Meet our policy graduates

What did you study at University?

I studied a Bachelor of Arts in History and Sociology at the University of Auckland, with Honours in History.

I relocated from Auckland to Wellington for the graduate programme at MBIE, which has been a great experience so far. Living in Wellington is different to living Auckland - it is smaller and it has a different vibe. I like the fact that I can walk around the city easily and I don’t need to have a car. 

Why did you apply for the Graduate Programme at MBIE?

As part of my Sociology major, I did a few policy-related papers, particularly around welfare. Looking into the various aspects of policy behind the welfare system was really interesting to me and gave me an insight into policy work. At MBIE - being one of New Zealand’s largest regulators that sets government policy - there are many more policy areas to explore and work on.

What is your favourite thing about the Programme so far?

The cohort has a community feel, a real friendliness. I think there are about 25 of us this year. I have made some really good friends, which is really important to me. It is great meeting people that are in a similar position to me; it helps with learning, and you can pop a quick email to the graduate email address list and say - “Does anyone know about this?” It has been quite helpful having this peer support.

What is an interesting piece of work you have been working on?

From day one, I have been working on the KiwiSaver Default Provider review.  It is a piece of work that has made us consider different ways of thinking. As a History graduate, I wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to engage with financial markets – my team at MBIE. The variety of work available is really great! 

What do you hope to get out of the Graduate Programme?

For the most part - the learning. The Graduate programme is a really good opportunity to prepare you for working in the public sector. I would like to excel as a Policy Analyst and this programme is catered to that aspiration.  I can’t emphasize enough that I particularly enjoy the exposure we get; from day one I was meeting with external stakeholders relevant to my area of work.

What did you study at University?

I completed a Bachelor of Arts in History and Spanish, and then Honours in History at Otago University.

Why did you apply for the Graduate Programme at MBIE?

I always knew I was interested in a career in policy but I also wanted to study something I was passionate about - so I picked up my History major. After MBIE representatives came to visit our History Honours class, I successfully applied for a summer internship. I loved my internship and knew I wanted to come back as a graduate.

What is your favourite thing about the Programme so far?

I love that we are trusted, given responsibility and offered a wide range of development opportunities.

What is an interesting piece of work you have been doing?

I am lucky enough to work on a wide range of consumer policy issues, from ticket reselling and access to safer credit, to country of origin labelling for food.

What do you hope to get out of the Graduate Programme?

I hope to come out of the programme as a well-rounded and experienced graduate who will naturally transition into the role of a Policy Advisor.

What did you study at University?

I studied a Bachelor of Arts at Victoria University in Public Policy, Political Science and International Relations, with a minor in Development Studies.

Why did you apply for the Graduate Programme at MBIE?

It was specific to what I studied, offering opportunities to put my public policy and political knowledge into practice. The programme was highly attractive to me in its focus on practical learning and providing graduates with hands-on experience. The extra support the programme offered through workshops and ‘buddies’ also appealed to me to help transition smoothly from a full-time student into full-time work.

MBIE as an organisation also looked like a great place to work due to the range of portfolios and range of issues I could potentially be working on.

What is your favourite thing about the Programme so far?

I have really valued the large responsibility I have been given since the very start of me joining the team. I have been trusted with a range of tasks, including bigger projects that contribute to the team’s overall work programme. This has helped me learn quickly and feel like a valued member of the team.

What is an interesting piece of work you have been doing?

I am involved in reviewing the Crown Minerals Act (1991) to ensure it remains fit-for-purpose for New Zealanders. My role specifically focuses on analysing iwi engagement under this regime, and identifying opportunities to better involve Māori in decision making processes. It has been a challenging but insightful work stream to be leading and has involved directly meeting and speaking with iwi groups to gather their views.

What do you hope to get out of the Graduate Programme?

I would like to work on a range of projects that I feel make a tangible impact on wider society. I hope my work can positively contribute to the lives of New Zealanders to make our country a more sustainable, inclusive and prosperous country to live in.

What did you study at University?

I studied a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Relations, and Anthropology at the University of Auckland.

Why did you apply for the Graduate Programme at MBIE?

I wanted to work in Government but I wasn’t entirely sure in what capacity. When I took an Indigenous Sovereignty and Public Policy paper, I developed a keen interest in policy. I initially started with MBIE as part of the Tupu Tai internship and managed to be selected for the Graduate Programme.

