Taranaki Growing As A Hot Spot For Interns And Graduates

Renowned for its engineering expertise, diverse industries, and world-class lifestyle, Taranaki is increasingly attracting interest from students and graduates.

Despite this interest, there is still untapped potential for Taranaki businesses across all sectors to enhance engagement with young talent and secure a competitive edge in the labour market.

A growing appetite to move to Taranaki

Interest in Taranaki as a place to live and work is steadily growing. According to Summer of Tech, a recruitment platform for connecting interns and graduates with businesses, student interest in Taranaki grew by 17% last year, with 543 students looking for summer internships or graduate roles. Despite this, only two employers in Taranaki had registered on the popular Summer of Tech platform.

Kate Morten, Employer Delivery Manager at Summer of Tech, has noticed an increase in candidates accepting roles in other regions.

"Over 26% of our placements this year have been candidates accepting roles outside of their home region", said Morten. "This reflects a significant willingness among students and graduates to relocate to places like Taranaki for the right opportunities. Our team actively promote regional roles, encouraging our candidates to think outside the box and consider roles outside of the main centres".

Morten adds, "We're seeing a lot of students from computer science and UX/UI design degrees, and we had over 800 students looking for traditional engineering roles who we haven't placed this year. We absolutely encourage engineering employers to sign up to Summer of Tech, or reach out to us to learn more."

The opportunity for businesses in Taranaki

For businesses, internships and graduates offer more than just a fresh perspective - they help build culture and can bolster workforce talent in the long-term.

Hiringa Energy, a leader in green hydrogen technology and energy innovation based in Taranaki, has hired four interns for the 2024/25 summer - a significant number given the company has 25 employees in New Zealand.

Nicky Riches, People and Culture Manager at Hiringa, said that while there is time and resources required to invest in young talent, the long-term value is worth the effort for organisations and industry.

"We really do value new thinking, fresh ideas, being challenged, and the energy that interns bring into our office while they're here. It is also a great opportunity for some of our emerging leaders to take on direct responsibility for a team member and develop their own leadership skills," says Riches.

"We have run our intern programme for five years now, including hiring international interns over the winter period. While we can’t hire everyone into graduate roles, we know that we’ve inspired and guided others to progress their careers and develop an interest and core understanding of the energy system and transition. There are some truly talented young people out there who will go on to make real contributions to this sector and we love that we have played a part in that."

Nurturing our rangatahi benefits everyone

At a recent event organised by Energy Skills Aotearoa, over 30 energy interns currently in Taranaki gathered to connect with industry leaders and explore the region’s professional opportunities within the energy sector.

Sheree Long, organiser of the event and Director of Workforce Development at Energy Resources Aotearoa, said the students will form a critical part of our future workforce.

"We need to nurture the best talent that we can in order to keep the sector and the region thriving," Long said. "Being able to show these students the reality of the workforce, the challenges that we’re facing in the energy transition, and the opportunities to succeed is incredibly important."

One of these students, Shaan Greenwood, who is studying Chemical and Materials Engineering at Auckland University, has returned home to Taranaki to complete a summer internship at OMV.

Greenwood said, "My Dad has been in the oil and gas sector for my entire life, and I’ve always been excited by it. I’m studying in Auckland, and I know how lucky I am to be able to come home for summer and get some incredibly valuable work experience. I hope to bring everything I’ve learned back to the region one day."

All sectors should consider intern programmes and graduates

It’s not just the energy sector that attracts young talent in Taranaki. Tasman Medical Trolleys, a cornerstone in medical equipment manufacturing since 1995, recently announced the addition of summer intern, Michelle Wang, to its team through Callaghan Innovation’s R&D Experience Grants program.

Michelle is a second-year student at the University of Canterbury studying towards a Bachelor of Engineering (with Honours) in Mechatronics Engineering.

"Investing in young talent is not just an exercise in filling gaps," said Ian Cooper, Operations Director at Tasman Medical Trolleys. "It's about planting seeds that will grow into solutions we have yet to imagine."

Sean Markham, Talent Advisor at Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki, said, "For students and graduates, Taranaki represents a perfect balance of career opportunity and lifestyle. Short commutes, affordable housing, and access our beautiful natural landscape make it an attractive place to live and work."

Markham continues, "Businesses have a huge opportunity to capitalise on this growing student interest by attracting top talent, all while contributing to the region’s growth and innovation."

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