Poipoia te kākano kia puāwai  |   Nurture the seed and it will bloom

Toi Ki Tua is a summer internship program that unlocks pathways to higher-skilled careers for Māori tertiary students from the Bay of Plenty region.

Their mission is to increase the prosperity of the Bay of Plenty’s Māori population by strengthening access to higher-paid career pathways, which provides better outcomes for whānau Māori, increases representation across professional pathways of the industry, and creates leaders that are equipped to move their communities forward.

In complement, Quayside’s purpose is to grow a responsible and diversified fund that generates long-term returns to support the growth and prosperity of the Bay of Plenty. Our vision, Invested in our Future – Mauri Ora Roa, seeks to express that we’re here to support the intergenerational prosperity of our people, the region and our investment portfolio.

The natural alignment in kaupapa and endowments within each organisation provided the perfect footing for welcoming our first Māori intern in November last year.

Te Aorangi Ngawaka is a third-year Bachelor of Property student at the University of Auckland, whakapapa connections to Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Pūkenga.
Growing up in the Bay, her deep understanding of the whenua, history and pūrakau (stories) of the region has provided a rich foundation for the work she undertook during her internship.

Under the guidance of Michael Jefferies, GM Property, Te Aorangi joined the Quayside Property Team, in the company of Mark Hatchman – Development Manager, John Shanahan – Project Manager and Mike Horsley – Senior Technical Advisor.

Providing real-world exposure to project considerations and tasks has been critical to supporting Te in her growth throughout her internship. One of these tasks provided by Development Manager, Mark Hatchman, was to undertake a feasibility assessment for a possible future development, involving sector research, land location options, design, bulk and location study, pricing, and writing a land use recommendation report, to be shared with the Board.
“It’s been great on-the-ground- learning… they’ve given me the chance to do what I think”. Says Te Aorangi. And you can see the passion in her eyes when speaking about it.

“Te Aorangi has been a real asset to the team over her intern placement. She’s a fast learner, requires very little guidance and is eager to grow her knowledge. She’s brought diversity of thought and a much-needed fresh perspective to what is generally a male-dominated industry.” Says Mark.

Te Aorangi admits at first, it was a bit of a culture shock entering such a corporate workplace, where others like her are unrepresented. She’s bravely leant into that discomfort, finding her rhythm and voice within the new environment.

“Our students are incredibly smart and have so much value to add, but sadly they don’t always see a place for themselves in professional environments. The Toi Ki Tua programme aims to bridge that gap, to grow the representation of Māori, so that in future our tauira (students) will walk with confidence and belonging into the professional realms of our industries, bringing the richness of their worldview with them.” Says Katie Hungerford, Programme Lead, Toi Ki Tua.

Interfacing with a range of stakeholders and partners, including industry consultants and contractors, has exposed Te Aorangi to the depth and complexity of this fast-paced industry. Her proactive and inquisitive nature has led her to investigate the various influences and key factors involved in building successful land and vertical developments, across several separate projects.

Endearingly she warmly comments “Koro Mike is my favourite” – that’s Mike Horsley, a veteran of the construction world with 45 years spent as a Structural and Civil Engineer and long-standing member of the Quayside whānau, recently stepping into semi-retirement. Mike has led many notable property projects including the Rangiuru Business Park, Hamilton Street Panorama Towers and Te Uru Rākau Scion building, whilst with Quayside.

This tuakana teina relationship (a Te Ao Māori concept of reciprocal support and learning) is deeply enriching for both parties, offering opportunities for honing skills, mutual learning and development all in a safe and respectful environment.

Te Aorangi comments, “It was never a chore to read something over, provide support or answer my questions. Mark, John and Mike have always been there to support me.”

Fortunately, the time spent at Quayside and the tasks undertaken have affirmed her commitment to the world of Project Management and Property Development and we know she will bring huge value to her iwi, our region and the organisations that are lucky enough to have her in future. But for now, we’re grateful to retain this mana wāhine for another six weeks, as she continues to follow through with existing workstreams and feasibility studies under the guidance of our resident kaumatua.