He pō, he pō, he ao, he ao.

Tākiri mai te ata, korihi mai te manu,

Ka ao, ka ao, ka awatea!

Papaki tū ana ngā tai ki te reinga,

Ka ao, ka ao, ka ao te ra!

E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā karangatanga maha

E mahara atu ana ki ngā mate kua wahangū atu ki te ao wairua.

Nā rātou ngā taonga i tuku iho ki a tātou ki te ao hurihuri nei.

Haere koutou! E moe! Moe mai rā! Okioki atu ai!

Kāti kua mihia te pō me tahuri ināianei ki te whai ao ki te ao mārama.

Tēnā koutou, tēnā tātau katoa

Ka huri!

Te Mahi Ako has today launched a new national qualification designed to support workplaces across Aotearoa to deepen their understanding of tikanga Māori and build cultural capability from the inside out.

The Tikanga programme is a fully funded, NZQA-accredited programme designed for employees across all sectors. With practical, workplace-based learning at its core, the qualification enables individuals and organisations to embed tikanga Māori into everyday practice, wherever they are in the motu.

Chief Executive Maren Frerichs says the programme is more than just a course it’s a pathway for collective growth.

“This qualification doesn’t replace existing mahi, it supports it” says Frerichs. “It complements existing partnerships with mana whenua, internal programmes, and provides structure and support for teams who want to walk the journey of cultural capability together. It’s about building confidence. Not just in what you do, but in where you’re going as an organisation.”

Developed in partnership with Kauwaka Limited, and supported by the Te Mahi Ako board, the programme offers a flexible blend of online learning modules, workplace learning, and ways to embed contextualised support through wānanga, workshops, or facilitated group learning. It has already received strong interest from local councils, health providers, education settings, and tourism operators nationwide.

Frerichs draws on her own experience when describing the value of workplace-led cultural development.

“When I joined Skills Active, I enrolled in a workbased tikanga programme. It shaped how I understood where we are from, what our elevating purpose is and where we are headed.  That’s what we want for every learner. A chance to not just gain knowledge, but to connect that learning meaningfully to their mahi, their team, their community and their lives.”

The qualification sits on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework and is available at no cost to learners. Te Mahi Ako sees the initiative as part of its wider mission to uplift workplace learning and enable a future-focused, culturally grounded workforce.

A whakataukī shared at the launch captures the kaupapa behind the qualification:

“Kotahi te aho ka whati; ki te kāpuia, e kore e whati.”
A single strand may break. But many strands woven together will not.

ENDS