Skills for Mahi
‘Skills for Mahi’ is a new programme from the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, and supported by J.P. Morgan, that will help 100 year 11 rangatahi from Hutt Valley secondary schools develop skills that will support their future career pathways and enable them to explore jobs in their own region in 2024 and 2025.
What is the aim of ‘Skills for Mahi’? – That rangatahi are more aware of, and prepared for, the jobs and opportunities in their local community, particularly the engineering and manufacturing sectors, which are two major industries in the Hutt Valley.
Skills for Mahi
‘Skills for Mahi’ is a new programme from the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, and supported by J P Morgan, that will help 100 Year 11 rangatahi from Hutt Valley secondary schools develop skills that will support their future career pathways and enable them to explore jobs in their own region in 2024 and 2025.
What is the aim of ‘Skills for Mahi’? – that rangatahi are more aware of, and prepared for, the jobs and opportunities in their local community, particularly in the engineering and manufacturing sectors, that are two major industry sectors in the Hutt Valley.
Why is ‘Skills for Mahi’ important for our rangatahi?
The Attitude Gap Report found that employment expectations and ambitions of young people are built through the experiences they have early on, so having positive connections with employers is vital for building ambition and networks for young people.
There is often disconnect between employers and youths, particularly for Māori/Pacific youth, as they do not understand workplace culture, what employers are looking for during the job application process, etc. A 2017 report by the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment shares that compared to the rest of New Zealanders, “Māori are over-represented in the unemployed (28.1%) and underutilized (23.5%) categories with nearly a third of youth ‘not in employment, education and training’ (NEET)”.
Jobs within these sectors can pay very well from the get-go or reach around $100,000 with five years of experience or more. For instance, an entry-level mechanical engineering technician earns around $56,000 yearly but that jumps to $112,000 after five years. In comparison the average annual household income of Māori people was $46,000 in June 2022 while it was $43,000 for Pacific people.
Historically there has always been an underrepresentation of Māori/Pacific people in these sectors and COVID further decreased the numbers. A Deloitte report states that post-COVID, employment in engineering among Māori is 25% below pre-COVID levels and 7% below for Pacific people.
What will the programme deliver?
Students that have participated in the program will have better knowledge of the jobs in the local community, particularly in the manufacturing and engineering sectors, and feel better prepared with the skills and competencies they need to succeed in their future choices.
The ‘Skills for Mahi’ programme will support rangatahi to develop an individual learning plan and their CV and work on skills that will be important in a workplace, such as teamwork, communication, and problem solving among others. Through company visits, rangatahi will have the chance to connect with employers and build their understanding of workplace etiquette.
Specifically the aim of ‘Skills for Mahi’ is that:
- Students improve employability skills
- Students complete their individual learning plan
- Students feel that the programme has prepared them for their future by supporting their skills and competency development
- Students feel that the programme has helped them to feel better informed to make positive decisions for their future
- Students feel more aware and better informed about their future academic and career goals
What do our supporters say?
• ‘Supporting our Hutt Valley rangatahi to develop skills and connect to their possible futures of work is an important part of the work we do to support the Hutt Valley community. We are delighted to have this support from J.P. Morgan that will enable these rangatahi to develop the skills that our employers need.’
Patrick McKibbin, CEO of Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce
• ‘Providing skills for our rangatahi to learn and apply with local business support is crucial for our Hutt Valley community. Through this programme our rangatahi can foster a strong sense of belonging and develop future prosperity, which aligns strongly with the work we do.
Mani Malaeulu, Owner of Empower Pacific
• ‘We are proud to be able to invest in our local communities, provide career pathways to young people and help them to grow through participation in the economy. We look forward to celebrating their success.’
Robert Bedwell, Senior Country Officer, Australia and New Zealand of J.P. Morgan
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