Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and Datacom to work in partnership

Datacom Group and Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu have signed a strategic partnership agreement, which will see the South Island iwi and New Zealand’s largest home-grown technology provider working together to deliver a series of tech projects and a new pathway for Māori youth interested in the tech sector.

Datacom Group CEO Greg Davidson says the agreement is part of Datacom’s approach to embrace new channels for training and development, and the kaupapa will help Datacom to better understand the needs of Māori in the tech sector.

“By working with Ngāi Tahu, Datacom sees this partnership as an opportunity to enable more young Māori mokopuna to find a pathway into the tech sector. We are actively working to create opportunities to consider a career in the sector and to see organisations where they thrive and won’t have to leave their identity at the door.”

The partnership will see Datacom offer training and placements for Ngāi Tahu rangatahi, and support Ngāi Tahu with developing the tribal council’s technical capability. Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Chief Executive Officer Arihia Bennett says the partnership will provide exciting opportunities for Ngāi Tahu whānau to take advantage of new and emerging technologies.

“This partnership will help us to identify and share leading technology solutions with hapū and whānau across the Ngāi Tahu takiwā.

“We’re particularly excited to create and discover new opportunities to support our rangatahi to build a career in the technology sector. By working together at a mana to mana level, we can weave new technologies into our operations, and share insights into Te Ao Māori with Datacom,” says Arihia Bennett.