Tauranga Moana Futures is a testament to Tauranga City Council's dedication to fostering business and education within our community.
This initiative, which includes collaboration with the University of Waikato (UoW) and Priority One, provides local students with valuable work-integrated learning and research experiences, that contribute to local government services and future development.
Here are some initiatives of Tauranga Moana Futures:
Tauranga Moana Futures Scholarship recipients
Tauranga City Council is proudly supporting three outstanding local scholarship recipients through summer internships and mentorship:
Summer internships
Established in 2024, the Summer Internship Programme has successfully completed two 10-week cycles, offering university students from across the country hands-on experience in various fields, including:
- Waters
- Events
- Property and Leasing
- Communications
- Emergency Management
- Law
- Transport
Internships are advertised on our careers site each September attracting those in their second year of study looking to specialise: Tauranga City Council Careers.
Summer research projects
These projects allow university students to work closely with Tauranga City Council to analyse challenges and develop potential solutions. From assessing the impacts on water pipe lifecycles to exploring technology needs for Smart Cities, students collaborate with TCC teams to produce research outputs that can inform future development.
Research projects (including those with Tauranga City Council) are advertised via the university website: The Summer Research Scholarship Programm: University of Waikato.
Other work-integrated learning opportunities
Impact Labs: Students from diverse fields collaborate on a challenge, such as understanding transport preferences of university students. By identifying the reasons behind these preferences, we can determine and implement the best alternatives, drawing insights from similar international contexts.
Capstone Projects: Final-year engineering students undertake significant projects with Tauranga City Council, spanning their final academic year. These collaborations help progress research outputs into deliverable projects, supporting the pipeline of engineers with key local knowledge.
How to register for work-integrated learning opportunities
University students interested in these opportunities should email us with "University of Waikato student work-integrated learning" in the subject line. Please attach an up-to-date CV, including your current qualification, and confirm that we can communicate with the university to see if we can align opportunities with your academic schedule.
We will coordinate with the university and our internal teams and let you know the outcome: careers@tauranga.govt.nz
Achievements and outcomes
- Employment: Some students have transitioned to become Employees of Tauranga City Council, continuing their careers with us
- Career advancement: Others have secured permanent roles outside of Tauranga City Council, attributing their work experience as a key advantage in securing positions
- Broadened perspectives: Students have gained a deeper appreciation for local government challenges and broadened their career pathways through collaboration and engagement
- Internal growth: The energy and fresh perspectives of students have enriched TCC staff, fostering cross-team education and supporting regional talent development
- City development: Strengthening partnerships with Priority One, our local economic advisory, and the University of Waikato enables this partnership to deliver positive outcomes for the future of the city.