Scholarship Recipient: Creating Time To Lead

How a CGF Scholarship Supported Kane Elliot’s Next Career Step

For Kane Elliot, progressing his career in construction was never about a lack of ambition. It was about time.

Kane is a Structures Foreman with Brian Perry Civil, currently working on the Waikanae Water Treatment Facility in Wellington. Like many people in the industry, he was juggling full-time work, family life, and the desire to keep building his skills and leadership capability.

With support from a Construction Growth Foundation (CGF) scholarship, Kane was able to complete the New Zealand Certificate in Construction Trades Supervision (Level 5). Part of that support helped cover childcare costs, giving him the flexibility to study in the evenings and on weekends without putting extra pressure on his family.

“That support made a huge difference,” Kane says. “If it wasn’t for the CGF scholarship, I would have really struggled to find the time to complete the course.”

Creating space to think ahead

Kane has been working as a Structures Foreman for three years, managing complex site activity and leading teams on major infrastructure projects. While the qualification strengthened his technical and supervisory knowledge, its biggest impact was how it prompted him to think about his longer-term future in the industry.

“The course really got me thinking about my career path, succession planning, and what my future could hold,” he explains. “It gave me the space to step back and look beyond the day-to-day work on site.”

That shift in thinking is exactly what CGF scholarships are designed to support: helping people not only gain qualifications, but also build confidence, leadership capability, and a clearer pathway forward.

Practical support with real impact

For Kane, the value of the scholarship wasn’t abstract. It was practical, immediate, and grounded in real life. By easing financial pressure and removing barriers to study, CGF support allowed him to focus fully on learning and completing the qualification.

“I’m really grateful for the CGF scholarship programme,” Kane says. “It made it possible for me to finish what I started.”

His advice to others considering applying is simple: “If you potentially qualify for a CGF scholarship, take the opportunity and run with it.”

By supporting people like Kane to balance work, study, and family commitments, CGF scholarships help strengthen leadership capability across the construction sector and ensure experienced professionals can continue to grow, progress, and contribute for the long term.