn a lot.”