Uptempo and TSI: Digital Tech Training Pathways
In highly skilled professional industries, there is often a mismatch between the supply of graduates and employers’ hiring requirements. Diana Sharma, CEO of digital tech training provider Mission Ready, notes that "we have a lot of talent coming out of two to three to four-year degrees but not getting a job at the end of it. At the same time, we have an industry saying, 'We need people.' The challenge is that industry would advertise for junior roles but demand two years of experience.Tech norms evolve rapidly, so university-level educational materials can become outdated quickly. Digital tech employers who do not want to invest in training new recruits, while also excluding candidates without degrees, not only fail to hire in a tight labour market but certainly fail to hire Māori and Pasifika, who are less likely to hold degrees in the first place. TSI and Uptempo have been focusing on supporting alternative pipelines into the tech industry for Māori and Pasifika workers that do not require degrees, have good career progression prospects, and can be completed relatively quickly.
Pipeline fix 1: Financially accessible training and family support
Financial accessibility through training provider delivery models: Mission Ready offers scholarships and financial aid through their charity, Mission Impact Foundation, several training programmes, and a flexible training environment. Approaches include:
10 Weeks of Training and 10 Weeks of Experience, helping candidates gain the skills and experience needed for tech roles.
Pay when hired model, where candidates may enrol in a programme and only pay when they are hired into a tech role.
Part-Time Programs: to accommodate candidates with time constraints, Mission Ready offers part-time options, allowing them to balance their current commitments while transitioning into tech careers.
Remote Training Environment: To accommodate candidates from across the nation and other commitments in their lives. “And so the good thing is it can work around your life and we have recordings and people can catch up in their own time”, Diana comments.
Combined with financial support through community-based funded initiatives, Jake received Uptempo support for his aiga’s basic needs so that he could pursue a full-time course on web development and full stack through Mission Ready. Support included food parcels, assistance with educational expenses, a laptop and occasionally some basic living expenses covered. This enabled him to take care of his aiga while completing certifications in web development and cloud technologies. He went on to secure a role as a Field Support Analyst at a large organisation. In the eight months since joining the Uptempo programme, Jake’s hourly rate increased from around minimum wage to $30 per hour. He has moved from a paid internship to full-time permanent employment and has an improved work-life balance. This meant job security and spending more time with his family. “It feels good on payday”.
Pipeline fix 2: Culturally competent short-training providers feeding into good employers flexible about experience and qualifications
Rea, a Māori-owned tech education provider, aims to empower rangatahi and adults without formal degrees by upskilling them with in-demand tech skills and placing them into work with trusted partners. Sela, one of Rea’s Pasifika rangatahi trainees with no formal qualifications, was given exposure to new opportunities and the right support systems. Starting out “shy and introverted” with no clear career direction, she went on to start a career at one of The Big Four consulting firms in a tech consulting role, embracing a field she hadn't initially considered. "I went from saying ‘no to tech’ to being a tech consultant. I consult with clients on tech, advising them on what can be done and what can't be done on their apps. It's an amazing experience… I feel like I'm in a really good position right now. Even without a degree, there are so many doors open to me."
Uptempo has found from its aiga insights that perhaps the most crucial piece to upskilling, especially into new sectors, for low-income Pasifika is increasing confidence to shift mindsets and take in expanded possibilities. This is best achieved within a culturally safe environment like Rea, where Sela spoke of the confidence the programme gave her in her cultural strengths: "Participating in programs like this encouraged me to stay true to my values and what I have to offer. It made me realise that my culture and beliefs are an essential part of my identity."
The turning point in Sela’s career was when the Rea course had her explore potential career pathways by going to prospective employers and interviewing them to learn more about their work rather than the other way around. This reversed the power dynamics and gave Sela agency over her career choices. "They [Rea] encouraged us to interview all potential employers, even if we weren't sure. [One consulting firm] stood out because they valued our input and made us feel like our voices mattered."
Sela highlights the positive work environment she experienced with her employer, citing strong support systems in place and a learning culture that improved confidence and de-risked the fear of failure. Uptempo has previously highlighted this as a big barrier for its Pasifika aiga with a low baseline of formal qualifications. Sela was onboarded with: “buddies, career coaches, and project coaches. I feel confident and supported in my role here… There's a group here dedicated to helping Pacific Island and Māori, so there's heaps of these different cultural groups as well that you can join, they're more like a support system for you… One thing they were really good at was just encouraging you to speak up… they would always like tell you to just be curious. One of the first things that they said to me was, we don't expect you to know everything…we don't expect you to be perfect. And I think that's what helped me a lot as well because I'm usually quite a shy and introverted person.”