Supporting Maori and Pasifika engineering students

On Saturday 29 September, Beca’s Wharehuia Dixon, Steven Roskruge, Karina Kaufusi and Ashley Jones attended the SPIES 25th Anniversary to celebrate engineering students of Māori and Pacific Island descent. It was a fantastic evening that showcased a variety of cultural performances throughout. We heard from a number of speakers including Pro Vice-Chancellor Jim Peters, member of parliament Jenny Latu Salesa and our very own Wharehuia Dixon, who was previously a SPIES president.

Founded in 1993, the student-led association aims to support the academic, social and cultural toiora (well-being) of engineering students of Māori and Pacific Island descent.

The partnership was officially recognised and celebrated on 7 March at Beca House in Auckland, with the SPIES Executive team, our Northern Regional Manager Rupert Hodson, SPIES alumni within Beca, and representatives from our People and Culture team in attendance.

SPIES chairman Manuia Lameta-Brown and members of SPIES Executive team meet monthly at Beca House with Rupert Hodson, Ashley Jones and Katy Lloyd to discuss how the partnership is tracking and identify steps that can be taken towards further enhancing the close-knit community.

The partnership aligns with our commitment to diversity and allows us to directly support Māori and Pasifika engineering students to achieve their full potential. As part of the sponsorship, Beca designed a mentoring programme for SPIES students to be partnered with and receive mentoring support from some of our experienced engineers and have the opportunity to gain work experience as a graduate or intern. The programme includes quarterly events run by Beca to connect and network with all Mentees and Mentors.

To find out more about SPIES, including how to join, contact spies@auckland.ac.nz.