Play your part in growing Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s dynamic tech industry and foster the talent of our next generation of creators and innovators.
1. Attend tech events
Let’s start with an easy one. Every year, there are hundreds of tech events all across Auckland and Aotearoa, and many of them are free. From aerospace to AI, gaming to robotics – whatever you’re interested in, you’ll be able to find places to meet with like-minded people, find out what’s new in the sector or share ideas.
Informal meet-ups, interactive webinars, workshops, speaker panel discussions, tech exhibitions and industry expos – tap into both the brightest minds in the business and the up and comers. The success of the Auckland Tech Newcomers Meet Up event series for recent migrants shows the power of making connections and finding support networks, while large-scale annual events such as Techweek dive into the future of tech.
Check out our tech events calendar to see what’s happening in Auckland.
2. Become a volunteer or mentor
Did you know you can help make Auckland’s tech industry stronger, more connected and more equitable in as little as a few hours a year?
Sharing your time and experiences can change someone’s life. Volunteering can help rangatahi, new talent and under-represented groups such as Māori and Pacific peoples, and women, to find their place in Auckland’s growing tech community. It also strengthens and future-proofs the industry and can improve your own professional development and personal wellbeing (after all, doing good feels good).
From long-term mentoring to volunteering just a few hours at an event, school visit or webinar, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved.
3. Take on an intern
Forget the old stereotype of interns only making coffee and filing documents – offering an internship can be hugely valuable to both parties. Interns gain practical experience in the workplace, a boost on the CV, and even potential employment, while employers benefit from the fresh perspectives and skills younger people bring.
Sign up to become a volunteer or mentor at Summer of Tech, a well-established year-round programme that helps students learn about pathways in tech and gain job-ready skills. There’s no set time commitment – it could be as simple as reviewing CVs or holding mock interviews. If you’re a tech business owner, think about whether you could start your own in-house internship programme or trial.
4. Leverage the official New Zealand Tech and Innovation Story
Build your business’s profile by leveraging the official New Zealand Tech and Innovation initiative See Tomorrow First, a unifying story for New Zealand’s tech sector that’s designed to help build Aotearoa’s global reputation.
Sign up to access a suite of tools to help your company make an impact on the world stage, including sector success stories, storytelling guides to help build your own brand story, and free sales and marketing tools such as images, presentation templates, social and digital ad templates, and more.
Sign up and explore the business toolkit.
5. Support Māori and Pacific peoples into tech
To create a more diverse, equitable and sustainable tech industry for Tāmaki Makaurau, we need to support more Māori and Pacific peoples into tech learning and career pathways. Two organisations addressing the challenges and opportunities for Māori and Pacific peoples considering or already working in tech are Pasifika in I.T. and Te Matarau – The Māori Tech Association.
Pasifika in I.T. aims to see Pacific Island communities educated, equipped and employed across all areas of the IT industry. The Te Matarau community aims to increase Māori representation, participation and outcomes within the tech sector. Tech employers can also consider how to provide greater support to their Māori and Pacific peoples’ workforce across areas from onboarding to upskilling.