Carlo Guevarra

At age 34, Carlo Guevarra, has successfully transitioned his career from commerce to construction.

“I’ve developed an interest in the construction industry and the built environment,” Carlo says. “And I've always been fascinated with how things actually come together from a design into a tangible building. I thought it would be cool to be part of the team working together to create a building.”

Carlo had completed his Bachelor of Commerce in the Philippines in 2011 before emigrating to New Zealand. He had been considering Quantity Surveying, a career on the finance side of the construction industry.

“I enjoy the finance side of things, and budgeting, and I thought that I could combine that with my interest in construction,” he says.

In 2024, Carlo decided the time was right to sign up for the Diploma in Construction Management (Quantity Surveying). He says the programme has done a great job of creating a supportive learning environment.

“I started from scratch, with no knowledge whatsoever about construction. My lecturers have been quite helpful and patient with me.”

Having already done a university degree, Carlo appreciates the interactive style of study Otago Polytechnic provides.

“I think one thing I really enjoy is the lecturers are quite approachable. And since it's a small class, if you have any questions, you don't feel shy or you don't hesitate to come to the lecturer and ask if you don't understand something.

“And I think the support that you get as well – they make you feel that you're welcome.  You can ask any questions, and no one makes you feel like they’re dumb questions. It leads you to be a well-rounded student.”

Carlo also has found the Dunedin campus a great place to get his work done.

“I mean, in terms of facilities, I'd say I think Otago Polytechnic has done well in terms of providing a conducive place for the students. In my first year, I spent a lot of time in the Robertson Library. In my second year, I spent more time in the computer lab because of the software we use for measuring and project planning.”

As a measure of his success, Carlo has already found a role as a Junior Quantity Surveyor with a subcontracting company. His part-time role is becoming full-time as soon as his exams are finished for the semester.

“The job was advertised at Otago Polytechnic. That’s a great part of studying here – you get to connect with potential employers.”

With his part-time job in addition to study, time management became key to Carlo’s academic success.

“It can be a bit of a challenge with deadlines and assessments. I’ve always been a proactive person, and I like to plan ahead. I worked three days a week, and on the other days I’d make a point to work on one of my assessments. When one assessment finished, I’d move on to the next one. It really helps to break it down into steps to keep from getting overwhelmed.”

Carlo took the same proactive approach to accessing support through Student Success in the early days of his studies.

“English is my second language, so I thought they could help with my grammar. They were really helpful in pointing me to resources I could make use of.”

Next year, Carlo plans to continue studying part-time to upgrade his qualification to a Bachelor of Construction (Quantity Surveying). He encourages other people to consider quantity surveying as a career pathway into the construction industry.

“My advice would be don’t be scared if you don’t know anything. I didn’t, I was just interested. And don’t be shy to approach someone who is from the industry if you have any questions.

“It’s a really rewarding feeling once you start learning, and then you look back and see that you’ve come so far. That’s what I did, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”