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Tech Events

From the tech alleys of Auckland to the bustling streets of Wellington, TechStep is Aotearoa’s premier guide to the dynamic landscape of tech events and innovations.  Whether you’re an enthusiast looking to dive deep into the world of technology or interested in discovering what a tech career looks like, these events are here to help you connect and grow.  We proudly support and showcase tech events all across the Land of the Long White Cloud. Jump in, be curious, and become part of New Zealand’s vibrant tech world.   Make your next step tech!

Featured Event

ASB Polyfest 2024

TechStep had an amazing time at ASB Polyfest 2024, where we shared our message with a crowd of over 80,000 high school students.

Polyfest is an incredible celebration of Māori and Pacific cultures, featuring traditional music, dance, costume, and cultural speech competitions. It’s a highly recognised event on the Auckland calendar, showcasing our diverse cultures and the talent of our youth.

Māori and Pacific peoples are underrepresented in the tech sector, despite being a significant untapped talent pool – Māori represent only 1% of tech sector employees, and Pasifika make up just 0.8%.

TechStep is all about bridging this gap and inspiring more Kiwis from all backgrounds to pursue tech careers.

Upcoming Events

TechStep NGEN Room In House Workshops 

Date: Monday 29 April – Friday 5 July

Venue: Whāngarei High Schools/Kura

Tech Club Porirua

Date: Tuesday 30 April – Tuesday 2 July
Venue: Tu Brandon Intermediate School Hall, 32 Driver Crescent, Cannons Creek
Please note, this event is for Years 7 and 8.

Time: (Tuesdays) at 3.30pm

Tech Club Porirua 

Date: Wednesday 1 May – Wednesday 3 July

Venue: Bishop Viard College – Business Hub, 20 Kenepuru Drive, Kenepuru

Time: (Wednesdays) at 3.30pm

Hononga STEM (Tāmaki Makaurau) 

Date: Wednesday 1 May to Tuesday 7 May

Venue: TKKM ō Puau (1 May), TKKM ō ngā Maungarongo (3 May), Hay Park School (3 May), Mana Rangatahi ki Awataha (6 May), Ōrākei School (7 May)
Time: 8am – 3pm each day

Porirua Careers Expo 

Date: Thursday 9 May

Venue:
Te Rauparaha Arena (Main Stadium), Porirua
Time: 9.30am – 5.30pm

Porirua Careers Expo – Tech Speaker Sessions  

Date: Thursday 9 May

Venue:
Te Rauparaha Arena (Main Stadium), Porirua
Time: 10am – 4.45pm

NZ Careers Expo 

Date: Wednesday 15 May

Venue:More FM Arena, Edgar Centre, Dunedin
Time: 9am – 3pm and 5pm – 7pm

Host Tech 

Date: Tuesday 21 May

Venue: Kingpin, 35 Brecon Street, Queenstown
Time: 10am – 12pm

Te Huarahi Robotics Showcase

Date: Tuesday 21 May

Venue: Te Huarahi Linwood Avenue School Hall, 260 Linwood Avenue, Linwood, Christchurch
Time: 4pm – 5.30pm

Woven Cultures in Digitech
– Inspiring the future of Technology


Date: Wednesday 22 May

Venue: Tūranga Library, 60 Cathedral Square, Christchurch Central
Time: 9.30am – 2.30pm

New Zealand Aluminium Smelter (NZAS) 2024

Date: Wednesday 22 May
Venue: NZAS, Tiwai Road, Tiwai Point
Time: 4.30pm – 6.30pm

Future Tech for Rangitahi 

Date: Wednesday 22 May

Venue:
Toi Ohomai Mokoia Campus, Rotorua
Time: 10am – 1pm

Intro to Animation 

Date: Thursday 23 May

Venue:
EPIC Westport, 10a Lyndhurst St, Westport
Time: 10am – 12pm

DYP and Fisher & Paykel Appliances Dunedin Tour

Date: Thursday 23 May

Venue: FPA Dunedin Design Centre, 211 George Street, Dunedin
Time: 6pm – 9pm

EmpowHER: Manawatū Girls in IT

Date: Friday 24 May

Venue: UCOL Te Pūkenga Manawatū, 18 Princess Street, Palmerston North (Room TBC)
Time: 9.30am – 3.00pm (Light Lunch Provided)

