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HATO PETERA GOES IT

Date: October 16, 2008

Advertising, sales, marketing, lawyer, engineer, electrician, consultant, Corporate Executive Officer, Call centre worker, receptionist, web designer, managing director, business analyst, product testing, web designer, programmer. These are just a few of the careers we found out about when the Year 12 and 13 students visited Microsoft House and the Vodaphone Building at the viaduct in Auckland’s Central Business District on Thursday 16th Oct

Students were able to talk to students from Natcoll Design Technology and mentors from Accelerating Auckland, Go IT,  Fronde, Microsoft, Vodafone, Fronde, The Hui Taumata Trust and AUT about their careers in the industry; how they got there and what it is like in their line of work. 

We were collected by the bus they provided and after a short side trip around the new Akoranga bus station where we were greeted in Vodafone Building and broke into small groups with “role models” from the ITC industry who talked about their jobs and the career path they took. Students spent the day rotating through six sessions meeting various mentors and finding out more about how they got into their various jobs. 

We had a short break for lunch which was provided  for us and a lot of pizza and fruit was devoured. 

We also saw and played on some new digital products, enjoyed the free txt calls and saw new technology in ICT and gaming, including wireless “fixed lines” at vodaphone and the X Box room at Microsoft. We were privileged to speak with Microsoft’s CEO of New Zealand, Kevin Ackhurst, who humbly acknowledged all his staff and their importance in the company.  Tukairangi Maxwell did us proud when he thanked the organisers on behalf of Hato Petera and in support the students sang Kia Inoi. 

Students experienced different working environments, values and corporate settings and saw how they work together in industry. Special thanks to Nicola Ferguson from Microsoft and  Judy Speight, Accelerating Auckland for organizing the day and for all their input in making it a success. 

Go IT focuses on opening senior secondary students’ eyes to the career opportunities available in IT. It’s a series of fun, interactive workshops – a “talent and technology showcase” offering Year 12 and 13 students an opportunity to explore the latest technology and meet with IT role models; successful, young and energetic tertiary students and industry professionals who act as mentors to the students. 

The Go IT programme has been developed by Accelerating Auckland in partnership with Women in Technology (WIT) and with support from Vodafone and Microsoft.

Ahead of Hato Petera 5 earlier Go IT events have been hosted; commencing in March 2007 Auckland Girls Grammar, followed by Epsom Girls Grammar, Manurewa High School, Otahuhu College and a group of Wellington girls schools.