Native Tech helps rangatahi build skills, confidence and pathways into digital and creative technology.
Māori rangatahi at Rotorua training provider Native Tech are completing their qualifications at a much higher rate than the regional average, according to the latest public tertiary education data.
The 2025 figures show 91.3 percent of Māori learners in Native Tech’s Youth Guarantee programmes completed their Level 1 and 2 qualifications, compared with the Bay of Plenty average of 70.1 percent.
Native Tech was created to give young people another option if mainstream education wasn’t working for them. The programme combines digital technology, creativity and entrepreneurship, while giving students a place where they feel supported to learn.
“What makes us different, is first were geeks, we really celebrate geekytanga, and tututanga,” says Biasiny-Tule.
“Part of it is we love to become young entrepreneurs, so how do we make something, create something and sell it to our community and out to the world,” says Biasiny-Tule.
Where learning feels safe and exciting
Founder Potaua Biasiny-Tule said the vision behind Native Tech was to create a learning environment where education stayed at the centre, but students actually wanted to be there. The focus is on helping rangatahi build practical skills while exploring careers in technology, creative industries and business.
“Part of it is we love to become young entrepreneurs, so how do we make something, create something and sell it to our community and out to the world,” says Biasiny-Tule.
Kaiako, Matt Leaf says, one of the biggest reasons the programme works is the sense of belonging students find when they arrive. Many have struggled in mainstream schools or felt like they didn’t fit in, but Native Tech gives them a space where they feel accepted and supported.
“If we could be open 24/7 every single day these rangatahi would be here, our rangatahi just love being in this space, they found their belonging, they found their people,” says Leaf.
For students, that support has made a real difference. They say Native Tech has become a second home, helping them build confidence and making it easier to keep moving forward with their education.
“Since there’s less students, it’s much easier for the teachers to cater to everyone’s learning styles,” says Bowring.
“I felt like an odd one out, but coming here you know I felt included, I felt the awhi (support),” adds student Renata-Wilson. “Even the teachers here, they don’t feel like teachers, they feel like real people that you can walk up to that you can talk to.”
Belonging drives success
These results extend beyond the Youth Guarantee programme. Across all of its Level 1 to 3 programmes, Native Tech recorded an overall qualification completion rate of 90.9 percent in 2025. Māori learners achieved a completion rate of 91.4 percent, while young Māori men recorded the highest result at 96.2 percent.
Many of the learners arrive without formal school qualifications, and some have spent significant time out of education, employment or training before enrolling.
Looking ahead, Native Tech aims to take its successful model beyond Rotorua and into communities around the country. Its goal is to give more rangatahi the opportunity to succeed, whether that’s through school, tertiary study or future careers, by creating a learning environment where they can discover what they’re truly capable of.
