Māori business success celebrated in video series

A Māori video series called Māia which aims to inspire rangatahi Māori (youth) to reach big with their dreams features two successful Napier businesses.

Owners and staff from the CBD’s Hapī Café – Clean Kai Co-Op and Aroha and Friends in Ahuriri shared their career success stories in the seven-part video series released last week by the Tertiary Education Commission.

Māia has been released on the Careers New Zealand website and Facebook page and brings to life employability skills which young people need to succeed at work.

Māia brings to life real Māori stories in an interactive and compelling way and encourages rangatahi Māori to make positive career and study choices.
A Facebook competition is also running, with a one-day experience with leading Māori lifestyle entrepreneur Robett Hollis on offer.

Hapi Café owner Gretta Carney says the ability to face early starts, know your team values and have an interest in good kai and hospitality are important skills to show when applying for a role.

“We are clear about our team values and want everyone in the team to care about the outcome. Our team shows initiative by taking positive action and not just standing around,” says Ms Carney.

The ability to be positive, adapt and work where, how and when you are needed are critical skills for working in fashion design and retail, according to Melaina Newport-Karaitiana, co-owner of Aroha and Friends stylist clothing company.

Aroha and Friends is a whānau-run businesses where a willingness to learn is encouraged and supported.

The team’s Online Operations Manager Renee Morris discovered this when starting out in the workshop part-time, printing hundreds of t-shirts.
“I’d never even printed a t-shirt before. I’d said yeah that I could do it and that I’d figure it out.”

“Working in a place where it is very family/whanau orientated is really good because we all really support each other. That’s a really important thing for me. I really love my job,” says Ms Morris.

Latest figures show there are 4,400 rangatahi Māori aged 19 – 24 who are currently not in training, education, employment or training (NEETS) in the Hawke’s Bay region. There’s presently 750 rangatahi Māori finishing secondary education every year.

A focus on pathways to and through employment is central to Matariki - Hawke's Bay Regional Economic Development Strategy (HBREDS).

Matariki programme manager Dr Alister King says getting more young people into work is key to enabling the region to prosper.

“We know that ongoing, regular paid employment is a significant driver of improved health and well-being for households and whanau,” says Dr King.

“Providing pathways to employment is a non-negotiable goal for our community, and is therefore an important Work Area of Matariki.

“The Ministry of Education is the Lead Agency for Action 2.3, the purpose of which is to build on existing and create new school-industry-tertiary partnerships to develop vocational pathways for all Hawke’s Bay students,” says Dr King.

“It’s great to see the Māia video series showcasing real-life success stories that embody meaningful examples of the employment opportunities in our region.”

Check out the Careers website for comprehensive career information and tools.

22 August 2017

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