Source: Radio New Zealand
In the Far North town of Kaikohe, finding a job is a bare knuckle brawl.
Local employment adviser Megan Hepi, director of community advocacy organisation Nga Taonga o Kaikohe, says she’s snowed under with thousands needing a job and virtually nowhere for them to go.
Among those is Mikaere Mapiria, 37, who has been looking for a job for six years and is among the 6000 people on the Jobseeker benefit in the region.
Hepi estimates “a couple thousand” of those live in Kaikohe, which has a population of about 5000.
Fifteen jobs advertised in Kaikohe, with “a couple thousand” on Jobseeker benefit. Nick Monro
On the day Checkpoint visits Kaikohe, 15 jobs are advertised.
Mapiria spends a lot of time at the Mill Gym Kaikohe, where he trains and helps out – but it’s not paid work.
“My last job was during the lockdowns – Covid.
“I was doing security at the Countdown. It’s called Fresh Choice now.
“Maybe the last year or so, I’ve been trying to look for a job, and [there’s] just nothing that will let me train and work.
“It’s real hard, especially for our people up here, They do want to work, but there’s just nothing for them to go to.”
Hepi echoes Mapiria’s message, and says the lack of stable and decent employment opportunities for locals is “heartbreaking”.
“I meet so many beautiful people on the daily ‘looking for employment, wanting employment, wanting better, wanting something different’, but they just don’t know the pathway to get there.”
She scours the Jobseeker websites daily and says the fact that just “15 jobs” are advertised for “thousands” wanting work on the day she speaks to Checkpoint shows a huge disconnect in the region.
Her own teenage son can’t find a job, despite working at a used car parts company in Auckland for a year.
Mikaere Mapiria spends a lot of time at the Mill Gym. Nick Monro
“I cannot place my own son – my own son, who’s had a year’s experience. Good boy, full license, 19-years-old, got a bike, license, done everything right… I can’t get him placed.
“He is with a case manager at MSD, whose job is specifically to place him. [They] can’t place him.”
She also points to the lack of appropriate jobs in the area. Often, roles advertised are seasonal, such as fruit picking in Kerikeri.
These roles are for fixed-term shiftwork, and are physically demanding and often involve travelling long distances, wracking up petrol costs.
These types of conditions are difficult for a lot of people, including those with families, Hepi says.
Kylie Fifield is one person Hepi is supporting to find work. She’s a solo parent of five and has been on a benefit for 11 years.
Local employment adviser Megan Hepi is snowed under with people looking for jobs. Nick Monro
“I have worked part time, off-and-on as I can, doing things like childcare, creche, working in our local puna… just odd jobs like that, but finding a job that was suitable for me and being a solo mum is really hard.”
The lack of local opportunities has been difficult for her whole family, Fifield says.
“My oldest is now 23 – she’s moved to Australia – and my next son, he’s just turned 19 and doing a building apprenticeship in Auckland. My next son down is nearly 18 and he’s moved to Australia.
“Here [in Kaikohe}, there’s not the jobs for them.”
Back at the Mill Gym, Mapiria says he’s also thought about leaving. Several friends have moved to Australia to find work.
Mother of five Kylie Fifield has already seen two of her children move to Australia. Nick Monro
“Sometimes, they have to uplift their whole family, just so they can go somewhere where they can actually get paid their worth.”
He says it’s been a few days since he looked at what jobs were being advertised. None of them were suitable for him.
Mapiria also says the protracted job hunt has been disheartening.
“They don’t really give you specifics – it’s just like, ‘Yeah, keep looking. Maybe get a qualification’.
“Then there’s some people I know that get those qualifications and when they go back to the job, they’re like, ‘Oh, now you’re too overqualified’.”
Despite the ongoing challenges, Mapiria is determined to stay in Kaikohe. For him, it’s home and where he belongs.
“I am from up this way.
“If I had nothing here, I would have left ages ago, but I’ve got a lot here, so I can’t just up and leave.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
