He Kākano Internship
Karlee Selwyn & Dr Charlotte Severne the Māori Trustee at the whwkatau held for Karlee at Te Tumu Paeroa
Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira are excited to introduce our first ‘Kākano’ Karlee Selwyn who has been accepted into the He Kākano Internship programme in partnership with Te Tumu Paeroa, Te Puni Kōkiri and Datacom.
He Kākano is a paid internship supported by our four organisations committed to building Māori capability in tech. The 18month programme will see Karlee complete work placements at Te Tumu Paeroa, Te Puni Kōkiri and Datacom.
The opportunity to explore different avenues within the tech industry is what really drew Karlee to this kaupapa. Gaining new skills, broadening her understanding of the wider tech industry and being able to gain industry ‘on-the-job’ experience was key to her putting her hat in the ring.
“I’m so excited for this opportunity, to learn as much as I can and be able to bring those learnings back to my people and whānau,” says Karlee.
We know that there are many talented, kaupapa-driven young Māori looking for opportunities. We also know that tertiary education is not for everyone and, particularly for rangatahi, gaining experience is key to getting a career started. He Kākano has been designed to provide industry experience and ‘on-the-job’ learning, as well as exposure to the variety of career options there are in tech. All four partner organisations are committed to building Māori capability – nurturing the development of Māori who are keen to use their skills in the technology industry, for the benefit of Māori communities.
Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira Chief Executive Helmut Modlik says, “We’re excited to launch the He Kākano programme with partner organisations who see the vision, share our values, and support this opportunity to grow Māori capability and representation in tech. We expect this programme to be the catalyst for other opportunities in tech for Ngāti Toa rangatahi and whānau.”
When asked what she is most looking forward to, Karlee says “I like that there will be variety in my mahi, and each organisation brings something different and unique to the table. They all have similar values to me and my whānau which reassures me I will be well looked after.”
You can follow Karlee’s story as she embarks on this journey by following our Rūnanga socials and pānui.
