Developing Aotearoa’s Future Talent: Talent Solutions Empower Meaningful Student to Business Connection and Employment Pathways
At Talent Solutions, we’re passionate about shaping the future of work by bridging the gap between education and employment. As early career specialists, we continue to see a growing need to connect students with meaningful, real-world work experiences.
In 2025, our centralised micro-internship programme reached new heights—facilitating the largest cohort of participating organisations and students to date. This milestone reflects the strength of our long-standing partnerships and the increasing demand for scalable, impactful early career programmes.
Programme Partners
This year’s success was made possible thanks to the commitment and support of key partners, including:
The University of Canterbury
Auckland University of Technology
Education New Zealand
The Human Resource Institute of New Zealand (HRNZ) in collaboration with the University of Otago
In addition, several private sector organisations launched bespoke programmes to expand their talent pipelines—engaging students earlier in their academic journeys. For enterprise employers with existing internship and graduate pathways, this initiative helps to deliver high return-on-investment by converting participants into future hires through supplementary early-career programmes.
Spotlight: Aotearoa HR Launchpad – Igniting Passion for Human Resources
One of the standout initiatives of 2025 was the inaugural Aotearoa HR Launchpad, a collaborative programme between HRNZ and the University of Otago. Designed to showcase diverse career pathways in human resources, the Launchpad gave emerging HR professionals exposure to real-world HR challenges that organisations are looking to solve.
Programme Highlights
Connected students with businesses across Aotearoa to navigate complex employment topics and enable connections that might lead to future employment for students
Promoted HRNZ’s ‘The Path’ capability framework in an engaging, student-friendly format
Strengthened brand ambassadorship for HRNZ and the University of Otago
Offered HRNZ member organisations a strategic way to build their early talent pipelines
2025 Impact Snapshot
· 200+ students participated
· 20+ employers hosted student teams
· The majority of the activity took place during the inter-semester break, maximising engagement without disrupting academic schedules
Student Experience
Twenty passionate students—primarily from Otago University—applied their academic knowledge and curiosity to real-world HR challenges across four participating employers. Their feedback was nothing short of exceptional:
Metric
Result
Would recommend to a friend 100%
Felt programme increased employability 100%
Enjoyed working with assigned employer 100%
This level of satisfaction speaks volumes about the programme’s impact—not just on skill development, but on confidence, career clarity, and professional growth.
What Is a Centralised Micro-Internship Platform?
Our platform is designed to equip students with the skills and confidence they need before entering the workforce. It combines virtual collaboration, structured mentorship, and bite-sized learning modules to deliver a holistic experience.
For Students
Tackle real-world business challenges in team settings
Receive guidance from trained mentors
Access personalised feedback and micro-learning on core workplace skills like communication, collaboration, and teamwork
Develop employability skills as they look towards entering the workforce
For Employers
Gain fresh insights and creative solutions from student teams
Strengthen employer branding and build relationships with emerging talent across Aotearoa
Engage with minimal time investment
For Programme Partners
Enhance student employability in a scalable, inclusive way
Support learners across diverse disciplines without the resource burden of traditional internships
Contribute to a more equitable and future-ready workforce
Results That Matter
Feedback from 2025 participants was overwhelmingly positive—with a 98% satisfaction rate across all programmes. Students reported that the experience exceeded expectations, and employers praised the energy and innovation brought by their student teams.
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Get Involved
We’re always looking to grow our network of programme partners and participating organisations. If you're interested in shaping the future of work across Aotearoa and empowering the next generation of leaders, reach out to us at info@talentsolutions.co.nz. Let’s connect and explore how we can collaborate.
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