Igniting Innovation: Combat Robotics

Date: Saturday 25 May

Venue: Marlborough Youth Trust, 18 Kinross Street, Blenheim
Time: 10am – 8.30pm

Game Jam Manawatū

Date: Saturday 25 May

Venue: two36 Meet Space, 236 Broadway Avenue, Palmerston North
Time: 9am – 2pm

VAKA Taonga Workshop 

Date: Monday 10 June to Tuesday 11 June

Venue: GRID MNK, 2 Osterley Way, Manukau
Time: 9am – 12pm

Hononga STEM (Waikato) 

Date: Monday 17 June to Thursday 20 June

Venue: TBD

Franklin STEM: Technology and Innovation  

Date: Thursday 8 August

Venue: PIA Centre, 55 Ward Street, Pukekohe
Time: 9.30am – 3pm

TechStep NGEN Room In House Workshops

Date: 29 April – 5 July
Venue: Whāngarei High Schools/Kura

TechStep NGEN Room In-House Workshops delivered by Tai Tokerau Trades Training in conjunction with NGEN Room are revolutionising tech education! Together, we’re unlocking diverse pathways in the tech realm for students throughout multiple kura in Te Tai Tokerau. NGEN Room’s expert workshops cover web page design, brand creation, and digital marketing, equipping ākonga with practical skills and industry insights.

This collaboration fosters creativity, innovation, and real-world problem-solving, preparing our future tech leaders for success. Through hands-on experiences and mentorship, TechStep Whangarei and NGEN Room are shaping a tech-savvy generation ready to tackle global challenges and drive meaningful change in the digital landscape.

Region: Te Tai Tokerau, Northland

Tech Club Porirua

Date: 30 April – 2 July, (Tuesdays) at 3.30pm
Venue: Brandon Intermediate School Hall, 32 Driver Crescent, Cannons Creek

Enjoy workshops hosted by Tech Experts from the industry. Find out what it means to work in tech and try some practical activities. Every Tuesday of Term 2. Afternoon tea provided for students!

Please note, this event is for Years 7 and 8.

Region: Te Upoko o Te Ika, Wellington

Tech Club Porirua

Date: 1 May – 3 July, (Wednesdays) at 3.30pm
Venue: Bishop Viard College – Business Hub, 20 Kenepuru Drive, Kenepuru

Enjoy workshops hosted by Tech Experts from the industry. Find out what it means to work in tech and try some practical activities. Every Wednesday of Term 2. Afternoon tea provided for students!

Region: Te Upoko o Te Ika, Wellington

Hononga STEM (Tāmaki Makaurau)

Date: 1 May – 7 May, 8am – 3pm each day
Venue: TKKM ō Puau (1 May), TKKM ō ngā Maungarongo (3 May), Hay Park School (3 May), Mana Rangatahi ki Awataha (6 May), Ōrākei School (7 May)

To ensure that all Māori and all Pacific youth, are able to access the Hangarau Matahiko curriculum, Learn English Live are delivering practical STEM workshops to kura and schools, across Tāmaki Makaurau.

Through these workshops students will be immersed in the world of Robotics, Coding, Simple Machines and Virtual Reality, learning the practical skill sets required to excite, ignite and inspire them to consider future careers in digitisation and technology.

Region: Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland

Porirua Careers Expo

Date: 9 May, 9.30am – 5.30pm
Venue: Te Rauparaha Arena (Main Stadium), Porirua

Porirua is a growing city, and we want our rangatahi and wider community to be in a position to thrive. Education and employment are key platforms to ensure rangatahi have future opportunities available to them. The Porirua Career and Jobs Expo is an opportunity for rangatahi, adults and the wider community to learn about education and career pathways and opportunities for employment in the Porirua region in a fun and engaging way.

Region: Te Upoko o Te Ika, Wellington

Porirua Careers Expo – Tech Speaker Sessions

Date: 9 May, 10am – 4.45pm
Venue: Te Rauparaha Arena (Main Stadium), Porirua

Ever thought about a career in tech? Game design, cyber security or building apps. Don’t miss our tech speaker sessions.

