Training youth in trades for meaningful pathways and bright futures

Thanks to Te Waharoa, a pre-trades training partnership with BCITO and Whatukura Ltd, more than 100 local Waikato Tainui iwi members are now working in the trades – and the programme has proved so successful, it’s been expanded beyond the region. 

Back in 2017, Waikato Tainui approached various Industry Training Organisations to explore new opportunities in the trades, explains Kaaro Iti-Moeke, Career Pathways Manager for Waikato Tainui. “We saw our iwi members could be spending thousands of dollars on studies and not getting jobs at the end of it. They’d be left with debt, and not always be ready for work. We were keen to work better with the ITOs for the sake of our learners.” 

BCITO was the first to offer a programme tailored specifically to Waikato Tainui learners and, despite Covid disruptions, the first cohort of 10 began in 2020. The programme begins with cultural reconnection. Tauira explore their whakapapa through visits to key sites across Waikato and learn about iwi-owned businesses. This grounding helps them understand where they come from, how they are connected, and the important role they play in fulfilling the vision of their iwi. 

“It’s key to have the right set-up to mentor people,” said Kaaro. “We don’t just want them to be employees, but trained and qualified, as that’s what will enable them to become more financially secure. BCITO’s support as a matchmaker is a big part of our success.”  

Whatukura Ltd also gives tauira (students) hands-on exposure to the construction industry from sand quarries to window factories to help them understand the full supply chain. Within the first few weeks of the programme, learners start a paid 90-day trial with employers, with an expectation of beginning a formal apprenticeship once this has been completed. Tauira also receive industry-specific training in skills such as; building, roofing and bricklaying, along with foundational qualifications and knowledge in First Aid, financial literacy, AI, Elevated Work Platform training, 3D printing, CV writing, communication and obtaining a driver’s licence. 

“We want our tauira to see themselves not just as what they are, but what we can see them being. We help them better understand their own world as iwi members, and work with employers to help them become comfortable in the business world as well. It’s about inter-generational change,” says Stu Lawrence, director of Whatukura Ltd. 

As the programme has grown – the 14th cohort started this year – Whatukura Ltd has expanded to grow the support available. The first Auckland-based courses launched last year.