A collaboration of Careers staff from Tauranga Girls’ College, Papamoa College and Aquinas College saw 'HE ARA TIKA - A Pathway Forward' come to life on Friday 11 June.

Funding was won through the Education to Employment initiative, offered by the Ministry of Education. Six specially selected speakers doing inspiring mahi within the creative, cultural, technology and recreational vocational pathway, came to tell their stories.

Around 140 Year 11 rangitahi from the three schools listened intently as the speakers shared what they have achieved in their career journeys, how they got to where they are, and what kind of a student they were back when they were 15 years old.

Student feedback from the event:

“How being Māori has impacted their lives was so clear to see”
“Even with the odds against them, they won”
“Gave us advice for our futures”
“Follow our dreams”

The following were the guest speakers:

Raniera Rewiri aka Plant Based Māori - founder of Tupuānuku; vegan market stall and catering company. Also host of the podcast Planting Seeds.

Ara Adams-Tamatea - bass player from one of the most popular and busiest acts in New Zealand music - L.A.B.

Kuruho Wereta - co-creator of the freshly launched board game Kaupapa, aspiring for a bilingual Aotearoa.

Makaia Carr - social media influencer, doing good in the world through Kura Kai.

Aidan Butterworth - combines military foundations with Māori culture, now running Mahi Performance.

Jay Chase aka Phreaze - local hip hop artist and entrepreneur who runs Phreaze Factory and The Purple Lab.