Army officer turned aspiring policeman graduates

David Woo has always wanted to help people on the front line.

"When I lived in South Korea, which was at war with North Korea, I saw that they needed army officers, so I joined the army. When I came to New Zealand, I saw that this country needed police officers," Mr Woo said.

He moved back to New Zealand - having spent several years in Auckland as a child - with his family in November last year, and started Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology's three-month law enforcement preparation course in March.

Yesterday Mr Woo was among 25 students from his course and 400 students of the Tauranga tertiary institution to graduate from programmes that also included carpentry, hospitality, media studies and healthcare assistance.

The mid-year ceremony was held at the Holy Trinity Church.

Mr Woo said he began the process of applying to the New Zealand Police College and has passed the first hurdle - the entry test. He had an interview scheduled for next week.

He credited the course with helping him pass the test. Other friends who had not done the course - saying everything would be covered in college anyway - had failed.

The course covered laws police officers had to know, dealing with stress and aggressive people, fitness, New Zealand history and on-the-job professionalism, he said.

Mr Woo said there were a few other immigrants in his class, but most were young Kiwis, straight out of high school.

Studying had meant some sacrifices for Mr Woo - mostly sleep. With a wife and kids at home, his homework was usually left until late at night.

"I would get home and do the dishes and help my wife out with the house stuff, then I would study until late - 1 or 2am most nights."

He was not yet done with the student life, taking on an English course to brush up on the language.

Mr Woo said he had intended to live in South Auckland, where he grew up, but found the place had changed a lot. He looked at Hamilton and Tauranga, and fell for the "beautiful" beach city.