25/05/2026
🚀South Auckland to the Tech World II - 450 rangatahi, two days, one suburb shaping Aotearoa's tech future. 🚀
Last week The Cause Collective hosted its second annual South Auckland to the Tech World event - bringing rangatahi, schools, industry leaders, creatives and community partners together at our Creative & Tech Hub in Wiri.
Across two days, 450+ young people got hands-on with AI, robotics, VR, gaming, graphic design, music tech, cybersecurity, podcasting and creative storytelling - meeting the people already working in these industries and seeing the pathways into them.
The standout moment? Our Dream Job activation wall - where students wrote down what they want their futures to look like. The aspirations on that wall reflected exactly the ambition, creativity and talent already thriving in our communities.
“This event is an important piece of work that creates awareness, engagement, belief and hope for rangatahi interested in a pathway into the diverse tech industry," says Brotha D (South Auckland Creative & Tech Hub Lead).
"This is why representation, exposure and access matter. When rangatahi connect with industry professionals, experience emerging tech firsthand, and see themselves reflected in the people doing the work - we're not just running an event. We're building the pathways to intergenerational wealth that this generation will use to win the next."
🙌 Thank you to our partners who made it real: New Zealand Lotteries Commission · The Tindall Foundation · Foundation North · SkyCity Auckland Community Trust · Spark Foundation · Tech Steps · Microsoft · Serato · VR2LYF · Robot Rampage · AUT Robotics · PwC New Zealand · Toroa Interactive · Ninja Kiwi · Media Design School · Digikōr Live Podcast · P-TECH · Tech Step · Tū Ātea · Whitecliffe · Mission Ready · The Cause Collective Creative Team …and to every educator, parent, volunteer, creative, facilitator and community supporter who made this event a success.
At The Cause Collective, we believe South Auckland is full of untapped brilliance, talent and leadership. Events like this are about more than technology - they're about confidence, connection, aspiration, and creating opportunities that help rangatahi see what's possible for their future.
This is community-led workforce development. This is future-focused innovation. This is investing in the next generation. 💡The future is bright - and our young people are ready for it.