Events to support Māori trade training and employment

Events to support Māori trade training and employment

For Immediate Release: Friday, 20 July 2012

Two special events will be held in Auckland next month to support Māori student training and employment in trade and industry.

A Māori Affairs Trade Training Dinner is being held on 30 August at Waitakere Trust Stadium. This will bring together employers, Māori students studying trade and industry qualifications and participants from the former Department of Māori Affairs’ Trade Training Scheme.

The purpose of the dinner is to create and foster internship and employment opportunities. It further aims to create a network among employers for Māori students studying toward trade and industry qualifications.

Dinner host Unitec Chief Executive Dr Rick Ede says “Unitec is very pleased to be supporting this initiative - it aligns closely with Unitec’s vision of going the extra mile to help prepare work ready students”.

Minister of Māori Affairs, Hon Dr Pita Sharples will open the dinner which has the support of Te Puni Kokiri. The event is being organised by Māori in Tertiary Education (MITE) and Unitec Institute of Technology in conjunction with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and other MITE partner institutes.

The Māori Affairs Trade Training Scheme was administered by the former Department of Māori Affairs from 1959 until it ended in the mid-1980’s. The scheme saw thousands of Māori successfully study and graduate with formal trade training and qualifications.

Many of these people continued on to successful careers in trade and industry. It is hoped they will support present day Māori students through providing valuable internship and employment opportunities.

MITE welcomes hearing from anyone who was part of the Maori Affairs Trade Training Scheme and who would like to attend the dinner Following the dinner, Unitec will also host a Trades Event for prospective future students at its Mt Albert Campus on 31 August.

This will give young people a “taste” of what’s on offer from multiple tertiary providers in trade and industry.

MITE and Unitec welcome and encourage participation at both events by trade and industry organisations and employers.

Please contact Rosie Mataroa by 3 August 2012 rosie.mataroa@twoa.ac.nz or 027 504 8817 to register. Alternatively, visit www.mite.org.nz and be sure to include your name, organisation and contact details.

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