Project Ikuna was a government-funded four-year programme to deliver in-work short courses for Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland Pacific workers to upskill during work hours. The fully funded courses were designed to support those working in jobs more likely to be affected by automation and other technological change as well as the economic impacts of COVID-19.
Project Ikuna was available to Auckland businesses wanting to upskill their Pacific workers, enabling them to adapt to the changing nature of work, while creating a better employee experience.
Project Ikuna initially offered two short courses – Future Ready: Money Confidence and Future Ready: Life Online – before expanding the course offering to 12 Future Ready courses including Assertiveness and Confidence, Preparing for Home Ownership, Conflict Resolution and Preparing for Your Retirement. Employees that complete a Project Ikuna short course gain an external accreditation.
Project Ikuna was part of The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Auckland Pacific Skills Shift Initiative known as Alo Vaka.
Government funding for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Auckland Pacific Skills Shift Initiative, of which Project Ikuna was part of, was limited to four-years.
Enrolments for Project Ikuna Future Ready short courses are no longer open because government funding for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Auckland Pacific Skills Shift Initiative, of which Project Ikuna is part of, has ended.
Employers can register their interest to receive updates on initiatives to upskill their Pacific workforce and help them become Future Ready here.
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland employers can register their interest to receive updates on initiatives to upskill their Pacific workforce and help them become Future Ready here.
Tātaki Auckland Unlimited is Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s economic and cultural agency that works to enrich the economic and cultural life of the region and its people, creating opportunities and experiences for all. Pacific people play an important role in Auckland’s social and economic prosperity. They are over-represented in lower-skilled roles in critical industries, median incomes for Pacific people are lower than for the general population. Lifting their prosperity opportunities means an economic success for Auckland, and Tātaki Auckland Unlimited works to support Pacific people through a number of programmes.