Māori and Pasifika Trades Training Auckland is a scholarship and workforce development programme. We help Māori and Pasifika aged 16-40 who live in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and want to work in the trades industry.
Since launching in 2015, we’ve helped more than 3000 Māori and Pasifika men and women learn a trade. With partner organisations throughout the industry, we encourage our scholarship winners to become leaders in the industry and support them to become qualified tradespeople.
The MPTT scholarship includes one-on-one mentoring and personalised career advice for trainees, as well as help to find a job in their chosen trade. Plus, our trainees get financial assistance to suit their needs, whether it’s help paying for their drivers licence or buying tools. They’ll also meet other Māori and Pasifika in the industry.
Our scholarships are for people who are serious about building a career in the trades. You’ll need to be:
- Māori or Pasifika (including those with heritage linked to Tokelau, Niue, Cook Islands, Tahiti, French Polynesia, Federated States of Micronesia, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Samoa, American Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Kingdom of Tonga, Nauru, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands)
- Living in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland
- Aged between 16 – 40
- A New Zealand Citizen or Resident
- Accepted into your chosen course*
*For us to pay your fees, you’ll first need to get into your course – but we can help you with that too.
Here’s a list of the trades the MPTT scholarship currently supports. There are slight changes each year. You can find out more about each trade on our website:
Our scholarship numbers are limited, but you can register your interest to get the ball rolling now. Apply for an MPTT scholarship using our online application form.
We’ll then pass your information on to the relevant training provider, and work with them to process your application.
If you’re Māori or Pasifika and aged 16-40, it’s likely you will qualify for one of our scholarships, as long as you’re accepted into your chosen trades course.
Please note you’ll need to have a confirmed place in your trades course before you can be accepted into the MPTT programme. That means if you haven’t already applied for your course, you should do so as soon as possible.
To find out where to apply for your course, visit maoripasifikatrades.co.nz. Select your chosen trade from our website’s navigation menu, then scroll down to the ‘Find a Course’ section. There you’ll find a list of providers with links to the relevant course pages on each training provider website. From there, please follow the instructions to apply for your course.
As an MPTT scholarship recipient, you’ll get support throughout your training. Here are some ways we’ll help you financially:
- We’ll pay the fees for your pre-trades course.
- We’ll fund additional training in work and life readiness skills, to help you succeed and be more likely to find employment. What you get will depend on your individual needs, but can include financial help to get your driver licence, secure your Site Safe card, or buy tools for your apprenticeship.
- We’ll give you valuable one-on-one career coaching as part of your scholarship, helping you stay motivated and achieve your goals.
MPTT doesn’t help with student allowance or living costs, but like all tertiary students, you can apply for this through Studylink.
With MPTT Auckland, you’ll get support right through your training, and beyond. Besides paying your fees, we’ll give you valuable one-on-one mentoring to help ensure you’re ready for life on the job.
We have contacts throughout the trades industry, so we can even help you find job opportunities in your trade. Plus, we can help you with anything from getting your driver licence to showing you how to manage your money to help you get ahead in life. Our priority is ensuring our MPTT tauira are ‘work ready’, with the core skills and motivation to enter an apprenticeship.
To find out more about the different funding options available for the trades and which one is best for you, take a look at this table.
The fees-free tertiary training scheme is a government initiative that offers some tertiary training for free, if you meet certain criteria. MPTT Auckland is a scholarship for Māori and Pasifika aged 16-40, which helps you get into the trades industry and build the work and life skills you need to succeed.
If you choose to study under MPTT, we’ll pay your course fees just like the fees-free programme would. The difference is, we’ll also give you one-on-one mentoring to help you stay on track, and even help you find work in your chosen trade. With MPTT, you’ll have support right through your training, and beyond. Plus, you’ll join the wider whānau of MPTT recipients and meet other Māori and Pasifika trainees who are building their careers in the trades industry.
Unlike the fees-free programme, you can get an MPTT scholarship even if you’ve done tertiary training before.
When you get an MPTT scholarship, you’ll be matched up with a mentor who we call a Navigator. Your MPTT Navigator acts as a coach who supports you from the start of your training and into your apprenticeship. They can help you with everything from getting your driver licence sorted to preparing for a job interview. By getting to know you personally, they’ll be able to give you the help you need. You can go to your Navigator with any problems you have along the way.
Navigators not only know about the trades industry; they have knowledge of Māori and Pasifika cultures and the related ‘real world’ experiences required to succeed in the trades. They’ll work with you one-on-one to help achieve your goals and ensure you’re ready for life on the job. Find out more about MPTT Navigators.
MPTT scholarships are for Māori and Pasifika who are serious about becoming a leader in the trades. You’ll become part of a wider whānau that supports and encourages you, and in return you’ll have a responsibility to work hard and try your best.
By accepting your scholarship, you’re agreeing to:
- Show up to your classes
Your attendance needs to be above 80% throughout your course. We’ll regularly check with your tutors to ensure your attendance and overall performance within your course is of a good standard.
- Attend all MPTT events
To help you succeed, we’ll hold work-readiness workshops and other events throughout the year. As a scholarship recipient, we expect you’ll come along to these and make the most of the support available to you.
- Stay in touch
We ask that you let us know if your contact details change, and stay in regular contact with your MPTT Navigator so they can help you when you need it.
