About Ara

Curious, practical, and happiest with my hands busy.

I love technology and anything I can take apart, put together, or fix. I pick up new systems quickly, I’m careful with technical processes, and I bring confidence, curiosity, and a problem-solving mindset to every team I join.

Right now

Ara sitting on a wooden step in front of ivy

Timeline

My path so far.

Full experience
  1. 2021 – 2024

    Volunteer Teaching Assistant, QRL Work

    Started helping at hands-on STEM workshops: RC car builds, computer teardowns, and science activities.

  2. 2022 – 2023

    Certificate in IT Essentials, NorthTec Study

    Networking (static IPs, port forwarding), PC assembly, Windows and Linux installs, HTML and CSS, wireframing and UI/UX, basic JavaScript, and data management.

  3. Aug – Oct 2023

    Data Entry Assistant, Provida Work

    A remote contract adding and correcting customer records in a custom database.

  4. 2023 – 2024

    Foundation Studies, Science Pathway, Massey University Study

    Physics, biology, mathematics, formal writing, and APA referencing.

  5. Nov 2023 – Feb 2024

    Network Intern, Northpower Work

    My first summer in the field: on-site and digital inspections confirming 6,000+ safe disconnections.

  6. 2024

    Northpower Engineering Scholarship & UoA Kick Start City of Sails Award Awards

    Recognised by Northpower and by the University of Auckland Faculty of Engineering.

  7. 2024 – 2025

    Bachelor of Engineering (Honours), University of Auckland Study

    One year of study: engineering mechanics, mathematical modelling, engineering design, and 3D modelling. I didn’t complete the degree.

  8. Nov 2024 – Feb 2025

    Engineering Intern, Northpower Work

    Back in the field: power line assessments, ArcGIS data for 1,000+ assets, and the annual stock take.

  9. Sep 2025 – Jun 2026

    Technical Resolution Agent, Ricoh NZ Work

    Diagnosed hardware and software faults on printers and AV setups for 50+ customers a day.

  10. Now

    Looking for my next role

    Physical, hands-on technical work where I can build, inspect, and fix real things. Get in touch →

What I bring

Skills, study, and awards.

See my work

Skills

Hands-on first

  • At the benchSoldering, PC assembly, hardware teardown
  • In the fieldSite inspections, power line assessments, ArcGIS
  • On screen3D modelling in Fusion, networking, fault finding

Education

IT, science, and one year of engineering

  • NorthTec · 2022–23Certificate in Information Technology Essentials
  • Massey University · 2023–24Certificate in Foundation Studies, Science Pathway
  • University of Auckland · 2024–25Bachelor of Engineering (Honours), first year only

Awards & competitions

Recognition and team events

  • Northpower · 2024Northpower Engineering Scholarship
  • University of Auckland · 2024Faculty of Engineering Kick Start City of Sails Award
  • CompetitionsGovHack, Terrible Ideas Hackathon, Kiwi Jam

Skills

What I can do.

Where I learned it

01

Hands-on & hardware

Careful, practical work with tools and components, from surface-mount parts to full PC builds.

  • Hand-placed and soldered SMD LEDs across an arcade chess PCB, using a hot plate and microscope
  • Built a PC for a friend, from motherboard, CPU and RAM to case and cabling
  • Guided students through RC car builds and computer teardowns at QRL
Soldering SMD components PC assembly Hardware teardown Hand tools

02

Fault finding & repair

Working out what’s actually wrong, then opening it up and fixing it.

  • Diagnosed and fixed hardware and software faults for 50+ customers a day at Ricoh NZ, on printers and AV setups
  • Traced a laptop’s POST error to its onboard clock battery and took it apart to get at it
  • Read crash stop codes and mod-loader warnings to track down storage and server problems
Fault diagnosis Disassembly Stop codes Printers & AV

03

Field & network

Working on site with electricity network assets, and keeping the records that track them accurate.

  • Carried out power line assessments on site at Northpower
  • Confirmed 6,000+ disconnections were safe through on-site and digital inspections
  • Updated 1,000+ assets in ArcGIS, estimated asset lifespans and replacement costs, and helped run the annual stock take
Site inspections Power line assessments ArcGIS Asset planning Stock take

04

Design & modelling

CAD and design fundamentals from a first year of engineering study, put to use in my own projects.

  • Modelling the Resident Evil Requiem axe in Fusion, which I’m going to 3D print
  • Studied engineering design, engineering mechanics, mathematical modelling and 3D modelling at the University of Auckland
  • Designed the Signal Quo dashboard in Figma at Kiwi Jam
Fusion 3D modelling 3D printing Engineering design Figma

05

Systems & software

Setting up and running machines, networks and servers, and building for the web.

  • Host and maintain a modded Minecraft server, including port forwarding and managing a large Forge modpack
  • Installed and configured Windows and Linux, and set up static IPs, in my IT certificate
  • Built this website in HTML, CSS and JavaScript
Windows & Linux Networking Server hosting HTML & CSS JavaScript

06

People & teamwork

Explaining technical things clearly, working well in a team, and keeping good records.

  • Talked hundreds of customers through disconnections by phone, email and in person, escalating when needed
  • Taught hands-on STEM to primary and intermediate students for three years
  • Designed and presented technical solutions against the clock at GovHack, Terrible Ideas and Kiwi Jam
Customer contact Teaching Teamwork Documentation Data management