Source: Puatala
Two years ago, Carlos Vailoa had no idea what he wanted to do with his life. Butcher, firefighter, something else entirely? Today, at 17, he is one of only three young people chosen from more than 70 applicants for Tesla's first apprenticeship programme in New Zealand.
Carlos was raised by a single teenage mum, growing up around Royal Oak before the family moved to Whangaparāoa. In Year 9 he came back to Auckland to attend Dilworth School after making it through the school's interview process. He credits his mum, his grandfather and his Dilworth teachers for getting him there.
“My mum is very supportive of anything I want to do. No matter what, she and my grandad have my back.”
The turning point came last year through the Pathways class at Dilworth. The class gets students ready for life after school, from getting a driver's licence to changing a tyre. Through it, Carlos joined the first cohort of Puatala's Incomparable Programme, one of 12 rangatahi in that first group.
Puatala lined Carlos up with three days of work experience at Tesla. He spent the time shadowing a technician and learning the basics of servicing a vehicle and taking off a tyre.
“I came from not knowing anything about cars into one of the biggest workshops in New Zealand. I was thinking, ‘wow, people do this for a job, this is awesome’.”
But his biggest lesson wasn't technical.
“People are very eager to teach people who want to learn,” he says. Carlos kept asking questions, and the technicians noticed. To them, he was a kid who wanted to learn, and he puts that down to attitude.
The Tesla team liked what they saw, and they approached Puatala to see if Carlos would apply for the apprenticeship that they were intending to launch at the beginning of 2026.
At that point, Carlos had been thinking about not staying at Dilworth School for Year 13. Having discussed the opportunity with his family, Carlos decided to go for it. Puatala helped him prepare his CV and talked him through what to expect during the interview process. He admits he was nervous, but Puatala helped him change how he thought about it. “It was just a conversation with two people I'd met before,” he says.
A couple of weeks later, the offer came through.
Carlos is now training as an electrical automotive technician, which means he will be able to working on both electric and hybrid vehicles. The four-year apprenticeship mixes practical and theory assessments, and his pay goes up as he progresses.
He has settled in fast. “It's like being at school again,” he laughs. “We crack jokes, but we get the work done.”
He says the best part is the lightbulb moments. “When you understand the work you're doing, it all comes together.”
The Tesla team has called him switched on, bright, approachable and a great communicator.
“That definitely gives me a bit of pride. I'll always give it my all,” Carlos says.
For his family, his success means more than a job. “They're just proud of me making my way in the world. I've got opportunities to do things they couldn't, and that's their legacy.”
Carlos is half Samoan, and he knows other young people are watching. “Seeing a half Samoan boy like me do it, they can think, if he can do it, I can do it.”
His message to other rangatahi is simple: “It doesn't matter who you are or what your background is, you can do anything. Be confident. It takes a little bit of luck, but mostly it's about what you put into it.”
His plans don't stop at becoming a qualified technician. In five to 10 years, he sees himself as a senior staff member and eventually moving into management. “This place offers a lot for young, hungry people. Let's see how far we can get!”
He finished with a message for the team who helped him get there. “Big thanks to Puatala. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you.”