Te Mauri 101 online tarot reading business owner Kim Kaukau pictured with her youngest daughter Harina Kingi. Photo / Kim Kaukau
Te Mauri 101 online tarot reading business owner Kim Kaukau pictured with her youngest daughter Harina Kingi. Photo / Kim Kaukau
Having a severely disabled child sent Taupō's Kim Kaukau career in an entirely different direction.
Recently Kim completed an online training programme to upskill her digital knowledge and change her life trajectory.
Kim was two years into a Bachelor of Teaching degree when her third child, Harina Kingi, now 10,was born with cerebral palsy.
Harina is unable to talk, has limited mobility and requires 24-hour care. Kim is her caregiver and says earning a living within the constraints of caring for Harina led her to train as a tarot card reader.
She now offers online spiritual readings for people in New Zealand and Australia via video conferencing through her Facebook business Te Mauri 101.
She gets paid for caring for Harina, but said the pandemic motivated her to upskill because she could see her business was going to have to go completely online.
Lacking confidence in her ability to market her business online, Kim enrolled in two courses at the same time, the Digital Doers course at Manaaki.io and a small business course through Taupō Learning Centre.
Kim was pleasantly surprised to be accepted into the Digital Doers Academy because it was only for job seekers who are on a Ministry of Social Development benefit.
"They chose me plus a couple of others who were not job seekers."
Over 12 weeks, Kim learnt how to market Te Mauri 101, advertise online, and how to do analytics.
Kim Kaukau (front right) with other graduates from the Digital Doers Academy. Photo / Manaaki.io
"The amount of stuff they cram into 12 weeks is mind-blowing. You learn it one day and have to hand the assignment in the next day. It was hard doing the work when I was really tired and my brain was overloaded with learning."
"But man if you want to go somewhere then you should get on board. And bring a positive attitude!"
Manaaki.io general manager Rachel Adams said the pilot Digital Doers Academy was so successful in improving job opportunities for 22 job seekers that a second 20-week training programme is set to run.
Applications are open for 50 job seekers on a benefit who are keen to upskill their digital knowledge.
Funded by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), the Digital Doers Academy helps job seekers find sustainable employment while also tackling New Zealand's digital skills gap and the digital divide.
"It's humbling to see that in just a few months, we were able to take 22 Kiwis from being benefit recipients and job seekers, to skilled, paid workers in a growing industry," said Rachel.
In the academy's next intake, 50 places are available for any Kiwi on an MSD benefit, with no prior education or experience required.
The programme begins with a 12-week course that teaches participants skills like social media marketing, website development, and digital strategy. The course is followed by an eight-week paid internship with a small Kiwi business.
Meanwhile, Kim says her new business skills have enabled her to connect with and provide comfort to many people who are separated from loved ones due to the pandemic.
"I've learned my life lessons, had to go into self-reflection, and now lead a spiritual life," said Kim.
She says the coronavirus pandemic has caused pain for many people, with loved ones in Australia and New Zealand being separated from partners who are forced to live overseas.
"People come to me when they are down and out. They are mainly crying and at the end of their tether.
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Kim says there is often an underlying theme of a lack of self-love.
"Do we ever say thank you to ourselves? Our mind is one thing, and our body another."
The Details Who: Interested job seekers on a MSD benefit What: Apply for a position at the next Digital Doers Academy Where: www.manaaki.io/digitaldoersacademy or through your local Work and Income Service Centre. When: Applications close August 31 How: Successful applicants without a computer or internet connection will be provided a device and access.
