Levi Salesa’s journey into the automotive industry began when he was just 16 years old, working part-time at a small garage on weekends and during school breaks. “I’ve always been interested in cars,” Levi shares. “I started working, and I’ve loved it ever since.”
Now 24, he's still just as passionate about it today. For the past four years, he’s been working at Subtech Subaru in Auckland, where he completed his New Zealand Certificate in Light Automotive Engineering through MITO.
Despite his years of experience, Levi remains eager to learn. “My favourite part of the job is still learning,” he says. “Even though I’ve been here for a while, there’s always something to learn, especially with the newer vehicles. It’s a different playing field with new equipment.”
Levi’s commitment to his career took a significant step forward when he was awarded a MITO and Inspiring Futures Foundation scholarship to complete MITO’s New Zealand Certificate in Electric Vehicle Automotive Engineering (Level 5). “I was quite surprised when I got the scholarship,” Levi admits. “I just filled out the paperwork and sent it off. I didn’t expect much, but it’s really exciting because it’s the future of the industry.”
The scholarship has provided him with the opportunity to expand his skills and knowledge needed to excel in an evolving industry. “It’s definitely going to open more doors,” he says. “A lot of my mates in the industry are hesitant about stepping into the EV world, but I think getting in early will be helpful in the future if I want to try something new.”
Levi’s enthusiasm for learning extends to the EV programme, where he’s been impressed by the support he’s received. “The teachers are really good. When I started, I didn’t know much at all about how EVs run, but they’ve answered all my questions and helped me step by step,” he explains. “I’ve learned so much, like the different categories of charging systems. I used to think you just plug the car in to charge it, but it’s way more complex than that.”
The support from MITO has been instrumental in Levi’s success. “They’ve been really cool, even before I started the EV training,” Levi says. “My MITO Training Advisor, Phil, checks in every couple of months to see how I’m doing. He’s always there if I have questions, and that’s been really helpful.”
Levi’s advice to those just starting out in their careers is simple but powerful: “Get all the information you can from the older techs. They’ve been mentoring me a lot, and that’s been invaluable. If you’re unsure about something, just be honest and ask questions. That’s how I’ve learned the most—by asking questions.”
As for the future, Levi is keeping an open mind. “It’s an interesting time in the industry because there’s so much uncertainty about what’s next. Some people say EVs are the future, others say something else. I just want to keep learning and adapting to whatever comes next.”
For most students in Aotearoa, the experience of designing and welding together an electric kart’s chassis is something entirely new, and so is the idea of a career in engineering.
This is where a free, nationwide programme from EVolocity connects the dots, and the Inspiring Futures Foundation (IFF) is proud to be backing them as a Premier Sponsor.
EVolocity's core programme gives Year 7–13 students the creative freedom to design, engineer, and build their own electric karts or bikes, using an electric motor kit as their starting point. Along the way, these students pick up skills including project management, teamwork, CAD design, and welding.
The programme runs across Auckland, Bay of Plenty/Rotorua, Waikato, Taranaki, Manawatū, Wellington, Nelson, and Canterbury/Otago, with teams working alongside teachers and mentors before competing at Regional Finals.
Jo Morgan, Head of Partnerships at EVolocity Charitable Trust, said the IFF’s belief and advocacy will be genuinely transformative in answering the call-to-action for more engineers and youth with engineering skills.
“We’re doing everything we can to inspire rangatahi into engineering and innovation, however, securing sustainable funding is always a challenge. IFF stepped in at exactly the right moment.
“A multi‑year commitment of this scale gives us the stability and runway we need to grow our impact as a charity.”
IFF Convenor Louise Sixton, says that, for IFF, partnerships like this go far beyond funding, especially when considering a national shortage of engineers.
“EVolocity represent mentorship, the opportunity for young people to try something new, and a doorway towards potential STEM careers. It’s exciting that, together, IFF and EVolocity are bridging the gap between the classroom and industry.”
CEO of and co-founder of Heartlab, Will Hewitt (25) competed in EVolocity at just 15 years old while at Nelson College. Three years later, he co-founded HeartLab, a cloud-native cardiac imaging platform that uses AI to support cardiologists across New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. At the time, he credited EVolocity for giving him an engineer's mindset and the critical thinking skills he uses every day.
Jackson Crawford, formerly of Mahurangi College, took a similar path. He went from building his first electric vehicle as an EVolocity student to becoming an Avionics Team Lead at Dawn Aerospace. Jackson is now working on a next-generation spaceplane designed to operate in micro-gravity environments. He has said that EVolocity gave him hands-on exposure to real-world skills and a head start over many of his peers at university.
With no government funding, Morgan says EVolocity relies entirely on the financial support of corporate sponsors and funding partners to deliver the programme.
“This grant has lifted a significant weight off our shoulders, and we are deeply grateful for IFF’s support.”
Visit the Inspiring Futures Foundation website for more information on the grants available: www.inspiringfutures.nz
