New health cadetship is opening doors for Wairoa job seekers

A cadetship aimed at helping people secure a career in health has launched in Wairoa.

The eight-week, paid Whāngaitia cadetship was popular among Ministry of Social Development’s job seekers, with 24 competing for the Wairoa programme, of which nine were selected.

Ministry of Social Development (MSD) regional commissioner for the East Coast Steve Smits-Murray said the Whāngaitia cadetship launch in June marked an important milestone for the community.

Steve Smits-Murray, (left) with Denise Eaglesome-Karekare, Jeff Brown, Anna Harvey, with the nine new Whāngaitia cadets at Wairoa Community Centre.

“The Whāngaitia cadetship in Wairoa, will help widen the talent pool and create employment pathways in a district where job growth has been weakening, and the number of people not in education, employment or training well above national levels.”

Smits-Murray said MSD and Health New Zealand had brought a huge amount of passion, commitment and trust to Whāngaitia, which has been running in Hastings since 2021.

Health New Zealand cadetship team leader Hayley Reid said to date, 239 MSD clients have participated in 12 programmes, of which over 90% (221) successfully graduated from the programme.

Of the 239 participants, 188 secured ongoing employment across front-desk reception, security, healthcare assistants in aged care and residential care, community support workers, disability services and other areas, with 165 still employed at six months.

“Over the four years we have been running Whāngaitia in Hastings, we have seen a number of people staying in the health sector up to four years after graduating, while others have progressed to more senior roles or undertaken further study to advance their careers.”

The nine Wairoa cadets have placements across Wairoa Hospital, and Access Health and HealthCare NZ, and will complete their training one day a week from the nursing school Te Whare Wānga o Awanuiārangi.

Whāngaitia cadets receive pastoral care with the goal of supporting them in to permanent employment.

Steve Smits-Murray said the Whāngaitia cadetship was an innovative approach to address the growing labour market need for healthcare and social assistance workers.

“We know the importance Wairoa residents place on their whenua and through this programme we can support more people to gain employment in their home district.”