What is your favourite thing about the Programme so far?

A lot of responsibility has been given to me early on. Over the past few months, I’ve been the lead author on a Cabinet paper, so I’ve had to go the Cabinet Committee a few times which was really exciting.

What is an interesting piece of work you have been doing?

I have been working on a set of proposed regulations for dams, which aims to establish a nationally consistent approach to dam safety. As an example of what can go wrong - the catastrophic failure of the Brumadinho dam in Brazil really highlights the importance of this work.

What do you hope to get out of the Graduate Programme?

Considering that Pasifika are overrepresented in negative social indicators, and underrepresented as policy advisors, I hope to develop my policy craft in order to help deliver better outcomes for my people.

What did you study?

I studied a Bachelor of Law and a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Political Science and Sociology at the University of Auckland.

Why did you apply for the Graduate Programme at MBIE?

I was drawn to MBIE because it was the one government agency that kept popping up in a lot of my courses through university. It was clear to me that MBIE was involved in a wide range of policy areas and I thought this would be the best place to start a career in policy and explore different policy areas.

What is your favourite thing about the Programme so far?

The best part about the Graduate Programme is the support you get from the entire Ministry to help you transition into your role. Everyone from the General Manager to the ‘buddy’ I was assigned took an active role in welcoming me to the Ministry and helping me transition. In addition, being part of the Programme meant I could share this experience with the other graduates. I was lucky enough to be a part of a large cohort which means there are a lot of people to bounce ideas off and share experiences with, which has been amazing!

What is an interesting piece of work you have been doing?

I have been working on a number of corporate governance projects. Each project is in a different stage of the policy process so it has been interesting to be a part of the various work streams to get a full picture of what working in policy is really like.

What do you hope to get out of the Graduate Programme?

The Programme is great because it is designed to help you grow and provides you with opportunities to develop skills that will be transferable to other teams or roles, both within and outside the Ministry. I am eager to learn as much as I can about the world of policy as well as the various subject matters in my branch. I am not sure if I will stay in policy forever, but I have already developed a lot of transferable skills through this Programme.

What did you study at University?

I have a Bachelor of Arts with majors in Political Science and Film & Media Studies from the coldest (read “coolest”) university in the country – Otago!

Why did you apply for the Graduate Programme at MBIE?

Since picking up Political Science at University, I have always been interested in working in policy. It seemed like a career path I could genuinely make a difference for New Zealanders in. I heard that the Graduate Programme at MBIE was among the best of graduate recruitment in government, so I wasn’t going to miss my chance!

What is your favourite thing about the Programme so far?

We receive a lot of support while also having a lot of responsibility. I had to do a briefing for our Minister in my second week! There’s nothing quite like learning on the job, especially when the stakes are high. We’re able to make a real impact from day one, without the fear of making mistakes. All of the graduates are in the same boat which adds to the support. Plus, I’ve made mates for life here.

What is an interesting piece of work you have been working on?

I’m working on the Temporary Migrant Worker Exploitation review and engaging with the International Labour Organisation in Geneva. The review is particularly exciting and gives real meaning to the job. We are currently proposing options to help reduce migrant exploitation in New Zealand. This has meant engaging with a number of stakeholders inside and outside of government. The experiences so far have been invaluable and I can’t wait to see this project through.

What do you hope to get out of the Graduate Programme?

I hope to have the skills needed to provide high quality policy advice and influence Ministers. I also hope to be able to create policy that doesn’t just work in theory, but delivers desired outcomes in practice.

What did you study at University?

I studied a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Political Science and International Relations with Honours in Political Science at Victoria University of Wellington.

Why did you apply for the Graduate Programme at MBIE and HUD?

I applied for the Graduate Programme at MBIE and HUD because there were a wide range of interesting areas in which you could work and also take part in group sessions that support you to develop into a Policy Advisor. I indicated that I was interested in Housing, as I am really passionate about how housing links in with wellbeing in our society - particularly for our Tamariki.

What is your favourite thing about the Programme so far? 

My favourite thing about the Programme has been learning about all the different mechanisms of government. We have had some really interesting sessions on Select Committees. These were particularly useful to me as I am currently working on a departmental report on a Select Committee session.

