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Leo’o TJ Taotua

Toi Mai - Pacific Transformation Lead

TJ currently works as the Kanohi Ahurea Akiwa, Pacific Lead for Toi Mai Workforce Development Council. He is responsible for supporting Toi Mai in delivering its core functions of facilitating the Toi Mai Industry voices (Creative, Cultural, Sport and Recreation and Technology), through strategic industry engagements, identifying both current and future needs, whilst providing a Pacific lens across Toi Mai’s qualification functions and also supporting in providing sound equitable advice to the Tertiary Education Commission.  

TJ has supported and led the following Toi Mai Pacific engagements and initiatives; 

  • Facilitated a cohort of Pacific leaders in the Creative sector to provide valuable insights for the Covid-19 Recovery Baseline Engagement and Data (BED) report 2022. 
  • Led a national Pacific Creative engagement initiative called the Creative Talanoa in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, engaging over 80 Pacific Creative industries, businesses, sole traders and leaders to contribute to the Toi Puaki Creative Workforce Development Plan 
  • Supported the Pacific Tech Talanoa in Auckland and Wellington, engaging over 55 Pacific tech leaders to contribute to the Toi Whanui Tech workforce Development plan 
  • Supported with the development of the Mana Moana Pacific Framework 
  • Currently leading the Pacific Creative Skills initiative, with the development and approval of a “first of its kind” 5 credit Micro Credential in financial management for Pacific Creatives and musicians. This was also an insight that came out of both the Creative Talanoa and the Toi Puaki WDP. 
  • Supported the Toi Mai Quality Assurance team on providing a Pacific lens to new programmes seeking endorsement 
  • Led the Pacific tech initiative, engaging Pacific community organisations and how they are creating innovative tech pathways for Pacific young people in South Auckland and applying the learning to Toi Mai work and functions. 
  • Contributed to the engagement of over 260 Pacific industry engagements of Pacific businesses, sole traders and Pacific community leaders for Toi Mai.