Transcript
The Tupu Tai programme is aimed at Pasifika graduates and final year university students. MBIE chief executive David Smol explains why his ministry is driving the programme.
"We want to, as an organisation, to be an attractive place for young Pacific people to come and work. We think having good Pacific people as part of our organisation will make us a better organisation, better able to serve the public of New Zealand, but also because it gives young Pacific people a great opportunity some work experience, while they are still studying, build some networks and relationships that will hopefully give them real opportunity for their careers once they've finished studying."
MBIE's Chief Advisor Pasifika, Matalena Leaupepe, says the initiative is part of a move to get more Pasifika working in the public sector.
Ms Leaupepe says this is important because the role of the public sector is to serve the people of New Zealand.
"The people of New Zealand are actually becoming extremely diverse, one of which Pacific is a dominant feature. So as part of that diversity agenda, we are wanting in the Pacific space to really up our game in terms of employing, in terms of upskilling our people and bringing, especially the young people into the sector."
The State Services Commission is supporting the programme and taking on an intern. The commission's principal advisor for leadership and talent, Alison Lewes, says the most exciting thing about Tupu Tai is it is a solely Pasifika programme.
"We know a lot more about demographic change, so we know that Pasifika is a really fast-growing community, which is exciting, so as government delivers our services to Pasifika communities, we have to make sure we are reflective as a workforce. And they are a great pool of talent, our interns are our future leaders so we want to connect with them and make sure that they have a smooth pathway into government."
The programme has a particular focus on policy. Matalena Leaupepe says this is because governments implement change through either policy or legislation.
"If you can influence at the top in terms of where the policy is happening, you can expect to also see changes at the bottom. What is more important is that in terms of the development of policy, if you don't have the right perspective, if you are not the diversity of perspective into those policies, you can also expect that you are not going to meet the needs of your community."
Emily Fatu works at the Ministry of Health as a policy analyst after initially interning at MBIE. She says Tupu Tai is important.
"I think it's important because it is especially targeted for Pacific people. Sometimes when internships open, Pacific people feel like they don't want to apply because they think they won't get it, but this is actually targeted for them. So it is like, 'we want you', and it is always good to feel wanted, especially in this industry."
Romeo Tevaga is one of the new Tupu Tai interns who has just finished his postgraduate degree in development studies.
"I have always had my heart set on the public sector so getting that experience is really crucial for me. Also getting to grips with the whole government because we have been studying it but we don't know what it is like in practice. Just networking and making a lot of connections with the public sector because they have said that the public sector is a giant beast, so we want to go and approach the beast and try and go through it."
Mr Tevaga says he has noticed the shortage of Pasifika professionals within the public sector but he hopes Tupu Tai will lead to addressing that.
