Graduates parade through downtown Hamilton

Hamilton’s inner city traffic was brought to a halt yesterday, with the newest teaching and sports and leisure graduates on parade.

Over 100 Waikato University students took part, the majority graduating from degrees and graduate diplomas of teaching.

The parade took them from Garden Place, up Victoria Street and across London Street to Founders Theatre.

Despite less than half of the graduates managing to find employment in their first year, they all managed to dress up and celebrate the hard work and determination it took them to get there.

Graduate and Forest View teacher Amanda Johansson enjoyed the occasion despite the stress of finding the right thing to wear.

“It was good to spend the time to reflect and celebrate on the hard work we did, though finding the right dress was a bit stressful,” Miss Johansson said.

Karen and Terry Johansson, Amanda’s mother and father, joined the crowd of friends and family that packed out Founders theatre to watch the graduates receive their certificates.

“I am so proud of her… So good to see her up there, being awarded for all her hard work and time,” Mrs Johansson said.

Graduates will now go back to their classrooms to inspire their students to work hard, and potentially create more teachers for future generations.