Louis Eaton

Relocations Manager
Facilities Services

Most people never think about what it takes to keep a university moving. But Louis Eaton knows that sometimes the smallest behind-the-scenes decisions can make the biggest difference – like when surplus furniture became the missing piece in a student's successful art exhibition.

What’s your role and how long have you been at AUT?

I’m AUT’s relocations manager and have been working here since 2022. Relocations sits within the Estates Group and Facilities Management team and we essentially move people and furniture. However, our role encompasses a whole lot more than that: stewardship for moving teams and people, office reconfiguration, building decants and refits, waste management, offsite collections and deliveries for oversize items.

What made you choose AUT – and what made you stay?

After working in a similar sector in a previous line of work, AUT as an institution appealed to me due to its ability to connect and contribute to society by educating and empowering people from across New Zealand and the wider diaspora. I stay due to the flexibility and independence within my role but also the warm glow of the people who work and contribute here.

What has surprised you most about working here?

I’ve been surprised by the positivity and friendliness of the AUT community across the board. This is often not the case across institutions that are so large. The team is very supportive of each other, and it’s a pleasure to work with everyone.

When did you last think: this is why I do this job?

The thing that immediately springs to mind is when I was approached by an art and design academic looking for a few particular pieces of furniture for a student that had an upcoming exhibition. This was an unusual request as we usually didn’t have these items available, and they’re uncommon across the university. However, out of the blue, we had two of these specific items that we were readying to go to auction. I re-routed them from being sent to auction so the student could use them for the exhibition. The student was over the moon, and the exhibition was a success! Serendipity.

What does working here let you do that you couldn’t do anywhere else?

Being able to have a positive effect on so many people’s lives, both staff and students, even indirectly, is definitely something that is hard to achieve working at other places. AUT also provides so many unique opportunities for personal development which would be difficult to find elsewhere.