Developing our Future Leaders in Tech and Digital

NEXTGEN LEADERS PROGRAMME

NextGen Leaders Programme

The NextGen Leaders programme consists of six lunch-time sessions over the course of three months, as well as on-going networking opportunities through the NextGen Alumni group.

To register, you or your organisation must be a member of TUANZ or FLINT.

This is a free programme.

What does the programme offer?

Topics and discussions that will stimulate your thinking around leadership in an evolving work environment
Connections and new networks with other leaders facing similar opportunities and challenges
Tools and support that will enable you to succeed in leadership
A cohort that is reflective of leadership diversity
Safe and inclusive conversations, with a sense of ‘team’ from the outset

FAQs

Who is this for?

Next Gen is well suited for leaders who are looking for a group environment to soak up new ideas, listen to others’ perspectives and get actively involved in putting facilitation and communication skills into practice.
Next Gen is a good option for leaders who have 2-6 years’ experience and who are looking for leadership development and inspiration in a group setting.
We are opening this programme to TUANZ and FLINT members only. You might want to get in touch and ask about membership options for your organisation. There are many benefits to joining TUANZ. Check out Join TUANZ or email craig@tuanz.org.nz to find out more.

What can I expect to learn?

Two out of the four lunch-time sessions will be run by industry experts who will share their wisdom and experience about moving up the leadership ladder; one executive level and one senior leader.
The remaining four sessions’ content will be crafted by you and your cohort so we do not yet know what you will learn – that is up to you!
For these four sessions, the programme content is not pre-defined. The topics and sessions are constructed around participants’ interests, so they change every time.
Leaders on this programme learn by participating in sessions and they also learn by ‘doing’ when they run a session of their own.
You can expect to hear about and discover resources, articles and inspiration on a range of leadership topics. Previous participants tell us they would never have heard about some of the resources they now use regularly, if it weren’t for this programme.

What leadership skills/competencies are practiced in this programme?

Active listening
Confidence in facilitating conversations and discussions
Practice in designing interactive sessions that involve and include people
Reflection and contemplation on your leadership
Research and prioritisation of relevant content to use in a group session

How many learning hours? What’s the time commitment?

8 hours total
There are six lunchtime sessions that run for one hour
You will prepare and facilitate one session with a partner, allow another two hours for this

What work is involved?

Committing to all the sessions is really important.
Your time is the biggest commodity we are asking for.
There might be some activities or conversations that you’ll be invited to do with a partner in between sessions. This will deepen the thinking around a topic and also provide you a chance to build connections and new networks with other leaders.
One session will be yours to co-plan and facilitate with a partner, so expect to be actively involved!

What else do I get for being part of NextGen?

A completion certificate is mailed to all graduates of the programme.
Participants get access to a Google Drive folder where recordings of the sessions are stored, along with resources and slide decks shared by members.
We organise meet-ups and Next Gen graduate events as part of the TUANZ event calendar.

How many people are able to take part?

From experience, a group of 8-10 leaders is about right.

How much does it cost?

It’s free! Skills are sponsoring the programme, so make sure to like their Facebook page and show them some love.

Where does NextGen take place? Will I have to travel?

NextGen is delivered online through the video platform Zoom. We think that it should be as accessible as possible and acknowledge that limiting the programme to one urban location would exclude a lot of possible members. However, we often hear feedback that having one face-to-face session would be really worthwhile, so we try to hold one session at a smart meeting room. People on the programme would be invited to travel to Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch (depending on their location) to take part in that session.

What happens when I apply?

The application form is the first step. It is a detailed form, requiring deep reflection.
Submitting a form does not guarantee you a place on the programme, but it will be a helpful reflection activity for all leaders.
After you complete the form, you will have an option to receive your responses via email as a record of your reflections.

What do I need to do to successfully graduate from the programme?

Complete the required group presentation with your group of 2 – 4 fellow participants. Meaning actively help prepare the content and be there presenting on the day.
Attend at least four (4) out of the six (6) Friday lunchtime Zoom sessions live via Zoom
Make apologies if you cannot attend a session
Catch up on any missed sessions by watching the recording
Complete a self-reflection form after each session (simple 2-3 reflection questions which will be provided to you)
Complete an overall learning-reflection form

What does the programme entail?

Commitment to six lunchtime sessions over three months via Zoom.
In two of the six sessions you can expect to hear from industry experts who have successfully climbed the leadership ladder about the wisdom and experience that they gained on their journey. One expert who is at executive level and one at senior leadership level.
For the remaining four sessions the programme content is shaped by participants’ interests in specific leadership topics.
Over the course of the programme, small groups (2 – 4) of leaders work together to co-design and facilitate a session and put the learning into action.
Participants are sometimes paired or grouped for activities or conversations in between sessions, helping to foster new connections amongst the group.

Our Facilitator : Roselle O’Brien – Consultant & Leadership Coach

Roselle O’Brien is a process-driven leader with a passion for helping people grow into their most authentic selves. With extensive experience across construction and health sectors, she specialises in organisational improvement and leadership development. Roselle has managed multi-million dollar contracts, driven major change initiatives, and developed content for project management frameworks that support teams nationwide.

She holds two Master’s degrees—in Business Studies and in Management (Health Services)—and brings deep expertise in quality systems, risk frameworks, and change delivery. Colleagues describe her as direct, visionary, and courageous in challenging norms to drive better outcomes.

She has presented at national conferences and continues to support future leaders by creating space for people to reach outcomes in their own way.

Roselle is a strong advocate for mentoring and sharing experiences to not only learn from one another but to normalise the reality that leadership is often messy, challenging, and deeply human.

Outside of work, Roselle recharges through hiking, camping, and learning her first musical instrument – guitar.

NextGen Leaders Programme Registration

Ready to apply?

Our revised application form requires you to tell us about your leadership knowledge and experience. There are also sections to complete around your competencies, or desired goals for leadership competency, and your attributes or characteristics as a leader. Please allow 20-30 minutes to complete this application form. By asking you to reflect deeply on these questions, we are able to select groups of leaders who are at a similar stage of the journey, thus improving the leadership programme experience for you.

Your application will be reviewed by the Next Gen programme facilitator, Roselle and staff from TUANZ. We will respond to you with an outcome on your application within seven working days and supply further information about the programme if you are successful.

NextGen Application (#6)

First Name

Last Name

What is your current role in your organisation?

Do you have other leadership experience? Tell us if you are a leader in other areas of life i.e. through sports, clubs, church, community etc.

What do you think are critical leadership competencies in today’s world? I.e. what do leaders need to excel in to be competent in their role?

Reflecting on your answer above, where are you at in your journey to accumulate these leadership competencies? Tell us about any goals you are currently working towards.

What kind of leader are you? Tell us about your attributes or characteristics as a leader.

How would your team describe you as a leader?

When / in what situations do you feel least confident in as a leader?

What do you find most difficult or challenging about leading or influencing others?

What leadership topics or areas are you particularly interested in exploring?

Can you commit to six lunchtime sessions over three months?

Yes

Do you have any barriers to participation or additional needs of which you’d like to make us aware?

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NextGen Leaders Programme is proudly supported by Skills Group

For more than 25 years, The Skills Group has been helping train up the next generation of tradies and professionals. They work closely with industries to ensure that qualifications provide them, and employers, with the right skills. The Skills Consulting Group has been supporting this programme since 2016.