Hear from people working in Wellington’s top tech companies: Bastion Security Group, PikPok, Arlo, Paperkite, Sharesies.

No registration required!

Region: Te Upoko o Te Ika, Wellington

NZ Careers Expo

Date: 15 May, 9am – 3pm and 5pm – 7pm
Venue: More FM Arena, Edgar Centre, Dunedin

The NZ Careers Expo is coming to Ōtepoti on Wednesday 15 May – this is a FREE expo for anyone looking to start their career and explore future pathways.  Come along to the TechStep stand and chat to Youth Employment Success, Firebrand, InnoV8 HQ, Education Perfect, Com2Tech and Datacom about the wide range of opportunities in tech!

Region: Ōtākou, Otago

Host Tech

Date: 21 May, 10am – 12pm
Venue: Kingpin, 35 Brecon Street, Queenstown

Host Tech is an expo showcasing the Technology that exists or is being developed in the Tourism and Hospitality industries. Tech businesses have the chance to showcase what they do and how they have developed to make life easier and more cost effective for their clients.

With this being the first year it has returned to Queenstown since 2017, and we are keen to have local high school students (and the entire community) along to provide an insight into the work of developing technology within the district, that are also scalable nationwide.

Region: Ōtākou, Otago

Te Huarahi Robotics Showcase

Date: 21 May, 4pm – 5.30pm
Venue: Te Huarahi Linwood Avenue School Hall, 260 Linwood Avenue, Linwood, Christchurch

You can’t aspire to something you’ve never seen! This TechStep- supported event aims to open doors; we invite industry, kura (education providers), and whānau to reflect on the changes needed to foster a positive sense of belonging among rangatahi (young people) toward tech as a potential pathway.

The afternoon will feature fun-filled activities with a collaborative approach! Join us as we reshape the narrative of underrepresentation in tech and witness the inspiring showcase of adaptive technology innovations and prototypes by our Te Huarahi Code Club kōhine!

Tamariki are encouraged to join in the fun, with coding, robotics and digital design stations available for exploration. Kai and refreshments will be available.

Region: Waitaha, Canterbury

Woven Cultures in Digitech
– Inspiring the future of Technology

Date: 22 May, 9.30am – 2.30pm
Venue: Tūranga Library, 60 Cathedral Square, Christchurch Central

Set to be a unique celebration of cultural diversity and innovation, this expo will feature an array of interactive exhibits, workshops, and presentations from some of the leading minds in digital technology and cultural innovation from around the country.

Through hands-on workshops and collaborative projects, attendees will be encouraged to explore how they can contribute to the growing field of cultural digitech.

Region: Waitaha, Canterbury

New Zealand Aluminium Smelter (NZAS) 2024

Date: 22 May, 4.30pm – 6.30pm
Venue: NZAS, Tiwai Road, Tiwai Point

We welcome you to an exciting behind-the-scenes event at NZAS. At the visitors centre we will look at some of the innovation and technology developed by the smelter to create safer work environments.

If you’re a student exploring future employment opportunities or a business professional seeking to broaden your tech expertise, or keen to see what goes on behind-the-scenes, this is just for you!

Numbers are limited. Register now!

Region: Murihiku, Southland

Future Tech for Rangitahi

Date: 22 May, 10am – 1pm
Venue: Toi Ohomai Mokoia Campus, Rotorua

This will be an interactive event for rangatahi / school students who are interested in a career in digital tech. The event will combine elements of presentation and demonstration with an opportunity for one-to-one discussion with a wide range of local employers and professionals in the digital technology sector.

The theme of “Future Tech” will include career pathways in the space industry, robotics, digital animation, 3D printing, amongst others.

Region: Te Moana-a-Toi, Bay of Plenty

Intro to Animation

Date: 23 May, 10am – 12pm
Venue: EPIC Westport, 10a Lyndhurst St, Westport

Join our inhouse 3D Artist Jordan for an Introduction to Animation where you’ll learn how to animate your very own bouncing ball. Jordan’s hour-long session will guide you through the basics of using the animation software, Maya to unleash your imagination within the amazing world of animation.

