Wāhine Māia: Being bold, courageous and persistent in the face of adversity - Mel Katu

Wāhine Māia is led by Mel Katu, Māori Success Manager - Ākonga Māori Success and Equity, and former colleague Sue Brotherton Associate Dean - Faculty of Primary Industries, Trades and Infrastructure (PITI). They had been talking about how, despite a steady increase in enrolments of female students (ākonga wāhine) in Toi Ohomai trades programmes, trades classrooms, workshops, and workplaces remain male-dominated. 

The aspirational name, Wāhine Māia, refers to ‘women being bold and courageous, persistent in the face of adversity’ and was gifted by the Kaitātaiako Facilitator Hinemaea Ngatai-Smith.

An institute-wide initiative saw a collaboration of trades, Māori success and Learning Advisors to establish, deliver and evaluate a women-in-trade network programme beginning in 2023. The Te Ao Māori based framework and the collaborative mahi (work) has continued to evolve the format each year since.

The aim is to foster trades wāhine success through regular wānanga (workshops), whanaungatanga (networking) and wheako (sharing experiences). Wāhine Māia delivery is co-shared by kaimahi (staff) from the PITI Faculty and Te Haeata - Māori Success Directorate. 

Also involved are the Careers and Employability, Learning Advisors, Māori Pacific Trades Training,  Marketing, and Research teams. Without the breadth of kaimahi (staff) involvement, Wāhine Māia would have been difficult to launch and sustain. The journal article below gives more information about the programme.

Lead author Mel Katu continues to research and support student success. Her own Masters was in the role of mentoring for Māori students to improve achievement, and mentoring and role modelling success  - especially for wāhine ākonga – is how she rolls!

Katu, M J M., & Brotherton, S. (2024). Wāhine Māia: Being bold, courageous and persistent in the face of adversity. ATLAANZ Journal, 7 (1).