Tara Edwards-Tusa, Kaiārahi and Environmental Compliance Manager at Stevenson, recently completed the Kaiārahi o Akengokengo Māori Leadership course. Designed by Fulton Hogan specifically for Māori leaders, the name of the course means Leaders of Tomorrow. The course combines 6 modules which were completed over 6 months with content covering leading yourself, leading others, expanding your presence and building engagement.

Attendees came from around the country, from Alexandra up to Kaitaia. The 6 wānanga were held in different locations including Te Manukanuka o Hoturoa marae in Tāmaki Makaurau, and Waiwhetu marae in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. A highlight says Tara was getting to know, and learning from kaumātua. “We were able to talk to kaumātua and learn some of the tikanga of the marae we spent time at,” she comments.

Course attendees worked in groups and selected a work-related project to complete. Tara’s team developed a
proposal to produce a te ao Māori app called Kia Haumaru Te Noho – Stay Safe. The app would educate and inform Fulton Hogan employees about tikanga including marae protocols, te reo Māori, karakia and pepeha, as well as important information like risk control plans in both English and te reo Māori.

Tara acknowledges the investment that Fulton Hogan and Stevenson have put into the course, and the attendees. “The single best thing for me has been the whanaungatanga. It feels like we are all on the same waka and our group is excited to make sure that this waka progresses forward. It’s an exciting thing to be advancing te ao Māori within Fulton Hogan and Stevenson.”

A number of Stevenson employees have completed the programme including Sam Jones from Waingaro quarry who was a graduate of last year’s cohort.