Congratulations to our client, HEB Construction, winner of the Inclusive Workplace Award at this year’s Diversity Awards.
HEB wanted to make sure career pathways and opportunities were available and accessible to all their staff, by breaking down barriers to participation in learning. One of the results was Safer People – a workplace literacy and numeracy programme that boosted foundation skills for HEB staff and opened up learning possibilities for participants. This programme matured to include NZQA unit standards and a formal qualification for staff.
“You wouldn’t believe it but when I was growing up, I had a really bad stammer,” says HEB employee Willy Rameka. “Ten years ago, I wouldn’t have been able to do this, wouldn’t have been able to get a word in. But our last trainer saw past that. She saw the human being in me. She helped me every step of the way.”
A Māori leadership programme has also seen the company grow Māori leaders within the business. 40% of participants have been promoted following participation in the programme. Alongside this, a cultural competency programme has shifted awareness of Te Ao Māori throughout the organisation, embracing tikanga and having a huge personal impact.
It has been a privilege to work alongside HEB to offer these training programmes to their staff and to see the growth and development this opportunity has afforded staff within the company.
Upskills Programme Manager, Janeke Fourie.
Ka mau te wehi HEB!
Watch Diversity Works NZ video
Hear from Robin Davies, Judging Panel Chair, on why HEB won the Inclusive Workplace Award and from Leeann Clarke, National Learning and Development Manager, HEB and HEB learners.
