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Since July 2022, more than 610 cadets across 35 programmes have been approved, up from the 499 cadets approved by this time in the last financial year. The programme is growing.

“The Cadetship programme’s ongoing success comes down to treating our young people with mana so that they can achieve their highest potential for themselves and their whānau” Minister for Māori Development Willie Jackson says.

Over 1,300 cadets will be supported this financial year, building on the more than 5,000 cadets and 400 employers who have already participated in the Cadetships programme. About a third of cadets are under 25 and about half are wāhine.

“We know that Māori have a wealth of potential across Aotearoa that often just needs an opportunity to grow,” Willie Jackson said.

“This Government is creating incentives and initiatives that nurture young people to find the character-building strengths that work – that they can grow and become better citizens for them, their whānau and community, and wider Aotearoa New Zealand.”

Earlier this year, the Government announced a Budget 22 investment into the Cadetship programme of an additional $25 million over the next four years. This also builds on our manifesto commitment to provide free access to all apprenticeships and to many trade training courses.

Businesses across a range of industries support the Cadetships programme, including employers that support whānau to learn about horticulture and agriculture with a Te Ao Māori lens; including a Māori-owned financial technology company, and a traffic management company, and an organisation that supports Māori into technology careers.

Over the last few years, more than three-quarters of employers are either fully or partly Māori owned, however all employers are invited to participate in the programme.

Another training initiative, the Government’s Apprenticeship Boost programme, has seen Māori make up 19 per cent of its 50,000 apprenticeships.

The Cadetships and apprenticeship programmes collectively benefit both the employer and the employee while improving whānau wellbeing. “When whānau thrive, so do their communities and Aotearoa New Zealand” said Willie Jackson

“We want to see Māori and the wider economy continue to grow. Supporting more Māori into employment, education and training in a post COVID-19 recovery period is a priority of this Government as a Te Tiriti partner” said Willie Jackson.

Māori and Iwi increasingly contribute and play a major role in the economy across many sectors including primary, natural resources, enterprise, and tourism. In the past 20 years the Māori economy has grown from about $16 billion to $70 billion and with it steadily growing at five per cent per annum, it is expected to reach $100 billion in assets by 2030.