WDETT’s Chief Executive, Sally Ross brings a wealth of business experience to her role.

Responsible for WDETT’s operational performance and implementing its strategic direction, Sally leads a team of likeminded and passionate individuals focused on making difference to our hapori whanau. As a team WDETT helps prepare our rangatahi for mahi. We develop their understand of skills and attributes and facilitate pathways to employment through work experience or further training. Drawing from 22 years’ experience in banking & finance and over 8 years in the education and training sector; Sally has a firm understanding of the key issues with well-established connections to local industry.

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Whanganui District Employment Training Trust (WDETT) is pleased to announce the appointment of Port Employment Precinct Business Training Facilitator, Kristine Dickson.

WDETT is one of five partner groups steering Te Pūwaha, and is responsible for governing the Port Employment Precinct (PEP) to facilitate training development and job opportunities associated with the port revitalisation project.

The PEP was established when WDETT secured $1.5 million dollars of funding from Kānoa – Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit to contribute to resolving skill and labour gaps in the region. The funding was provided through Te Ara Mahi, a programme that aims to address long-term barriers to employment and provide pathways to education and skills training.

Born and raised in Whanganui, Kristine was educated at Kiwi Street School, Whanganui Intermediate School, and Whanganui Girls College: “I’m a Whanganui girl through and through.”

Kristine comes to the role with a wealth of local and overseas knowledge. She gained a business degree at Massey University and trained to be a primary school teacher before heading overseas.  She worked at BBC London supporting the studio crews with their training and travel needs, followed by six and a half years working in direct marketing for the British Heart Foundation.

A move to Australia and another couple of years in direct marketing fundraising helped her to secure what she describes as one of her “dream jobs” - a Fundraising Coordinator at Taronga Zoo working on the Asian Elephant rain forest.

A further stint in London coincided with the London transport terrorist bombings of July 2005.  Kristine was on the London Underground that day, trying to get to work through the morning rush hour when chaos broke out: “That day was the big scary day, but in the months afterward there were tube lines that weren’t working because they had been blown up, and you’d have to take the bus instead.  When I first went to England, the IRA were active and there would be a lot of bomb threats, but they always gave the tube lines a warning. But after the Islamist terrorist bombings, the rules changed. It was time to come home.”

Returning to New Zealand, she worked with an advertising agency in Wellington before coming home to  Whanganui. She has worked in the city for 13 years in business management and marketing, in the secondary and tertiary education and training fields.

Now, she is tasked with supporting businesses to lift the capability of employees, by connecting local people with jobs created by the port redevelopment project, and facilitating on-the-job or vocational training.

“Te Ara Mahi is a legacy project. In this context, in means that in an ideal world, what we do now will still be having a positive impact in many years to come. The young rangatahi that we train and put into apprenticeships or encourage and support now, will become supervisors and leaders.  So people are continually moving up.”

“It’s about Whanganui but its really about the port, and about the marine precinct. And it’s really about creating highly-skilled roles for Castlecliff residents. It’s about uplifting Castlecliff. If Castlecliff rises, Whanganui rises.”

Kristine is keen to talk to all businesses in Whanganui but particularly those in the Heads Road and Castlecliff area, about their recruitment and training needs, where the skills gaps are, and what succession plans are in place.  

“The more capable people we have, the more opportunities there are for those people to work in Whanganui as a whole.  We’re aiming to become a city populated with highly-skilled people, which makes us more flexible as a city. We want Whanganui people to be a highly trained population. That’s the end game.”

Kristine’s connection to the port means she is personally invested in the project: “My grandfather used to take my brother and I down to the wharf as children. We would fish for herrings. When I was little, I would put the line down through the cracks in the wharf and he would pull it up and do the messy stuff for me. Then when I was older I could put the line over the side. In those days you used to get a big block of Chesdale cheese that was like a pound of butter. We used to cut if off and that would be our bait, and we would eat as much as we would put on the hooks. So the port has got lovely memories for me.”

To learn more about the Port Employment Precinct, visit www.port.org.nz for contact details and further information.

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The Whanganui District Employment Training Trust (WDETT) is pleased to announce the appointment of Port Employment Precinct Business Activator, Seletar Taputoro.

WDETT is one of five partner groups steering Te Pūwaha, and is responsible for governing the Port Employment Precinct (PEP) to facilitate training development and job opportunities associated with the port revitalisation project.

The PEP was established when WDETT secured $1.5 million dollars of funding from Kānoa – Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit to contribute to resolving skill and labour gaps in the region. The funding was provided through Te Ara Mahi, a programme that aims to address long-term barriers to employment and provide pathways to education and skills training.  

Seletar is passionate about education and community. She has held various roles at local schools, including recently working with students at Te Kura o Kokohuia, assisting with their career and study pathways. She also established Whanganui Pākihi Māori and last year held the first Pākihi Māori Summit where businesses, services and stakeholders were able to showcase and connect.

As Business Activator, Seletar’s role tasks her with supporting the Port Employment Precinct work as a conduit between youth, whānau, training providers, tertiary providers, government agencies, employers, and iwi.

“My role is specifically related to the port, and the Castlecliff community. It’s about connecting with employers and determining how we can support with upskilling and retaining their staff and creating room for staff to grow within their organisations.”

“Whanganui is leading the way with Te Pūwaha and ensuring that Tupua te Kawa is embedded in all that we do in relation to the port. It’s amazing as it binds us as people to the awa and the awa to us.”

She says it’s also about rangatahi - the youth of Castlecliff and their families - and being able to bridge the gaps.

“The employers need young people, and they want to train young people. It’s about how to connect those two.”

A big focus is engaging the Castlecliff community with what is happening at Te Pūwaha and the job and training opportunities that are coming.

“We are blessed to work in a space with others to help support our community to build a workforce that can potentially fill those roles and thrive. It’s great for Castlecliff, and it’s great for Whanganui.”

One month into the role, Seletar is relishing her work with like-minded colleagues and their stakeholders.

“We love our community. We’re champions of young people and of our town. And there is true commitment from the businesses out there who want to make a difference. They are passionate about community, and about young people. That’s what gets you excited.”

The physical and spiritual connection that she shares with Whanganui and Te Pūwaha, combined with her personal values makes her a great fit for the role.

“My Dad is Te Atihaunui-a-Pāpārangi, Ngāti Tama my Mum is Tamareheroto Ngā Rauru Kitahi, Ngā a Waiariki Ngāti Apa and Ngāti Ruanui. I whakapapa to the awa and the whenua where Te Pūwaha meets which makes this even more special.  I connect through my blood but more than that, it’s my passion. I just want to help people be the best version of themselves.”

To learn more about the Port Employment Precinct, visit www.port.org.nz for contact details and further information.

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A long-time Whanganui local, Rose Stokes is focused on achieving the outcomes of the Mayor’s Taskforce for Jobs project (MTFJ).

Rose has worked in sales, retail, radio, the equine industry, agriculture and dairy, with NZ Police, and more. She has previously worked for one of WDETT’s additional services, 100% SWEET, and has had experience with MTFJ through Rangitīkei District Council. Most recently, she has worked with Ministry of Social Development as a Regional Labour Market Advisor, setting up Skills for Industry contracts. Rose is well known in the Whanganui business community.

Using her business knowledge and networking skills to work with agencies and providers, Rose is committed to helping individuals get to where they need to be on their employment journey.