We aim to deliver these presentations to all taitamariki to ensure every ākonga gets the essential knowledge they need to navigate senior school and transition from education to employment when their time comes.

To help us achieve this goal, please connect with our team and remember to chase up that booking, or you may miss out on your preferred date slots.

We have been busy connecting ākonga to Gateway opportunities, delivering our Employability Programme to senior students, and we have provided some fantastic events since our last newsletter, which have supported many ākonga to learn more about their futures. 

Check out our events section below for details!

Students from Tikipunga High School compete in teams at the PlantPro Landscaping workshop.

PlantPro were kind enough to sponsor prizes for each winning group throughout the day.

The students did a remarkable job in this workshop, blowing Pepijn Luiten of PlantPro away!

CPC Fencing (Te Pukenga) demonstrate wire ties to students from Tauraroa Area School.

CPC Fencing were kind enough to have three members of their staff present on the day, representing Te Pukenga and the Fencing industry.

CPC Fencing are passionate promotors of the Fencing industry and would love to see more young people take up the tools.

Makita Tools had students competing against each other in their workshop. Students were highly engaged and learnt a lot about the different power tools that will be utilised throughout their trade careers.

Makita were kind enough to offer merch for prizes throughout the event, which the students loved!

Our EEB team, along with Ngāwhā Innovation and Enterprise Park, worked together with local businesses to allow ākonga from Te Kura Kaupapa Māori ō Kaikohe the chance to visit three different work sites, not only in three different industries but dealing with three different environments!

Ara Whenua, Ara Wai, Ara Rangi!

Ara Whenua

(Land)

The taitamariki were able to visit Kaikohe Berryfruit Ltd, where Todd Jackson (Kaikohe Berryfruit General Manager) showed the ākonga around. He explained the process of growing premium strawberries and also talked about the many different pathways available in the horticulture industry. After the discussions and getting a tour of the workplace, the ākonga could get their hands dirty (literally) and do some of the plantings! The visit wrapped up with Todd letting the ākonga write their names by the plants they had planted and telling them they could come back this summer to pick their berries from their plants!

Ara Wai

(Water)

The next stop was the Bay of Islands Marina in Opua, where Chris Galbraith (Bay of Islands Marina Office General Manager) gathered different business representatives to talk with the ākonga and inform them of all the different pathways within the Maritime industry, such as Canvas/Sail making, Spray Painting, Boat Building, and Engineering. Representatives took time to share their journeys into the maritime industry. After discussions, the ākonga were shown around the Marina and witnessed first-hand all the different kinds of mahi that happen in the Maritime industry.

Ara Rangi

(Sky)

The tour's final stop was Merlin Labs in Kerikeri, where Shaun Johnson (Merlin Labs NZ CEO) gave a presentation showcasing the mahi they do at Merlin Labs, working to create the world’s first autonomous plane! Shaun also took time to talk about his journey into aviation and discussed the many different career pathways within the Aviation industry, after which the ākonga were able to sit inside the aircraft while pilots and engineers discussed different aspects of the plane along with the different duties that come with different roles inside aviation. One lucky student was able to even sit in the aircraft and start it up!

“Ngā Ara Taiao” aims to give young people a first-hand look into some of the fabulous career and vocational pathways available to our taitamariki here in Te Tai Tokerau!

We want to take the time to express a MASSIVE thank you to Kaikohe Berryfruit, Bay of Islands Marina and Merlin Labs for their awesome mahi and for helping to inspire our future leaders!



Also, ngā mihi nui to the staff and ākonga of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori ō Kaikohe for being a part of our event!

Tools Of The Trade - Kaipara

September 21st - 2023

Calling all Kaipara-based secondary schools!

You are invited to participate in our upcoming Tools Of The Trade event at Dargaville High School.

Please connect with your dedicated Vocational Coordinator to secure your ākonga attendance.

In-school NCEA support service:

Our team were excited to hear about People Potential's ability to support learners across the line with their NCEA within the confines and comforts of their own school, not only in Whangārei, but all across Te Tai Tokerau.

Our Employability Programme is often oriented towards students on the cusp of transitioning from education to employment. We see People Potential's ability to provide tailored and personalised one-on-one support (or group support) as an incredible opportunity for schools and kura to provide extra help where needed, without compromising your school's resources.

Both our programme and theirs provide a great safety net, ensuring students exit secondary school with the tools they need to be successful in their transition to employment.

A message from Andrea Ross - People Potential:

" We wanted to let you know about a collaboration that People Potential have been working on with a couple of schools, which has been very successful. Some of our funding has the flexibility within it to work with students who are still at school. As long as we have the permission of the principal, and the student is not out of school for more than five hours a week, we are able to work with them to gain Level 1 and 2 qualifications, which supplements their normal school activities. There is no cost to the school or the student. 

We are able to tailor the approach to suit the school, either with tutors coming into the school and working with students, or the students can come to our campus.

The qualifications that we are able to offer are:

•           NCEA Level 1 or 2

•           Foundation Skills Level 1 or 2 – 60 credits each

•           Financial Capabilities Level 2 – 60 credits

•           ECE level 2 – 60 credits

•           Retail Level 2 – 40 credits

•           Hospitality Level 2 – 40 credits.

In the schools we have worked with so far, it has worked especially well in keeping students in school who may not otherwise, or helped to transition out of school and into further training. 

We would love to work with your school as a resource and I am really happy to answer any questions you have."

In-School Licensing support:

People Potential have the ability to support your leaners with their license, for free!

We all know that student licensing can be one of the biggest barriers to Gateway and employment. People Potential would like to connect with schools to offer their services and get students behind the wheel safely and licensed!

PlantPro Landscaping - A business that supports its community!

CPC Fencing

- Passionate advocates of the Fencing industry

The team at CPC live, eat and breath the fencing industry.

And we were fortunate enough to have them along supporting ākonga at our recent Tools Of The Trade; they were amazing!

They hope to promote their industry to youth who often do not have this career path on their radar.

CPC and Te Pūkenga are excited to promote Fencing as an excellent, viable, sustainable long-term profession with excellent opportunities in our region.

Connect with the Team at CPC, as well as the Fencing team at Te Pūkenga to talk about the Fencing industry and what it can offer your ākonga!