Our KAUPAPA

To inspire, motivate, support and encourage our Rangatahi to grow, learn and develop skills that will enable them to make positive choices on their journey to success.


Gold Star Training has been successfully operating since 2014, within the Auckland & Northland regions.  Gold Star Training is excited to be working in partnership with  Front-line Training Consultancy Ltd.  Our newly aligned partnership will continue to strengthen our brand, creating more opportunities for students as we look to future growth.

Gold Star Training Ltd is an NZQA approved Sub-Contractor to Front-line Training Consultancy Ltd and offers training of NZQA unit standards, Level 1 – 3.  Students will be enrolled with the NZQA-registered and Accredited organisation Front-line Training Consultancy Ltd.  The delivery and assessing of courses will be undertaken by the Sub-Contractor Gold Star Training Ltd. All reporting of credits and qualifications will be reported under the NZQA-registered organisation Front-line Training Consultancy Ltd’s provider code.

Gold Star Training believes in treating all individuals, equally, with sensitivity to cultural and religious beliefs, working with integrity and respect.

Meet our fabulous Team

Ingrid Sa'ena-Brown CEO/Managing Director

Ingrid Sa’ena-Brown has over 30 years experience working in education with various Private Training Organisations and schools.  Ingrid established Gold Star Training in 2014 and is extremely proud of the ongoing success, establishing Gold Star as one of the preferred training providers for schools currently throughout Auckland and Northland.

Ingrid is passionate about helping our youth succeed and will always go the extra mile to ensure students achieve their goals and clients are 100% happy with Gold Star Training’s service.

“It’s the best feeling in the world when you can see how much a student has changed after completing one of our courses, they go from being a shy, quiet student, to a confident, happy, more self-assured student in just a couple of days”

Ingrid is also an accomplished and recognised singer with over twenty years working throughout New Zealand for Auckland’s Sky City, Corporates, fronting various bands and recording many radio and tv jingles.  Ingrid has spent over ten years performing in Japan, Hong Kong, Dubai, Disney Cruise lines and Crystal Cruises.  

Ingrid’s contact:  ingrid@goldstartraining.nz

Phone:  027 636 8283

Lesley Paton

Auckland Manager

Lesley has been supporting Gold Star Training since 2015.  She has helped develop key relationships with stakeholders and is a wonderful support to the CEO, Tutors and students.  

Lesley enjoys helping all students to achieve and succeed, as they complete their course work.  Lesley’s friendly and caring nature helps students feel at ease and contributes to the overall positive supportive learning environment.

Lesley is highly professional and well organised.  Lesley’s focus is on delivering the Retail Workplace Courses as well as Managing the Auckland Barista student placements.

Lesley hails from the USA with a music degree from Berkley, Boston and a working background as a highly acclaimed international Professional Singer based in LA.  She has previously toured with Brian McKnight, performed BV’s for Mariah Carey, Chaka Kahn and many others.

Lesley’s contact: Lesley@goldstartraining.nz

Constance (Connie) Tipene Whangarei Barista & Retail Workplace Course Tutor

Constance Tipene is a Northland local with over eight years’ experience working as a tutor and supporting rangatahi to achieve their goals. Constance’s journey into education began unexpectedly after completing a beekeeping course at NorthTec, where her natural leadership and connection with students led to her being invited to tutor the programme. She went on to teach beekeeping for five years, discovering a passion for guiding and empowering others.

Constance is deeply committed to helping young people build confidence, develop practical skills, and see their own potential. Her life experience, strong community connections, and ability to relate to students from diverse backgrounds allow her to create a supportive and inclusive learning environment where students feel understood and encouraged.

As a proud mother of four and part of a blended whānau of over twelve years, Constance brings empathy, resilience, and cultural awareness to her work. Through her personal and professional journey, she understands the challenges many students face and is passionate about helping them succeed, grow in confidence, and create positive pathways for their future.

Contact:  Connie@goldstartraining.nz

Karolyn Flockhart Auckland Retail Workplace Course Tutor/Assessor

Karolyn is an experienced educator with over eight years of teaching experience across a range of learning environments, including Private Training Establishments (PTEs), foundation skills programmes, and English language education. She has a strong background in literacy development, learner support, and inclusive teaching practice. With experience supporting neurodiverse learners and students considered at risk, Karolyn uses inclusive, strengths-based approaches to remove barriers to learning. She adapts teaching strategies, scaffolds tasks, and provides clear structure to support engagement, confidence, and progress. Karolyn’s practice is grounded in creating safe, respectful learning environments that promote equity, learner wellbeing, and positive educational outcomes, while maintaining high expectations through a learner-centred approach.

Contact:  Karolyn@goldstartraining.nz

 

Hayz Rowe Auckland Barista Workplace & Short Course Tutor/Assessor

Hayz Pincheira Rowe is an educator and tutor/assessor with a strong background in hospitality, events, and the arts, bringing warmth, energy, and real-world relevance to every programme she delivers. She is skilled at adapting her teaching to diverse learning styles and abilities, breaking down content clearly, and using varied methods to create inclusive, confidence-building learning environments where students feel comfortable to participate and ask questions. Hayz is passionate about helping learners grow in capability and motivation, and she takes pride in seeing people leave training feeling self-assured and ready for their next steps. Her experience in performance and creative direction across stage and screen strengthens her ability to engage learners, think flexibly, and communicate with clarity. Hayz has also supported rangatahi connected to the Ministry of Social Development through PBRS programmes, working with learners disengaged from mainstream education and requiring additional structure; she used positive behaviour support, strong relationships, consistency, and clear boundaries to create stable learning environments, responding calmly to challenges and collaborating with wider support networks to help learners re-engage, build skills, and strengthen confidence.

Contact:  Hayz@goldstartraining.nz

 

Our Core Values

To Educate, Learn & Grow