What are you studying?
I’m studying towards a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Economics and Te Reo Māori at Victoria University of Wellington.
Where do you whakapapa from?
I’m a Tūhoe, but I grew up in Tauranga. My late mother was a pākehā of British and Irish descent, born in Wellington. And my dad was born in Murupara, and raised in Ruatoki.
What mahi did you work on?
I mostly worked on various Expectation Reports for the 2023 Census, it’s annoying that I can’t really share the details of what I was working on beyond broad statements and document titles, but I found it all very fascinating. I got to perceive the economy in a much more grounded way compared to the sanitised abstractions of the classroom. I also spent time at wānanga and waiata practice, having dedicated spaces for reo at the workplace is amazing.
What advice would you give future interns?
I would tell people to take every opportunity that comes their way, don’t be passive in their careers. Push yourself outside your comfort zone as much as possible. And also to learn from the people around you, the knowledge and experience you can gain from your senior coworkers are invaluable, especially at Stats!
Favourite quote?
"...man is by nature a political animal...” - Aristotle, Politics