Posts by Melissa Mae
The first lesson was not about law
Before anyone talked about courtrooms, university papers or career pathways, there was a simpler idea sitting in the room. Be a good person. It is not the kind of advice…
Read MoreYou probably touched manufacturing before you touched your phone this morning
Most of us do not wake up thinking about manufacturing. We wake up and slide our feet into something warm, maybe fluffy. We turn on a tap. We make coffee,…
Read MoreAre we expecting young people to ask questions they don’t yet know exist?
There is an interesting thing that can happen at a career expo. A young person walks in full of possibility. There are employers, educators, training providers, industry experts, people doing…
Read MoreThe future workforce is already here. The map is what’s missing.
There is a sentence in Pacific Growth’s Rangatahi Insights Report that should stop us in our tracks: “I didn’t know I needed physics. Now I want to be a doctor…
Read MoreInstep Young Leaders bring youth voice into regional investment conversation
Instep Young Leaders had the opportunity to be part of the Tauranga Moana Investment Summit, a major regional event focused on investment, growth, infrastructure, impact and the future of the…
Read MoreInstep Young Leaders capture the buzz at YouthFest
Six Instep Young Leaders were part of the action at YouthFest 2026, joining rangatahi from across the community to celebrate youth voice, creativity and connection. Held on Sunday 17 May,…
Read MoreWhy young people need to be part of conversations about investment
Investment is often framed as something that happens far away from young people. It can sound like a conversation for boardrooms, balance sheets and people already well into their careers.…
Read MoreThe gap no one talks about: when entry-level no longer means ready
There is a quiet shift happening in the way employers are thinking about hiring rangatahi. It is not being driven by policy or headlines. It is coming from the ground.…
Read MoreOpinion piece from Downtown Tauranga: rise in city centre revenue
By Genevieve WhitsonManager Mainstreet Tauranga The increase in revenue we have been seeing, and tracking over the past 12 months from March 2025 to February 2026 compared with March 2024…
Read MoreFrom orchard to global stage: the thinking behind Robotics Plus
What does it take to build a globally relevant technology company from a regional base? For Robotics Plus co-founder Steve Saunders, the answer is not a single breakthrough moment or…
Read MoreOur take on council: Instep Young Leaders step into local government
By Keana Rolleston, Te Puke High School, and Indy Rhodes, Tauranga Girls’ College Last Thursday we attended the first official business breakfast for this year’s Instep Young Leaders’ Forum 2026,…
Read MoreCould geothermal be the next big opportunity for Western Bay business?
$50m on the table: Is there a geothermal opportunity for your business? The Government has recently released a national geothermal strategy, alongside $50m of new funding to help get projects off the ground. If your business…
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