I am Filipino. I was born in The Philippines in the city of Cebu. My family migrated to New Zealand 15 years ago and I grew up in Tāmaki Makaurau.
Tell us about your graduate placement and your host agency.
I am currently placed as a Graduate Advisor to the Policy Unit at the National Emergency Management Agency NZ (NEMA). My job involves supporting the business as usual side of the team and agency with policy support as well as providing support to our Trifecta Programme. Trifecta is a regulatory review of the emergency management system of Aotearoa New Zealand, where we are currently looking at updating our system to make it more fit-for-purpose and community-driven. I am currently supporting the team tasked with updating current civil defence and emergency management legislation.
I feel like I lucked out with my placement at NEMA as I have such an awesome team that have welcomed me with open arms. I can even call them Whānau as they have been super supportive of who I am and the value I want to bring and develop. In addition, they have helped me transition into my first job and my new life in Pōneke very well.
Is there a career goal you are working towards?
I am passionate about making a difference, particularly creating communities and spaces where everyone feels protected and included. I’d like to see myself in a role that leads change, especially change that’s necessary to create safe and inclusive communities where everyone knows they are protected. It’s pretty hard to specify where exactly I want to be later in life since there are so many endless opportunities out there, though I do know that I want to finish my career knowing I actually made a positive impact to the world around me.
NEMA and emergency management has been an awesome foundation so far and the work being done here has inspired me to continue the mahi that goes into keeping our communities prepared, protected and resilient no matter where I am in life.
Why do you think it’s important to have a diverse Public Service?
Aotearoa New Zealand is not just growing, it is diversifying. Diversity brings so much to the table and by being inclusive and considerate of each other’s uniqueness we could tap into perspectives, talents and knowledge we never thought of or experienced before.
I want to create a community where everyone is welcome to be whoever they are and bring their full selves to whatever they do. This must start within a diverse Public Service because we need the sector to be representative of the community we serve. In my opinion, we can’t really be a Public Service that serves the people if we don’t represent its people in the first place.
What advice do you give to graduates considering a career in the Public Service?
If you are driven by change, the spirit of service and really want to do mahi that makes a difference in people’s lives, then definitely give a career in the Public Service a go. Even if your career aspirations don’t really involve government in the end, it can be an awesome place to establish foundational skills that can carry you forward later in life. You can attain experience you wouldn’t get anywhere else and most importantly I feel as if working in the Public Service really enables people to bring their 100% selves to work. Their passions, values, talents and backgrounds are all treated like Taonga and its just been fascinating to work in such an environment so far.