Daniel Steele

The chance to go to Wellington in the holidays to take part in the VTM Voices of New Zealand Conference was one chance that I am supremely happy that I took up. While most of my friends may think that doing work in the holidays is a waste of time, I believe the time I had at Scot’s College was valuable and I am grateful for King’s College asking me to go and the VTM trust for putting it on. While at first I was apprehensive as to what exactly we would be doing, I soon learned what the conference entailed and started to enjoy myself.

The speakers that came to the conference were of high quality and had much to offer. In particular, Mike McDonald gave an exceptional speech, of which I was able to take away many concepts and lessons that I can use in future life. From all speakers that visited, we were able to learn a lot of how APEC affects their business and New Zealand in general and this has helped personally with my understanding of not only what APEC is, but how it can and should be used to help New Zealand in the future. The chance to go to Parliament and meet Phil Goff along with an invitation to Government house was an experience a lot of students will never get the opportunity to do and thus I am thankful for.

During the few days, I did not only learn a lot about New Zealand business and APEC, but also made some good and lasting friendships, along with contacts that will help me throughout my life. These people that I have met during my time at the Voices of New Zealand can help each other out in the future and hopefully achieve what the conference aimed to do; create links between future business leaders to help New Zealand out in the future.

I am also very thankful and proud to be one of the four secondary students invited back to the conference next year and thank all the organisers sincerely for this opportunity.

My time at this conference was an educating and rewarding experience and I am very glad that I took the chance. I would like to thank everyone at VTM, the teachers and our Mexican friends for their help in organising the event and hope to see them again in the future.