Internship nurtures rangatahi into tech careers

He Kākano is a two-year internship programme, a collaboration between Te Tumu Paeroa, Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira, Datacom, Te Puni Kōkiri and now online investement platform Sharesies, designed as an alternative pathway to support Māori into tech.

Developed by Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira and Te Tumu Paeroa, it involves a series of placements at each organisation, in which they are exposed to a variety of mahi and supported to complete IT micro-credentials. Underpinning the experience is whakawhanaungatanga from both Ngāti Toa and Te Tumu Paeroa.

The first Pia Kākano, Karlee Selwyn, moved to her third placement at Datacom in January 2025, and the second Pia Kākano Ruka Feite started his first placement with Te Tumu Paeroa in February 2025.

Kaitautari Pārongo Matua | Chief Information Officer at Te Tumu Paeroa, Ruth Russell says it’s exciting to see a cohort develop now.

“That concept of starting with a seed and growing has really come to pass,” says Ruth. “Karlee is now tuakana to Ruka, and that’s really cool to see.”

Karlee says building strong connections in each organisation and with peers in similar positions has been very important, especially now she has transitioned to a corporate setting.

“Coming into a large corporate environment in the city, I noticed it. That I was from te ao Māori and I was coming into a te ao Pākeha space,” says Karlee.

“At first, I was intimidated, but I think because of the way the programme is set up – like, with the regular check-ins I have with my contacts in Te Tumu Paeroa, and with Ruka, and with others who have started jobs in town.

“We’ve literally been calling it cuzzie catch-ups – it’s made me feel comfortable in this new environment.”

Datacom welcomed Karlee with a mihi whakatau on her first day, and she says workplace customs like this go a long way toward making all feel welcome.

Having Māori in leadership positions, says Karlee, can be a way to make these sorts of changes – and seeing Māori in leadership, particularly wāhine, shows her what’s possible.

“Having representation is huge, to see you can do it – you don’t have to give up your life or give up your Māoriness to do this. It’s making sure [rangatahi] know what options are out there, and showing them those options are attainable,” says Karlee.

Karlee says, as a person who didn’t have a tech or IT background before she came into the role, that she’s been surprised by how useful her ‘soft skills’ have been in the job.

“A lot of what I am doing is talking to people, and understanding how someone I am working with is feeling that day. Being able to make connections – that’s a lot more important than I thought it was.”

Second Pia Kākano, Ruka Feite – who already has a Bachelor of Science (Computer Science) – has also been surprised by the variety of mahi Te Ohu Pārongo | Information team at Te Tumu Paeroa do.

“What surprised me so far is the wide variety of work that an IT department does and as well as the inclusion and involvement of other teams in an organisation,” says Ruka.

Working on everything from the IT service desk to cybersecurity, as well as joining the kapa haka roopu, has made him feel more connected and integrated into the workplace, says Ruka.

He says he’s looking forward to his placements with Datacom and Sharesies too, and that the varied experiences an internship like this offer is very beneficial for rangatahi.

Pictured top: Left, Karlee Selwyn, the first Pia Kākano, and her teina, Ruka Feite.