What is an interesting piece of work you have been doing?

I have been working on a broad range of housing policy areas including housing affordability. I mapped the different progressive homeownership schemes that are currently available to first home buyers to assist with our analysis of how we can best assist people into homeownership.  

What do you hope to get out of the Graduate Programme?

I hope to gain transferrable skills to become an effective Policy Advisor. The best thing about this Programme is that by the end, you should be able to apply the skills you have learnt to any policy topic. Whatever subject area takes your interest - you should be able to turn your hand to!

What did you study at University?

I completed a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and Management, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Pacific Studies, Political Science and International Relations at the University of Auckland.

Why did you apply for the Graduate Programme at MBIE?

I wanted a career that would allow me to combine my interest in politics and passion for my Pasifika community.  Policy was not on my radar until I attended a Tupu Tai event at the University of Auckland and heard about how Pasifika are underrepresented in policy roles across the public sector. After learning more about MBIE, and how I could use my experiences to shape policies to better serve our communities, I was sold!

What is your favourite thing about the programme so far?

I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity to work on a diverse range of work projects and collaborate with like-minded people in my team and within the graduate cohort.  Graduates are given a lot of responsibility which can be daunting, but it means that we get a lot of development opportunities and get to work on really interesting projects from the get-go.

The graduate programme has also been invaluable in connecting me with colleagues around MBIE who work tirelessly to ensure that the lived experiences and perspectives of all communities in New Zealand are heard and represented.

What is an interesting piece of work you have been doing?

I’m in the Trade and International team, and one of my projects at the moment is working on MBIE’s participation and preparation in the lead up to New Zealand’s host year of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation 2021 (APEC). The APEC21 event creates opportunities for New Zealand to promote its economic interests with trading nations and will be the largest event ever hosted by the NZ Government. It’s exciting to be a part of that!

What do you hope to get out of the Graduate Programme?

I hope to come out of the graduate programme with the tools and confidence to address the problems faced by our communities, in order to create a more prosperous New Zealand. 

What did you study at University?

I completed a Bachelor of Communications Studies, double majoring in Leadership Communications and Public Policy and I am completing a Master in Management Studies at the University of Waikato.

Why did you apply for the Graduate Programme at MBIE?

I had a goal to pursue a career in policy for some time, with aspirations to contribute towards better outcomes for Māori. I also have interests in business and entrepreneurship, so the MBIE Graduate Programme was well suited to me. I saw it as an opportunity where I could combine my interests.

What is your favourite thing about the Programme so far? 

Being a part of an awesome group of people, who are keen to make a difference to New Zealand. All the graduates bring their own unique perspectives to our work.

What is an interesting piece of work you have been doing?

I am a part of a collaboration between central, local Government, Iwi, Mana Whenua and communities, as part of the Hamilton to Auckland Corridor initiative. The initiative aims to promote greater integrated inter-regional strategic and transport planning between central and local government and mana whenua. It will also provide a platform to support regional economic growth-particularly through consolidated urban planning and the expansion of high-quality transport connections.

What do you hope to get out of the Graduate Programme?

I would like to gain more confidence in sharing my ideas with a range of stakeholders, build my policy capabilities and develop positive relationships with others in and outside of MBIE/Housing and Urban Development [HUD].

What did you study at University?

I studied a Bachelor of Science majoring in Environmental Science and Biology at Victoria University, with a Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Management at Auckland University.

Why did you apply for the Graduate Programme at MBIE?

My parents have had long careers in the public service and my mum in public policy. They had let me know that a career in public policy would be diverse, rewarding and interesting – so I was excited to try it out for myself.

What is your favourite thing about the Programme so far?

The best thing about MBIE’s Policy Graduate Programme is that there is a high level of trust in graduates. I had some incredible opportunities straight away, such as leading stakeholder meetings and scoping and shaping key elements of policy projects. 

What is an interesting piece of work you have been working on?

I worked on developing legislation to enable workers to raise a pay equity claim, so that women and men who perform work of the same value are paid the same, even though their jobs may be different.

What do you hope to get out of the Graduate Programme?

I finished on the Graduate Programme about a year ago now – it gave me an accelerated start to my career through the huge range of opportunities available. It also gave me the confidence to challenge the status quo and the ability to influence the shape of policies that will affect the lives of everyday New Zealanders.