Kaio Rivers (Ngai Takato, Ngāti Kahu) graduated with the National Diploma Public Sector Māori at the age of 65 in 2005. He said, 'Having discovered I've got a brain, I'm keen to go on using it'.

Kaio believes that for State servants 'the diploma is a unique taonga'. He is extremely grateful for the assistance he received from his employer, the Ministry of Justice, during his 3 years of on- and off-job workplace learning towards the diploma.

He says, 'For a Māori public servant it represents a quantum leap of knowledge, and gives grounding in areas such as policy advice, government transparency, public finance, inputs, outputs, and outcomes ... I think it can be used in many applications, particularly in an advisory capacity, where government agencies are working in tandem with Māori organisations and service providers. [The diploma] also covers the history of the Treaty and things ... that helped erode the mana of Māori.'

To Kaio's surprise, one of the most difficult topics was te reo Māori. Although he had learned te reo as a youngster on his home marae at Waimanoni in the Far North, he felt the language had 'evolved and changed so much it was a real challenge to catch up'.

Kaio's State sector career spans 30 years and he is currently studying resource management.

Kaio is happy to talk about his experience. Contact him at kaio.rivers@ihug.co.nz or on 09 480 7405.

Bearing Point Innovation Awards - winner of the Services to Māori category

In 2002 the National Diploma in Public Sector Māori was recognised in the Bearing Point Innovation Awards.

The diploma won the inaugural Services to Māori category and was recognised among other high-level projects such as the Ministry of Education's Te Kura Hiko project and Te Puni Kōkiri's Māori television service model.

Not only did the diploma win the Services to Māori category, it was highly commended for the Supreme award.