50 Māori Cadets Launch into Engineering and Infrastructure

50 Māori Cadets Launch into Engineering and Infrastructure Industry

50 Māori graduates from around the country are set to graduate from six months of training, gaining skills and qualifications to support them into a wide range of trades-related careers.

The graduation ceremony will be held at Hoani Waititi Marae in Glen Eden, being hosted by AWF, the blue collar arm of AWF Madison, New Zealand’s largest recruitment organisation.

Te Mana o Whakaaro, the AWF Maori Cadetship Programme is a partnership with Te Puni Kōkiri Ministry for Māori development which aims to increase the number of Māori who have certifications across a number of trades ranging from carpentry to food handling and civil construction.

AWF Madison CEO Simon Bennett says that the cadet’s hard work and dedication has been impressive and points towards a bright future as they build their careers.

“In recent years we’ve heard a lot about skills shortages, particularly in relation to the Canterbury rebuild and the big infrastructure projects in Auckland and Wellington.

“AWF’s training programmes are a way for us to help to maximise the unskilled resource New Zealand already has. Our relationship with Te Puni Kokiri continues to be very valuable to us as we look for 60 more cadets for the 2016 programme.”

Advocate for the Trades training initiative Sir Pita Sharples will attend the graduation at his home marae, along with whānau and friends of the cadets who will graduate at the ceremony.

ENDS

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