The UniServices Māori Leadership Development Programme is now inviting recent graduates of Waipapa Taumata Rau the University of Auckland to apply for the Kaitātari Tauhokohoko Māori Internship position.
This unique internship helps propel rangatahi graduates into the global investment sector and is an introduction into the Māori leadership space.
The inception of this role traces back to 2021, when Te Rina West, an alumnus of the University of Auckland and former President of Ngā Tauira Māori (NTM) took the role. Hailing from the Te Arawa iwi, Te Rina had a foundation in governance coupled with an unwavering commitment to championing kaupapa Māori initiatives. "My dedication lies in fostering equitable outcomes for Māori, particularly Wāhine Māori, across all endeavors," she affirmed.
Te Rina's brave voice allowed her to share many Mātauranga Māori ideas, which resonated deeply. She discovered her natural leadership style and, upon completion of her time with UniServices, took up a new position with Fonterra.
Te Rina has continued to keep her connection to UniServices as a member of the Kaitiaki board overseeing Māori Data Sovereignty and as a formal member of our newly established Māori Investment Committee which she helped form.
In 2022 we welcomed our second intern, Paraone Luiten Apirana (Ngāti Hikairo), who held a Masters in Engineering along with a strong background in Whakairo and Toi Māori.
Like Te Rina, Paraone was raised in Te Ao Māori and has been fortunate to have the influence of kaumātua in his life. He bought a new perspective and methods to incorporate Mātauranga Māori into UniServices. In this role he was able support UniServices with the development of new cultural competency courses - leaving a legacy that holds to this day.
In his role, he travelled to Silicon Valley on the Vanguard trip with Centre of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE). Upon completion of his internship, Paraone went on to his PhD in Engineering and maintains a close connection to UniServices as a consultant and as a member of our Māori investment committee.
Our most recent recruit is Hiraia Haami Wells (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki). She was a former Co-President of NTM and bought manaakitanga to the forefront of all her mahi. She was also able to attend the Vanguard Trip to Silicon Valley with CIE and from this experience gave her the vision to create a Māori Vanguard experience.
With the support of UniServices and in collaboration with CIE, Hiraia has been able to work towards bringing this idea to life and is now the new Programme Manager for Kurutao - a Māori Entrepreneurial Leaders expedition designed to inspire and introduce Ngai Māori (Māori Peoples) to Aotearoa’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. As Hiraia leaves the role to undertake this new role, she shares her thoughts on her internship saying her "time at UniServices has broadened [her] scope in terms of career path."
"I would recommend this job to anyone wanting to gain new experiences and opportunities as well as prepare themselves for the corporate world."
"Learning from and working with UniServices' Kaiārahi, Tui Kaumoana, has prepared me for the experiences I'll encounter as a young wahine Māori in the corporate world and has shown me the strength it takes to navigate larger organisations".
We are now on the lookout for new rangatahi extraordinaire to join our team. Check out our Careers page for more information.