Talented high school athlete and aspiring engineering student Cody Lokotui has been awarded the Skills Active Māori Sports Scholarship for 2021.
Cody, of Te Rarawa, Ngāti Kurī, Te Aupōuri and Ngāi Tahu descent, is currently in his final year at Scots College in Wellington.
Next year he will be leaving his home in Porirua to embark on an engineering degree at the University of Canterbury. He plans to use the $5,000 Skills Active scholarship to contribute to his studies.
“My career aspirations are to own my own business and work with local iwi to help find innovative ways to help others. My priority is to help our people, to give back to our communities, to employ people who are creative and who can add a cultural lens to our industry and thinking,” Cody says.
“Working in an environment where you are the minority comes with many challenges, but my goal is to challenge the thinking of people and ensure Māori and Pasifika have a voice and can create a positive impact on future generational engineers. I'm really focused on adding a creative spin to my work and relating a lot of my thinking back to my cultural background and experiences.”
Rugby is Cody’s main sporting passion and he has a long list of achievements:
- 2021 U18 Crusaders rugby team
- 2021 New Zealand U18 Māori Ngā Whatkura rugby tam
- 2021 Te Upoko o te Ika Wellington U18 Māori rugby team
- 2021 College Sport Wellington 1st XV Premiership Rugby Champions
- 2021 Hurricanes Co-Ed Cup Rugby Champions
- 2021 Scots College Supreme Award
- 2021 Scots College 1st XV Rugby (QUAD co-captain)
- Selected for the 2022 Crusaders Rugby Academy
- Invited to train with the Wellington RFU Academy
Alongside his rugby commitments, Cody is a chapel prefect, a cultural and haka leader for his school house and a co-leader of the Scots College Māori and Pasifika Cultural Group. He’s a member of the Wellbeing, Tu Tagata and Relay for Life committees, and he sits on the NZ Classifications Youth Advisory Panel. Cody also performed in the 2021 West Side Story school production and is a member of the Strathmore Singers Choir.
“We are so glad to be able to support this talented taiohi,” says Skills Active chief operating officer Maren Frerichs.
“On top of his many achievements, Cody’s referees also spoke very highly of his kindness, positivity and original thinking – all of which will stand him in good stead as he moves to the next stage of life.
“Cody has lofty goals and we’re excited to see him reach his potential. We wish him all the best in his endeavours next year, both in rugby and in his studies, and we’re honoured to play a part in supporting his success,” Ms Frerichs says.
Cody will be presented with his Māori Sports Scholar trophy by the Skills Active board.
Photo credit: Scots College
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Media contact for Skills Active: Esther McLaren | esther@skillsactive.org.nz | 021 195 5127
Skills Active Aotearoa is the transitional industry training organisation for recreation, exercise, sport and performing arts. We are a non-profit organisation, 50% owned by Māori shareholders, and funded by government to support Aotearoa businesses, organisations, iwi and community enterprises to get their staff and volunteers trained and qualified.