Arotahi Spotlight Series 2024 – Beca
Founded in Aotearoa as a family-owned engineering company more than 100 years ago, Beca is one of Asia Pacific’s largest independent advisory, design and engineering consultancies, employing more than 4,000 people in 25 offices around the world. At Beca, our creative people are our greatest asset – our vision is “Creative people together transforming the world.” We know that the more diverse we are, the better our ideas, strategies and client solutions. Inclusion underpins our creativity and innovation, enabling us to bring greater value for our clients and our communities.
In 2022, Beca founded Te Ahi Tūtata, its Māori business team. Te Ahi Tūtata works externally on enriching relationships, nurturing those connections and delivery to Beca clients in the context of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and partnership with Māori. This external mahi is backed by the work that Te Ahi Tūtata does internally, to give everyone at Beca in New Zealand the opportunity to learn more about te ao Māori.
In June of 2023, Beca was offered the opportunity for 18 kaimahi Māori to take part in a pilot leadership programme, which would be fully funded by Te Puni Kōkiri, through the training provider Indigenous Growth Limited. The course is called Māhuri, to reference new growth, a sapling or shoot. Following the success of the 2023 pilot, Beca ran the course again in 2024.
Beca also has an employee-driven Pasifika Network which aims to “create an environment that empowers Pasifika people to thrive”. It allows Pasifika people within Beca to connect and celebrate their identities, support external Pasifika-focused initiatives as well as collaborate and build relationships across the Pacific countries that Beca works in.
Software Engineer Dallas Watene (Ngāti Maniapoto) took part in Māhuri in 2023. Digital Consultant Punahamoa Walker (Whakatōhea) completed the course in 2024.
Click the images below to watch videos from Puna and Dallas as they share their experiences working in technology related careers.
