Vajk Peter
Specialist Maker, Rakumba Lighting, Melbourne
Bachelor of Design Te Tohu Paetahi mō te Hoahoa in Industrial Design
As someone who has always loved everything about the ocean and outdoors, Vajk Peter came to uni certain that his future would involve working with boats.
“When I first started at AUT, I was enrolled in the maritime engineering degree to guide me on the path towards designing boats. However, after my first year I found myself looking for a more creative course to fully explore my passion, and the lovely AUT staff guided me towards industrial design.
“I loved that industrial design is a broad course, and delving into design briefs offers many directions – from a small handheld product to a large artefact, a great new system or even an app. It meant that I could focus on designing the things I care about. With the support from my lecturers and classmates, I quickly caught up and was more than happy with my decision. And it was always great to see the massive range of concepts the class developed for each brief.”
After finishing his studies at the end of 2024, Vajk has now moved to Melbourne where he works for a premium decorative lighting design and manufacturing company.
“I moved over to Melbourne for a bit of an OE, and have a key role in producing one of our top selling product lines here, including assembly, quality control and testing. I also do occasional contracting for a product design and engineering consultancy, mostly working with startup clients, helping to guide their product idea in an initial concept direction through early exploration, sketching, CAD and renders.”
Supported to thrive
Vajk says he loved the freedom that came with his studies.
“Rather than just preparing you for an exam with loads of theory, AUT prepares you for the world after university with its more hands-on approach and vast industry connections. Using the briefs that we designed for each semester, I could explore my interests. For example, in one brief we needed to create a product incorporating underutilised New Zealand strong wool. I practised my love of the outdoors through the development of a bag for taking perishable food on tramps.
“But the best part of student life for me was the community I grew into. More than I’d like to admit, I found myself coming to uni for socialising instead of doing work. My industrial design class was an amazing, diverse and tight knit bunch!”
He was grateful for receiving an AUT Welcome to Auckland Scholarship to support him throughout his studies.
“This scholarship supported me greatly with my studies and with the move to Auckland from Dunedin. Because it contributed to my first-year accommodation costs at Te Āhuru Mayoral Drive Student Accommodation and to my course fees, it lifted a lot of stress off my shoulders. This enabled me to focus more of my time on studying rather than worrying about money.”
Advice for other students
Vajk has some great advice for other students interested in art and design.
“The freedom while studying is unmatched. You can explore your interests and creative mind with no consequences, while having access to world-class facilities at your fingertips.
“I’d definitely recommend studying at AUT – come to a university that gives you the freedom and support to find and express yourself!”
Applying for a scholarship is a great way to support your studies, he adds, and his advice is quite straightforward: stop procrastinating and just apply.
