Our relationship with Skills Group isn’t new. For over a decade Māori and Pasifika Trades Training (MPTT) and Skills Group have been working together to create barrier-free training, apprenticeships and sustainable career pathways for Māori and Pasifika learners – supporting their success in the trades.
Recently we chatted with Caroline Afoa, Pathways and Pasifika Lead at Skills Group, and MPTT’s Project Manager, Sam Sefuiva, about the collaboration between the two value-aligned organisations and how this creates more career choices, diversity and job opportunities for Māori and Pasifika communities.
“Skills Group’s increased portfolio of education and pre-trades training means that our Māori and Pasifika learners have more opportunities to study and train in a career of their choice, closer to home, without financial barriers,” Sam Sefuiva says.
Under the refreshed partnership with Skills Group, the MPTT scholarship programme now covers pre-trades training in Electrical Engineering, Plumbing, Gas fitting & Drainlaying, Health & Wellbeing, Hairdressing and Barbering at various campuses in East Tamaki, Mount Wellington and Manukau.
“This Samoan proverb speaks to the heart of who we are as a village at Skills Group,“ Caroline says.
‘E vave taunu’u le malaga pe a tatou alo va’a fa’atasi’.
When you learn with us, you’re not just enrolling in a course to graduate and then leave; you’re joining a wider village that will support you to achieve your goals and equip you with the tools to walk out qualified and work-ready.”
An evolving partnership
Historically, MPTT collaborated with Skills Group back when they were an Industry Training Organisation (ITO). Today, Skills Group has grown into a much larger private umbrella organisation with a family of specialised training providers – the Electrical Training Company (ETCO), Industry Connection for Excellence (ICE), Skills Premier and Skills Ignite.
“Skills Group delivers world-class vocational training that inspires and upskills learners,“ Caroline says. “We’re all about building capabilities so that our trainees can achieve their work goals and create long-term careers in their field of choice.”
Part of the Skills Group portfolio also includes managed employment, including apprenticeships. “They manage the employment of their members, in particular, Electrical apprentices, so it made good sense for us to partner with them. “ MPTT’s Sam Sefuiva says.
More career pathways for Māori and Pasifika learners with Skills Group and MPTT
The comprehensive support provided by the MPTT scholarship programme ensures that along with financial support, Māori and Pasifika learners receive continuous mentorship and support while they’re studying – empowering them to stay resilient and complete their courses.
“Our partnership with MPTT not only supports our future apprentices in the Electrical, Plumbing, Gas fitting and Drainlaying industries – it now supports Health & Wellbeing, Hairdressing and Barbering too. This means that more Māori and Pasifika students can participate in these industries without being held back by cost or circumstance.” Caroline says.
Find out which Skills Group
pre-trades courses are supported
by the MPTT Scholarship programme
and where you can train.
Electrical Engineering with ETCO
ETCO is New Zealand’s leading provider of Electrical training and apprenticeships. For over 30 years, they’ve worked with respected industry bodies and groups to develop industry training and have helped thousands of apprentices into Electrical careers. They employ apprentices and place them with trusted companies through their Group Employment Scheme.
Māori and Pasifika learners in Auckland can do ETCO’s Level 3 NZ Certificate in Electrical Engineering Theory in Manukau under the MPTT scholarship programme.
Plumbing, Gasfitting & Drainlaying with ICE
Industry Connection for Excellence (ICE) is a skilled trades training provider. They help apprentices gain qualifications in Plumbing, Gas fitting and Drainlaying. ICE is one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s only skilled training providers run by and for the trades.
Māori and Pasifika learners in Auckland can do a Level 3 NZ Certificate in Plumbing, Gasfitting and Drainlaying in ICE’s Mt Wellington campus under the MPTT scholarship programme.
Health & Wellbeing with Skills Ignite
Skills Ignite is an NZQA-accredited provider of vocational training and qualifications in high-demand fields, including Health & Wellbeing. With inspiring tutors coming directly from industry, their face-to-face and online courses offer employment pathways into nine different industries.
Māori and Pasifika learners in Auckland can do a Level 3 NZ Certificate in Health & Wellbeing in Manukau under the MPTT scholarship programme.
Hairdressing & Barbering with Skills Premier
Skills Premier has been providing practical, hands-on training in the hairdressing industry since 1993. Their NZQA-accredited courses now include barbering and hairdressing.
Māori and Pasifika learners in Auckland can do a Level 3 NZ Certificate in Hairdressing Salon Support, and a Level 4 NZ Certificate in Barbering in Manukau under the MPTT scholarship programme.
Increasing diversity and supporting Māori and Pasifika business ownership
A combination of more training options, technical innovation and supporting Māori and Pasifika apprentices into pathways for future business ownership fosters increased diversity in the skilled trades – a trend that both MPTT and Skills Group get behind.
An important feature of the partnership between Skills Group and MPTT is the management of group employment, particularly within small to medium-sized enterprises. “If Māori and Pasifika aren’t working for someone they’re mostly in small, family-size businesses themselves,” Sam Sefuiva says. “They usually come to a trade through a managed apprenticeship. After that, they can start their own business and become active members of training organisations like ETCO. And it’s this transition from apprentice to business owner that we’re trying to encourage and support.”
Technological advancements, evolving industry demands, and shifting social dynamics have also opened up the traditional trades creating more opportunities for diversity. For example, women are now entering the electrical trades in higher numbers than ever before, and many of these are Māori and Pasifika wāhine.
This shift is partly due to tech’s increasing role in the trades, reducing reliance on physical strength.
“The Electrical trades are becoming much more diverse. In this space, technology is the driver so you’ve got a whole range of different kinds of very well-paid and challenging Electrical pathways that Māori and Pasifika women are getting into.” Sam says.
Shared values
The partnership between MPTT and Skills Group is not just about mutual gains, it’s also about shared values. “I really value the village support and awhi that surrounds our MPTT scholarship holders. I love collaborating with MPTT Navigators who support each student throughout their study and into employment,” Caroline says.
Both organisations share a long-term vision focused on improving outcomes for current and future generations of Māori and Pasifika. A spirit of collaboration and a commitment to sustainable learning and training opportunities – are just some of the shared values which help to guide Māori and Pasifika learners on a journey of empowerment, belonging and manaakitanga.
“We understand the multifaceted responsibilities that some of our learners often juggle outside of their studies, whether they are young women, second-chance learners, older siblings, or parents. Eliminating the financial stress of having to pay for their studies, where they may not qualify for other funding support – the MPTT scholarship programme allows them to say ‘Yes’ to building a sustainable future for themselves and their aiga.” Caroline says.
Why choose the MPTT scholarship programme?
The MPTT scholarship programme continues to offer the most well-rounded support for Māori and Pasifika ākonga who want to start careers in Electrical Engineering, Plumbing, Gasfitting & Drainlaying and now, Health & Wellbeing, Hairdressing and Barbering too.
Our unique programme is by Māori and Pasifika for Māori and Pasifika and provides so much more than fees-free training and study. When you sign up for an MPTT scholarship you get all sorts of additional benefits too, including equipment & tool grants, work readiness skills that look great on your CV, and ongoing mentorship and support. Click here to learn more and apply for the MPTT scholarship programme.