Initially hired as a teacher’s aide to work alongside special needs children, the PM’s Scholarship internship, Sionann’s own drive and the support of Tree House owner and teacher Nicky James are combining to help Sionann make big steps towards her future career in early childcare.
Sionann says the internship and her role at Tree House have been important for her to do a double check that early childcare education is where she wants her career to head.
“The internship has been an incredible opportunity and has advanced my view that I want to work in early childhood education.”
So much so she has started a tertiary certificate in Educational Support Working.
“Initially my interest was working with special needs children,” says Sionann. “My heart goes out to them because that was what I was and I didn’t have the support that centres like Tree House provide.
“However Nicky and the other teachers have shown me that I can do that and also have a wider role working with all children which I wasn’t confident I could do.”
Nicky is extremely complimentary of how Sionann has risen to the challenge of working with all children, something which was certainly outside her comfort zone at the start.
“Initially Sionann came to us through CCS Disability Action to support children with extra needs. She had a particular interest in one little girl with additional needs however we encouraged her to work with all children.
“I can see how she uses her initiative as her confidence grows and it is obviously something she loves,” says Nicky. “She is a great addition to the team and helps support the other teachers any way she can, whether it is helping with outside duties, finding raincoats for children on rainy days or just simply being an important pair of extra hands in the team.”
Nicky says the HPSNZ Prime Minister’s Scholarship internship programme is a great way for Sionann to integrate into the workforce and is proud that she is now undertaking some external study.
Sionann, whose athletics disciplines are shotput and discus with the occasional 100 metres on the track, has been named on the longlist for Paris 2024 Paralympics.
While she says that would be an amazing achievement, she also has Los Angeles 2028 in her sights.
In the meantime, she is making every post a winning post in her career goals.
About the Prime Minister’s Scholarship Athlete Internship Programme
The internship programme is now in its third year with 16 athletes having completed placements in a diverse range of sectors and organisations.
The internship provides an opportunity to help athletes sustain dual careers and explore work options aligned to their interests and qualifications. Participants work with the HPSNZ Athlete Internship Lead to create an internship that suits them. HPSNZ partners with employers to share the cost of the internship. In the case of not-for-profits, one to two fully funded internships are available each year.