Region: Te Tai Poutini, West Coast

DYP and Fisher & Paykel Appliances Dunedin Tour

Date: 23 May, 6pm – 9pm
Venue: FPA Dunedin Design Centre, 211 George Street, Dunedin

Dunedin Young Professionals and Fisher & Paykel Appliances are co-organising an evening tour of the Dunedin Design Centre.

Offering a rare glimpse into the workings of a luxury global appliance manufacturer, guests will be guided through engineering and design workshops, testing labs and product performance kitchens. Food and non-alcoholic drinks provided.

This event is free, however you will need to register as guests are capped at 50.

Region: Ōtākou, Otago

EmpowHER: Manawatū Girls in IT

Date: 24 May, 9.30am – 3pm (Light Lunch Provided)
Venue: UCOL Te Pūkenga Manawatū, 18 Princess Street, Palmerston North (Room TBC)

This event is designed for women from the Manawatū region working in the IT sector for high-school girls to encourage them to consider a career in IT for themselves.

The focus is very much engaging high-school girls with local women working in the diverse realms of IT.

Region: Manawatū-Whanganui

Igniting Innovation: Combat Robotics

Date: 25 May, 10am – 8.30pm
Venue: Marlborough Youth Trust, 18 Kinross Street, Blenheim

As part of Youth Week 2024, the Igniting Innovation: Robot Supremacy event is set to highlight the collective spirit and innovative talents of Marlborough’s youth.

By inviting young participants to engage in combat robotics, we celebrate their contributions to a shared future of innovation and technology.

Free tickets for rangatahi are limited, so grab yours now while they’re available. Contact organiser.

Region: Te Tauihu o te waka, Marlborough

Game Jam Manawatū

Date: 25 May, 9am – 2pm
Venue: two36 Meet Space, 236 Broadway Avenue, Palmerston North

In one exciting day, you’ll be guided through an experience that shows you the exciting world of game app design.

If you are 11-13 years of age, come along and use The Brave Venture’s game simulator to create your very own action-adventure game, where you will collect coins and defeat enemies!  Then, after lunch, you’ll work together to create a new game for 2024!

Spaces are strictly limited.  Lunch provided.

Region: Manawatū-Whanganui

VAKA Taonga Workshop

Date: 10-11 June, 9am – 12pm
Venue: GRID MNK, 2 Osterley Way, Manukau

Get a taste for the world of 3D printing where learners are first taught the basics of modelling and then taught how to prepare models for printing. It’ll be sure to leave participants wanting more!

Region: Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland

Hononga STEM (Waikato)

Date: 17 June to 20 June
Venue: TBD

To ensure that all Māori and all Pacific youth, are able to access the Hangarau Matahiko curriculum, Learn English Live are delivering practical STEM workshops to kura and schools, across the Waikato.

Through these workshops students will be immersed in the world of Robotics, Coding, Simple Machines and Virtual Reality, learning the practical skill sets required to excite, ignite and inspire them to consider future careers in digitisation and technology.

Region: Waikato

Franklin STEM: Technology and Innovation

Date: 8 August, 9.30am – 3pm
Venue: PIA Centre, 55 Ward Street, Pukekohe

This STEM event brings together leading experts, educators, and enthusiasts to delve into the latest advancements and their impact on our lives. From cutting-edge robotics to groundbreaking AI applications, attendees will have the opportunity to engage in interactive workshops, panel discussions, and hands-on demonstrations. Whether you’re a student eager to uncover the possibilities of STEM or a seasoned professional looking to stay ahead of the curve, this event promises to inspire, educate, and ignite a passion for innovation. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of shaping tomorrow’s world—reserve your spot today!

Region: Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland

Previous Tech Step Events

Te Ara Whakapakari
Discover career and study pathways!

Date: 10 April 2024, 10am – 2pm
Venue: Aotea Square – Tāmaki Makaurau

Te Ara Whakapakari is a FREE event for all rangatahi & whānau looking to activate their careers and future pathways in work, tertiary studies, trades and business opportunities. This is being held at Aotea Centre & Square. This is open to everyone to attend who are wanting to engage, inspire, and collaborate with community.

ThreeOne Productions is managing the event with a collaborative approach involving input from council staff, supporting sponsors and rangatahi Māori.

Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi will feature at the event with a promotional site, nō reira, nau mai, haere mai. Come and learn more about study opportunities with us!

