A NorthTec hairdressing graduate is heading overseas for the opportunity of a lifetime, working on a luxury cruise liner.
Elamein Poutai, from Whangārei, will soon be flown to London for training, and then on to Miami, where the ship is based. From there, she will spend the next nine months cruising around the Caribbean, South America and the Mediterranean Sea on the Carnival Magic.
The 26-year-old got through a tough application process to land a job with Steiner Leisure, a company which provides contracted hairdressing and beauty therapy services to major cruise operators throughout the world.
She was successful after going through a six-hour interview, presentation and salon test during which a recruitment panel watched her every move, including her personal appearance, punctuality and customer service skills, as well as hairdressing techniques on both male and female clients. The company also looks for confidence and management potential in its employees.
But while Poutai is looking forward to the challenge, she is also "freaking out" about leaving home, because she is making the sacrifice of leaving family behind, especially her two young children aged 4 and 7. Family have agreed to support her and do this together so she is able to make good money and buy her own home.
