A decade of connecting South Auckland talent with opportunity

Ara, Auckland Airport’s Jobs and Skills Hub, is celebrating a decade of connecting South Auckland talent with career opportunities across the airport precinct, while helping employers find motivated people ready to work.

Located within one of Auckland’s largest and fastest-growing employment precincts, Ara sits at the centre of a unique opportunity: thousands of jobs at the airport and surrounding businesses, and communities nearby full of people ready to work if given the right pathway.

Since opening in 2015, Ara has become a trusted pathway into employment for thousands of local people – connecting them to lasting jobs, industry-aligned training, and real career opportunities across the Auckland Airport precinct.

The hub works with businesses across the airport precinct to understand the roles they need, matching them with candidates from South Auckland who are prepared for the workplace and motivated to succeed. Once someone starts work, Ara continues to support both the employee and employer for up to 12 months to help the placement succeed and grow into a long-term career.

Dr Sarah Redmond, General Manager of Ara, says the hub was created to ensure the airport’s growth creates opportunities for the communities closest to it.

“Ara opens real pathways into work for South Auckland communities while helping employers find the people they need,” said Dr Redmond. “When someone starts a role through Ara, we stay alongside them and their employer to help that opportunity turn into a long-term career.”

Set up as a partnership between Auckland Airport, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, and the Ministry of Social Development, Ara was originally established to help ensure South Aucklanders could benefit from the thousands of jobs generated by the airport’s infrastructure redevelopment programme.

The hub delivers pre-employment training, hands-on trade programmes, pastoral support and ongoing mentoring to help people build confidence, gain industry-relevant skills, and stay in work.

Ara also runs an on-site School Build house renovation project for around 120 students each year, working alongside seven South Auckland secondary schools. The programme gives rangatahi practical experience, NCEA credits and exposure to the many career pathways available across the airport precinct.

Ara’s success over the past decade has been shaped by close collaboration between local employers, government agencies and community organisations.

Partners including Fletcher Construction, Hawkins, the Ministry of Social Development, Connexis and Man Alive have worked alongside Ara to deliver job placements, training opportunities and wraparound support for those entering the workforce.

Auckland Airport’s Chief Risk and Corporate Services Officer, Mel Dooney, who also serves on the Ara board, says the hub demonstrates how businesses can work together with communities to create meaningful outcomes.

“Ara is a powerful example of what’s possible when employers, government and communities work together,” said Ms Dooney.

“We’re incredibly proud of what the team has achieved over the past decade, and of the role Ara continues to play in helping more South Auckland people step into meaningful careers.”

Looking ahead

As the airport continues to grow, Dr Redmond said the focus now is on expanding training access, deepening employer partnerships and strengthening the pathways that connect South Auckland communities with opportunity.

“Ara is shifting lives. We’ve seen generational change in some families through employment and training opportunities. That kind of impact takes time, partnership, and a community that believes in people’s potential.

“There’s a real appetite for what we do. The need in our community is greater than we can meet right now, and with the strength of our partnerships and the support of Auckland Airport, there’s a real opportunity to create even more pathways into meaningful work for South Auckland.”