Story: Apprenticeships and trade training

As many rural Māori moved into the cities to live from the 1960s, special trade training courses were set up to help them find work. The Maori Affairs Department and Wellington Polytechnic ran pre-employment courses for Māori youth like Phillip Waihi, shown here enjoying work as an apprentice with a glazing firm. He commented, ‘You’re not in the same place all the time like some of the boys who came down with me and are working in offices. Me, I might work at Island Bay for a day then next day I might work out at Porirua, so you travel ‘round a lot.’