Region: Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland

Te Ahi Orokohanga

Date: 9 April 2024, 8.30am – 4.30pm
Venue: Rotorua Energy Events Centre, Rotorua

Digital Natives Academy, in collaboration with Ngā Kura ā Iwi, are hosting Te Ahi Orokohanga, a Minecraft Build Competition held at the Rotorua Energy Events Centre. This event will allow students from Ngā Kura ā Iwi to venture into the boundless realms of Minecraft invoking the spirits of creation, innovation, while they guide us on this exhilarating journey. Together, we embark on a quest to explore the very essence of ‘The Marae of the Future from a tamariki Māori perspective.

Fifty teams will converge in a showcase of skill and imagination. From the halls of tradition to the corridors of innovation, we will weave together a tapestry of digital creations that reflect our shared vision of what our future worlds could look like. This is a celebration of tamariki and rangatahi as they shape history and celebrate the fusion of tradition and technology in this extraordinary Minecraft build commentated and broadcast in te reo Māori!

Region: Te Moana-a-Toi, Bay of Plenty

Tech Famil 1. with Wakatipu High School

Date: Thursday 4 April, 8.30am – 2.30pm
Venues:
AJ Hacket Bungy; Mountain Club Frankton; Porter Group

Our goal is to showcase to future generations of Queenstown the diversity of roles in our community, even within the tourism and hospitality industries. We are excited to take group of Y12 and Y13 students out of their everyday environments and into some amazing spaces to inspire and educate them on what we have in our own backyard. Technology is a sector that is growing rapidly in Queenstown and this is an opportunity to showcase this to our future generations.

They will learn about new video and tech innovations capturing bungy jumps, dive into the hub of tech entrepreneurs, and discover the possibilities for the new Research and Innovation Hub currently under construction.

Region: Ōtākou, Otago

AgriTech Tour

Date: 4 April 2024
Venue: Hawke’s Bay
Venue: 9am – 3pm
Cost: Free – transport and lunch provided

Year 11-13 students will learn about technology that is changing the game in horticulture

Day includes:

  • Site visits to two leading HB  businesses leading the way in food production
  • Guest speakers from Optimal Tech and CropTide, talking about the tech they’ve created
  • Hands on activities with the latest in AI and VR at the robotics lab at EIT, including interacting with chatbot Lola, from Datacom
  • Connect and network with industry leaders and learn about training pathways

Spaces are strictly limited.

Region: Te Matau-a-Māui, Hawke’s Bay

Hononga STEM (Te Tai Tokerau)

Date: 3 April to 5 April 2024
Venue: Dargaville High School (Wednesday 3 Apr); Dargaville Intermediate (Thursday 4 Apr); Dargaville Primary school (Friday 5 Apr)

To ensure that all Māori and all Pacific youth, are able to access the Hangarau Matahiko curriculum, Learn English Live are delivering practical STEM workshops to kura and schools, within the Dargaville area. Through these workshops students will be immersed in the world of Robotics, Coding, Simple Machines and Virtual Reality, learning the practical skill sets required to excite, ignite and inspire them to consider future careers in digitisation and technology.

Region:Te Tai Tokerau, Northland

Working in the Cloud – Tech walking tour & information day

Date: 19 March 2024
Venue: 7 Dixon Street, Wellington

Tech is New Zealand’s second biggest industry and it’s essential that today’s students understand the career opportunities in this important and thriving sector.

Working in the Cloud is an in-person event for school career advisors, teachers and interested parents to learn about careers in the tech career. The event is hosted by WellingtonNZ and will involve an exclusive visit to three of Wellington’s most exciting young companies. You will meet the company founders as well as key members of their teams. You’ll learn about the different job types, what each role involves, how they hire and what they look for in graduates.

We will then return to CreativeHQ for lunch and talks from a range of stakeholders including groups that offer support for high school students to learn more about working in tech.

This event is free, however capacity is limited. Please register to ensure you don’t miss out.

Region: Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Wellington

DayBreak – Festival of Innovation

Date: 7-8 March 2024
Venue: The Cargo Shed, 5 Dive Crescent, Tauranga

Priority One and partners are excited to bring you DayBreak – Festival of Innovation, where communities will converge, collaborate and create a truly innovative experience.

