Rangiora teacher gets hands-on Navy and Air Force experience to pass on to students

A hands-on military encounter - flying in a Hercules and learning how to fight shipboard fires - has given Rangiora teacher Dean Rainey an authentic armed forces experience that he is eager to pass onto the students at Cust School.

10 February, 2026

The assistant principal recently joined about 30 teachers from schools across the country at the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s (RNZAF) Base Auckland and the Royal New Zealand Navy’s (RNZN) Devonport Naval Base, for a week-long teachers’ version of the School to Skies and School to Seas programme.

It aims to help teachers show how science, technology, engineering and mathematics apply to real-world situations and bring that information and enthusiasm to their classrooms.

They can then open students’ minds to the broad range of career possibilities available in the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF).

A separate camp for teachers is an important aspect as they spark curiosity and inspire their students to consider the world around them and the part they can play in it.

The experience was eye-opening, and it revealed the diverse career pathways available through the Defence Force, Mr Rainey said.

“Throughout the week we were given unforgettable hands-on experiences that truly brought these pathways to life.

“We were given a ride in a massive Hercules aircraft, took part in a highly realistic ship simulator that was intentionally flooded while we were inside, were taught how to extinguish a fire on a ship, and had a tour of HMNZS Aotearoa.”

A blonde haired male looks into the camera, he is wearing a green military flying suit. Behind him are several others wearing the same flying suit. As the aircraft flies, the back door is open and views can be partially seen of the clouds behind.

Cust School assistant principal Dean Rainey says he got an unforgettable hands-on experience with the NZDF, which will help him inspire his students to think of a career in the military

All those moments were thrilling and offered an authentic glimpse into life and training in the NZDF, he said.

“Just as importantly, the camp allowed us to connect with like-minded and passionate educators from across the whole of New Zealand.”

Throughout the week, the teachers were taught about strategic military skills, taken on maritime and aviation missions, shown first-hand the technology enhancements NZDF personnel are currently using, and taught firefighting, navigation and leadership skills.

Mr Rainey has a passion for sailing and flying and developed an interest in the military, sparked by conversations with his grandfather who served in the Army during the Second World War, fighting at El Alamein and Monte Cassino.

He found many students shared that interest, and at a school he previously taught at in Tauranga many students joined an aviation group he started, Flight Club.

“I even bumped into a former student on the base,” Mr Rainey said.

“There were also key takeaways to pass onto the kids including the fact they are far more capable than they might think, and that the military is a great vehicle to travel, gain skills and serve others, and it’s a privilege to be a part of something bigger than yourself.”