Qualifications and training

Industry Initiatives:

• Haea Te Ata: Fonterra’s Māori strategy, Haea te Ata, commits to strengthening relationships with tangata whenua and embedding Te Ao Māori across the business. Under the Tāngata pillar, the strategy supports a diverse and inclusive workforce by fostering Māori leadership, cultural capability, and on-the-job training. This aligns with Fonterra’s wider goal to grow Māori participation through culturally grounded qualifications and reskilling initiatives.
• Toi Toi Māori Leadership with Kiwirail: Toi Toi takes a holistic approach to leadership by utilising kaupapa Māori, cultural competency and tikanga to enhance their leadership potential and develop a hunger to do more, to be more.
• Māori and Pasifika Trades Training (MPTT): MPTT is a national program funded by the Tertiary Education Commission, designed to support Māori and Pasifika learners in trades training. The program provides scholarships, mentoring, and pathways into employment, with a focus on aligning training with the cultural values and aspirations of Māori communities.

Regional Priorities:

• Bay of Plenty (MBIE, 2023a, p.28): “To close the gap, tertiary providers need to adopt innovative methods like micro-credentials in place-based or satellite formats. However, barriers such as limited driver licensing, high digital connectivity costs, and lack of affordable childcare, particularly in rural and high-deprivation areas, must be addressed. Greater investment in internet infrastructure and access to devices is essential, as these challenges disproportionately impact Māori and young women, contributing to lower early childhood education enrolment rates.”
• Canterbury (MBIE, 2023b, p.21): “Facilitate the development and uptake of new training pathways that recognise prior learning, upskill new or returning staff, and meet immediate training needs in a cost-effective way, including apprenticeship schemes, modular learning, micro-credentials, and marae-based training.”