In March 2024, in partnership with over 30 organisations from across the region, we will present a range of world-class opportunities to experience innovation and creativity in its many forms.

DayBreak promises to be a unique experience and a great way to start the year. Join us for a fresh start in 2024!

Region: Te Moana-a-Toi, Bay of Plenty

TechStep Kāpiti

Date: 28 February 2024
Time: 9.30am – 2.30pm
Venue: Te Raukura ki Kāpiti, 4A Raumati Road, Raumati Beach, Paraparaumu

A 1-day event featuring local keynote speakers and breakaway workshops. The event will enable the next generation of Kāpiti innovators with resources, tools and wrap-around mentors.

Featuring a wide group of collaborators including Maoriland, Tātai Aho Rau, Work Ready Kāpiti, Kapit Coast District Council, Kapiti College, the Kapiti Chamber of Commerce, and ao Māori artist Liana Stupples to set up ‘Tech Step’ wall art feature which will enable us to gather real time feedback and to capture the voices and perspectives of our target audience.

Region: Te Upoko o te Ika a Māui, Greater Wellington

KIWIBOTS VEX IQ Robotics NZ Nationals

Date: 8-10 December 2023
Venue: Palmerston North Convention Centre, Papaioea, Manawatū

The VEX IQ Challenge National Championship is an annual event, this year hosted at the Palmerston North Conference & Function Centre.

VEX Robotics Competitions are participated by over 20,000 teams in more than 50 countries worldwide. The junior division of these competitions, VEX IQ, has been running in NZ since 2014, with students from primary, intermediate and junior high school all participating.

It is the largest robotics competitions in NZ and can be considered as the “Olympics of Robotics”. The event is open to the public and free to attend as a spectator. We encourage the public to attend this event to support young Kiwi kids performing at a truly world-class level, as well as witness STEAM happening in a way that may inspire them to participate themselves.

Region: Manawatū-Whanganui

TechStep Hutt Valley

Date:  29 November 2023
Venue: Whirinaki Whare Taonga Arts Centre, Upper Hutt

Year 10 rangatahi, teachers and whānau – Come along to this event and be inspired by some of the amazing technology companies across our region.

  • Spend time interacting with the STEM technology and science tools and equipment
  • Talk to the staff of the organisations in attendance about their work and their jobs

Region:Te Upoko o te Ika, Wellington

Kelston Intermediate Career Exploration Day 2023

Date:  23 November 2023
Venue: Kelston Intermediate School, 12B Vanguard Rd, Kelston, Auckland

The ICE Base are rolling out the red carpet for organisations to join them at the Kelston Intermediate Career Exploration Day! This FREE event is your ticket to engage, inspire, and have a blast with the community and rangatahi.

Why Should You Dive In?
• Get seen by a diverse, up-and-coming audience
• Network with industry leaders and innovators
• Showcase your coolest innovations
• Share your wisdom in a fun way
• Boost your brand’s visibility

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity!

Region: Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland

Hononga STEM (Te Tai Tokerau)

Date:  Monday 13 November 2023 to Friday 17 November 2023
Venues:
TKKM Taumarere in Moerewa (Monday 13 Nov)
TKKM Pukemiro in Kaitaia (Tuesday 14 Nov)
TKKM Te Rangi Āniwaniwa in Awanui (Wednesday 15 Nov)
Taipa Area School in Taipa (Thursday 16 Nov and Friday 17 Nov)

To ensure that all Māori and all Pacific youth, are able to access the Hangarau Matahiko curriculum, LEL in partnership with the Museum of Transportation and Technology (MOTAT) are delivering practical STEM workshops to kura and school, across Te Tai Tokerau. Through these workshops students will be immersed in the world of Robotics, Coding and Simple Machines, learning the practical skill sets required to excite, ignite and inspire them to consider future careers in digitization and technology.

Region:Te Tai Tokerau, Northland

TechStep Ngāwhā

Date: 3 November 2023
Venue: Ngāwhā Innovation & Enterprise Park, 5449A State Highway 12, Kaikohe

TechStep Ngāwhā aims to encourage ākonga from Kura Kaupapa Māori of Te Tai Tokerau to take up the many and varied opportunities available to them in the world of technology.

