Ringa Hora Services Workforce Development Council held our first industry talanoa on the 4th of July for Pacific aviation and airport services in Mangere, South Auckland, home to the largest collection of people from Polynesia and other parts of the Pacific.
Pacific representatives from the industry, high school and tertiary students, and Ringa Hora staff were warmly welcomed at the Ara Auckland Airport Jobs and Skills Hub – a stone’s throw away from Aotearoa’s largest international and domestic airports.
The talanoa explored Pacific aspirations for pathways, careers and training, barriers and challenges, and possible actions for Pacific to succeed in aviation and airport services.
It also highlighted the unique strengths that Pacific people bring to the aviation sector. These include adaptability, collaborative problem-solving, innovative thinking, resilience and a strong work ethic.
Keynote speaker Ioane Fiso, a graduate mechanical engineer working to become the first Pacific astronaut, encouraged attendees to see the aviation industry as one that Pacific people can thrive in.
“The industry has just as much to gain as the Pasifika aspiring to be a part of it. The work ethic, drive, and intellect I have seen from Pasifika would be a brutal force for the rapid progression of our aviation and aerospace industries should we strive to be more involved.”
Pacific people currently make up 11% of the Aviation & Airport Services industry workforce. A large proportion of that workforce is in ground-focused roles such as baggage handling and customer-facing roles such as aircrew and airport administration.
“When we hear aviation, we only think of three things, pilot, aircraft engineer and flight attendants. But they don’t see the baggage handlers, they don’t see the technicians, those that are behind the scenes, to make it safe for a plane departing an airport and arriving at the other airport. I believe we need to create more awareness in our communities, in our churches, our schools, and tell them what we do in the aviation industry,” said panellist Arieta Tubuka, Senior Communication, Navigational & Surveillance Technician, Airways New Zealand.
The diverse and engaging job roles within the aviation and airport services industry provide potential for Pacific individuals to pave the way for their communities and create lasting impacts on the industry.
Ringa Hora will use the insights gathered from this talanoa to understand the challenges that the industry is faced with. The insights help identify the needs of Pacific people through the lived experiences attendees shared, acknowledging how we have arrived at our current destination and allowing Ringa Hora to inform the possibilities for the future.
The talanoa enabled collaborative discussion with industry to develop methods of increasing access and reducing barriers for Pacific learners to empower them to realise their potential through training and employment. These insights will lay the groundwork for further workforce development within our Pacific workforces in the aviation industry.
“As an organisation, Ringa Hora recognises the importance of creating spaces for Pacific people to talanoa and share their journey within the aviation industry,” said Zeena Khan, Pacific Transformation Lead, Ringa Hora.
“The insights shared will inform the priority aviation projects underway at Ringa Hora while supporting the aspirations of more visibility of pathways for our Pacific people, growing leadership opportunities, and increased representation.”
A summary of the findings from the talanoa and next steps can be downloaded here.
