Year 13 wahine high school students studying science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) at high attended a week-long camp at the RNZAF base in Tāmaki Makaurau.
The School to Skies programme is a Technical and Aviation Camp offering young wahine the opportunity to learn about working in the Defence Force.
Squadron leader Matthew Pitts said the aim of the initiative is to address the low numbers of Māori and Pasifika women in aviation and technical trades.
“What we’ve got is a camp where we bring them on to the Air Force Base to provide a real hands-on experience of careers and occupations that they may not be aware of.”
Pitts attended the Māori Aviation and Airport Services Forum recently and found that Māori don’t see aviation as a potential career pathway, particularly rangatahi.
He said there is more work to be done in boosting the number of Māori participation in aviation.
Despite the low numbers of wāhine Māori, he said they’re trying to target those groups by having camps like School to Skies.
“We’re trying to make sure we get into the schools to raise awareness around aviation and the careers and trades that are wrapped around the aviation industry that don’t just come up to being a pilot.
He said they’re giving them a real hands-on experience of careers and occupations that may not be aware of.
“Four out of 40 were wahine Māori so that’s probably a reflection of the statistics at the moment.”
“We’ve got about 10% of Māori wāhine around the camp and that’s you know in contrast to the total number of girls that are on the camp.
Applications for School to Seas, the naval equivalent of School to Skies, are now open.
