Te Aponga Uira (TAU) is pleased to announce the appointment of its permanent Chief Engineer and to celebrate the recent success of several of its people in gaining important qualifications.

Ms. Teiiti Nia who has been Acting Chief Engineer for 3 years, was recently confirmed by the CEO in the role permanently as the Chief Engineer. Tei has a long work history with TAU with over 15 years of service; she was appointed as Acting Chief Engineer in early 2021 and since then has demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment in the role with the support of the staff. The permanent promotion to Chief Engineer was a natural progression and is an example of the potential pathways and growth staff can have within the company through hard work and dedication.

At the same time, TAU celebrates the achievements of 10 members of its team who were awarded NCEA qualifications from the Cook Islands Tertiary Training Institute recently. Those members are:

·         Kyle Rau Atuatika, Matarua Matamaki, Teati-Pou-Tai Rouru, Siuea Tairi, Frederick Utanga and Romeo Vaine Keu with a Certificate in Electrical Engineering Level 3

·         Ngatokorua Tiaiti with a Certificate in Automotive Engineering Level 3

·         Andrew Iroa with a Certificate in Exercise Level 5

·         Markenzie Sakai with a Certificate in Building Construction and Allied Trades Skills Level 3

·         Paul Tararo with a Certificate in Business (Introduction to Team Leadership) Level 3

TAU also supports a number of staff in achieving further education at Universities in New Zealand and Australia, and runs an ongoing internship programme. Tereora College students can join TAU during school holidays to experience working in the electricity industry. Interns Tamarua Pukeiti and Pareura Katoa from 2023, have gone on to study engineering and physics this year at Canterbury University and Auckland University respectively. In addition, former TAU staff Michael Raita and Samuela Solomona are currently studying towards Engineering degrees at Auckland University of Technology and Canterbury University respectively.

TAU has a long-standing commitment to Tereora College, the national college, who provides core Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, and aims to grow future talent and contribute to a successful Cook Islands.  Te Aponga Uira engages with Tereora students throughout the year and supports its Junior Mathematics Competition held during STEM week, and its annual Māori Speech Competition; recognising the importance of Reo Maori in TAU organisational culture.

Acknowledging the core skills required to generate electricity, maintain our electricity network, and transition to higher renewable energy in years to come, TAU also sponsors the top mathematics and science students in levels 1, 2, and 3 each year. Samuela Solomona was the recipient of the Level 3 Award in 2022 and was employed by Te Aponga Uira in 2023 as an Electrical Apprentice, before heading off early this year to study engineering at Canterbury University.

TAU’s vision is to empower the community through sustainable and innovative energy solutions. One way it does this is by investing in local people to increase their skills and career prospects through its training and development policy and promoting “TAU tikai” values.

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