Maori students doing the business

August 3, 2007

Maori students doing the business

The four regional winners in the Rangatahi Business Competition have been decided. The 25 teams of Maori senior secondary school students presented their business cases to a panel of judges and a crowd of around 700 in Hamilton.

Organised by Waikato University Management School, the two days of finals were the culmination of more than three months work for the students who gave up weekends, some of their holidays and many nights to learn about business marketing, strategy and analysis, which they then applied to a real business.

Hamilton Girls’ High School won the Waikato region of the competition. Their business was Hamilton’s Rocket Espresso, and dressed as air hostesses (complete with suitcases on wheels) the four Year 13 students took the audience for a flight on Rocket Airlines. Instead of tea or coffee, they offered STEPP and SWAT analysis of Rocket’s business model and recommended ways for the business to improve, including an internet hotspot to attract more customers.

Five Rotorua Boys High School prefects provided a slick analysis of I-Secure, a web hosting and design company in Rotorua, to win the Rotorua-Taupo section of the competition. Head boy Ibrahim Soloman said the whole experience had been fantastic. “I decided to join the team, really just to get exposure for the school and to meet like-minded Maori but now I’m faced with a tough decision. Medicine or business? I know both are lucrative and rewarding, but before doing this competition, business wasn’t on my radar.”

A team from Te Puke High School weren’t even going to bother entering but ended up taking the Tauranga region award. The team had to present a written report on Tauranga’s Ataahua Cultural Tours, worth 50 per cent of their final mark, the other 50 being their presentation. Te Puke recommended Ataahua revamp its website, relocate to a more prominent position, increase its staff numbers and work in more with other tourist operators.

Wesley College won the South Auckland section. The five-strong Wesley College team gave a confident and energetic presentation on Maori business Navigator Tours, outlining their analysis of the business and suggesting expansion into the Pacific Islands.

Presenting the awards, Minister for Youth Affairs Nanaia Mahuta said the competition was about potential. “Every young Maori in our country can aspire to be the best in our nation,” she said. “It’s cool to be Maori, it’s a competitive edge not only in Aotearoa New Zealand but also in the world.”

In addition to the regional Rangatahi winners, several students were presented with individual scholarships or awards. Four scholarships, each worth $2,500 were given by entrepreneur Neil Richardson to students who’d demonstrated potential for leadership excellence during the competition.

They went to: Jenna Hudson from Trident High School in Whakatane; Hemi Leef, Tauranga Boys College; Te Rauroha Pokaitara, Wesley College; Ariana Grant from Western Heights High School in Rotorua.

Four awards were given by the Ministry of Maori Affairs, Te Puni Kokiri for outstanding work from students in a winning team. Each received a lap top, $2,000 for further study and $2,000 for Maori resources in their schools.

The recipients were: Ngaria Rolleston, Te Puke High School; Keegan Edwardson, Rotorua Boys High School; Melissa Orr, Hamilton Girls High School; Hohapa Tamati Daniel Maruera, Wesley College.

ENDS

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