This is a hands-on workshop-based event is designed to engage and inspire through relevant role models, and by showcasing exciting and exceptional technological innovation happening in our region and Aotearoa.

Tech Step and its key messaging will contribute to our regional future workforce aligning to the roles of tomorrow and future-proofing our tai tamariki.

Region: Te Tai Tokerau, Northland

South Auckland Future Fest

Date: 19 October 2023
Venue: Due Drop Events Centre, 770 Great South Road, Manukau

Come explore your vocational pathway, apprenticeship, and career opportunities at the South Auckland Future Fest!

Don’t know what you want to do after high school? Don’t know what you want to study at university? Want a job for the summer?

Come and meet employers, training providers, and tertiary institutions at South Auckland Future Fest!

Hosted by the Manurewa Youth Council and proudly supported by the Manurewa Local Board, Ministry of Social Development’s Connected.govt.nz, Manukau Jobs and Skills Hub, Due Drop Events Centre, and Auckland Business Chamber.

Region: Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland

Career Development Association of New Zealand International Conference 2023

Date: 11 – 13 October 2023
Venue: Viaduct Events Centre, Tāmaki Makaurau

The Career Development Association of New Zealand (CDANZ) is excited to present the CDANZ International Conference, taking place from 11-13 October 2023 at the Viaduct Events Centre in Tāmaki Makaurau. Get ready to immerse yourself in a world of inspiration, networking and transformative experiences!

This two-day conference is designed to help forge valuable relationships with industry peers and professionals, fostering a supportive network that will help propel your career to new heights.

The overarching theme of the conference is “Ka mua, ka muri | Walking backwards into the future.”. The conference will explore innovative ways to shape your career and profession, honouring the past while embracing the boundless possibilities of the future.

Region: Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland

Digital Tech Workshop for Career & Life Advisors

Date: 11 October 2023
Venue: Digital Natives Academy, Hinemoa Street, Rotorua

We are pleased to announce an exciting event happening right here in Rotorua that is not just for robots and cyborgs: The TechStep Digital Event for Influencers & Changemakers – that’s you whānau, parents, school career advisors, teachers, community leaders, youth mentors or anyone who plays a critical role in guiding young on the journey to achieving their highest potential.

Are your rangatahi interested in a career in Digital Technology? Would you like to find out more to support them on their journey and continue to be a change-maker in their lives? If so, then you definitely do not want to miss this event!

*Please Note: There will be another event for the rangatahi to attend later in the month.

Region: Te Moana a Toi, Bay of Plenty

ShadowTech Day

ShadowTech Day provides girls in years 9-11 with an incredible opportunity to experience what working in the tech sector is like, encouraging them onto education pathways that lead into tech sector roles.

Supported by Tech Step, this programme helps inspire girls into tech careers by pairing secondary school students with local tech organisations and taking them through a “day in the life” experience. This includes sitting in on meetings, witnessing communication and interaction between peers, and seeing what a typical day is like in the tech industry.

With women making up only 29 per cent of the IT workforce, programmes like ShadowTech help break down the barriers and myths that girls have.

South Auckland STEM Conference and Expo: A Resounding Success!

Coconut Wireless and Tech Step joined forces to host the South Auckland STEM conference and expo, attended by over 2500 people! The expo aimed to inspire and ignite curiosity among our rangatahi, encouraging them to explore their passions and take the next step into the world of tech.

This awesome event brought together industry and the community to showcase the wonders, excitement, and the endless possibilities of tech.

Region: Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland

Supported Events

Tech Talanoa 2023: Enabling a thriving technology sector for Pasifika

Dive into a transformative dialogue curated by Toi Mai to shape the future of Pasifika in New Zealand’s tech sector. These events aim to harness insights from the Pacific community, directly influencing the Toi Whānui workforce development plan. We’re eager to explore the skills gaps faced by Pasifika in tech, understand the unique values they bring, enhance IT education from a Pacific viewpoint, and strategise for a more inclusive tech environment.

If you’re of Pacific descent in tech, part of a Pacific Community HUB or NGO, a tech hiring manager, or a recruiter focusing on Pasifika talent, your perspective is invaluable.

Join Tech Talona 2023 and be an integral voice in the tech movement. 

Region: Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland / Te Upoko o te Ika, Wellington