Celebrating 10 years of impact

This week, the Ara Auckland Airport Jobs and Skills Hub celebrated a significant milestone: ten years of connecting people, skills and opportunity across South Auckland and the Auckland Airport precinct.

In te reo Māori, ara means pathway or connector. For the past decade, that purpose has guided everything we do — helping local people access meaningful employment, supporting employers to find the talent they need, and creating pathways that strengthen communities and businesses alike.

Since opening its doors in 2016, Ara has:

Supported more than 1,440 people into employment
Helped over 1,700 rangatahi build the skills and confidence to begin their working lives
Delivered training and skills opportunities for more than 3,600 learners
Supported more than 125 businesses across the airport precinct through our no-cost recruitment service

To mark the occasion, we welcomed employers, partners, stakeholders and community leaders to celebrate the people, partnerships and progress that have shaped Ara’s journey over the past ten years.

The event was attended by the Minister for Social Development and Employment, Hon Louise Upston, and Auckland Airport chief executive Carrie Hurihanganui, and recognised the long-standing partnership between Ara, Auckland Airport, and the Ministry of Social Development, which has helped create employment and training opportunities for thousands of people across South Auckland.

Guests also heard from a panel of employers and partners who reflected on the impact of workforce development, collaboration and local talent in helping businesses grow and thrive.

Ara General Manager Dr Sarah Redmond said the anniversary was an opportunity to celebrate not only what has been achieved, but also the partnerships that have made that success possible.

“Everything we do is built on collaboration. Over the past decade, employers, community organisations, training providers and government agencies have come together with a shared goal of creating pathways into sustainable employment. This milestone belongs to all of those who have been part of that journey.”

Looking to the future, Auckland Airport and Ara also announced a new research partnership with the University of Auckland. The Future of Work project will explore how employment across the Auckland Airport precinct is evolving and identify the skills and workforce capabilities needed in the years ahead.

As the precinct continues to grow, Ara remains committed to ensuring local communities are ready to take advantage of the opportunities that growth creates.

A heartfelt thank you to keynote speakers Carrie Hurihanganui and Hon Louise Upston, emcee Melanie Dooney, panellists Kelly Graham (Menzies Aviation), Julia Lynch (Ministry of Social Development) and Aaron Williams (Downer), and the talented Jazz Combo from Manurewa High School for helping make the celebration so special.

Ten years on, Ara continues to do what it was created to do: connect people, skills and opportunity — right next door.