Tahatū
Tahatū
Tahatū is the new online career planning solution that the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) is developing. It is the ‘next generation’ of the careers.govt.nz website, refreshing its content, tools and functions.
Tahatū is the new online career planning solution that the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) is developing. It is the ‘next generation’ of the careers.govt.nz website, refreshing its content, tools and functions.
Tahatū is a core initiative in TEC’s national careers system strategy. It will help people in Aotearoa New Zealand confidently make career plans that work for them. Tahatū is designed for all New Zealanders, aged 7 to 70+, with the following key audiences in mind:
- primary audience: 13–19-year-olds
- secondary audience: adults not in employment, education, or training (NEETs); career advisors; parents and whānau; and organisations helping people into work.
- priority audience: Māori, Pacific people, women, and disabled people. There is a focus on these audiences as they have tended to have higher rates of unemployment, underutilisation, and lower wages than the general population.
What does Tahatū mean?
A culturally affirming process and team was used to generate, test and validate the options for the final product name – “Tahatū” – and to develop the brand narrative.
Tahatū means “horizon” and is often referenced as heading towards the horizon, especially in relation to the sea. This name connects with our brand narrative about a lifelong learning journey and heading towards the future.
This narrative is also reflected in the Tahatū logo. It depicts Ngā hau e whā, the four winds. The changing winds were one of the tohu (signs) our ancestors read to guide them, and Tahatū will help users read the signs around them as they navigate their career journey.
Why are we developing Tahatū?
Currently there is no free, culturally affirming, data-driven, high-quality career planning solution for learners, workers, and their whānau and supporters. Tahatū addresses this gap in the system.
Tahatū will have new features combining tools for career planning and quality data.
Unlike other career planning tools, it is universal and not limited to a specific learning pathway, industry or sector. New Zealanders of all ages will have access to information on education, training and career planning throughout their lives, whenever they may need it.
Development of Tahatū will take place throughout 2022 and 2023. Once live, Tahatū will initially run in parallel with the existing careers.govt.nz site, which is expected to be decommissioned around 2024.