Updating Results

Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade

3.8
  • 1,000 - 50,000 employees

2022/2023 Aorere Policy Intern Opportunities (Nov 2022)

Location details

On-site

  • New Zealand

    New Zealand

    • Wellington

Location

Wellington

Opportunity expired

Opportunity details

  • Opportunity typeInternship, Clerkship or Placement
  • SalaryNZD 46116 / Year
  • Number of vacancies1-7 vacancies
  • Application open dateApply by 21 Aug 2022
  • Start dateStart date 20 Nov 2022

Tīmata te whai mahi māu me mātou | Start a career with us

We’d like to invite tauira Māori to join us this summer for our Aorere Policy Internship programme. As an Aorere Policy Intern, you will gain valuable work experience and development opportunities, as well as an insight into the world of foreign policy and diplomacy. The internship is an excellent way to prepare for a graduate role with MFAT, or the wider public service.

Tūhono mai ki tā mātou hōtaka mō ngā ihumanea - Join our Internship Programme

MFAT offers a paid three-month summer Internship Programme to tauira Māori with a range of skills, experiences and degree backgrounds. This internship programme runs from November to February each year and will provide you the opportunity to be part of interesting work, and to start developing your career while you study.

As an Aorere Policy Intern, you may find yourself working on areas such as advising the government on our relations with other countries, climate change and the environment, develop­ment and humanitarian activities, the UN and human rights, trade negotiations or international security & arms control. These are all kaupapa that are important to the safety and prosperity of Aotearoa whānui including Te Iwi Māori.

Mā‎ wai te mahi nei? – Who are we looking for?

MFAT is passionate about attracting tangata whenua and the Aorere internships are part of MFAT’s efforts to provide opportunities to Māori students and young professionals to help ensure that our Foreign Ministry and its advice reflects the full diversity of Aotearoa. 

For us, there's no "one size fits all" with our interns; we're looking for people who are curious about global challenges and other cultures – people who are keen to help make positive changes for New Zealand. And because relationships are at the heart of what we do, you'll enjoy working with people.

We encourage you to apply if you are:

  • Studying towards a minimum of a Bachelor’s level qualification – any discipline (doesn’t have to be law, economics, or politics, although those fields are very welcome).
  • Within your last year or two of study. 
  • Willing and able to be based in Wellington between mid-November 2022 – mid-February 2023 (we’ll fly you to Wellington if you’re based elsewhere in Aotearoa).
  • Able to show us your group participation skills (whether they come from cultural, community, volunteer, church, sports-based or any other activities)
  • A New Zealand citizen, and of Māori descent. 
  • Able to gain and maintain an appropriate security clearance (Use this online tool to self-check your eligibility for a security clearance. Please note that this tool is not part of the formal security clearance process)

So, whether you have been a part of university clubs or a volunteer within your community or church or hard at work to support whānau, these are all relevant experiences! So make sure you apply!

Me pēhea te tuku tono - To Apply/Interested? 

Our application process will take you approx. 20 minutes,  You’ll need to complete the online application form and have a CV and unofficial transcript (we know this won't be your official one, so just send us where you are at so far) ready to upload. Cover letters and references are not required at this stage. Please make sure you answer all of the questions to the best of your ability!

Applications close: midnight Sunday, 21st August 2022 (NZ standard time).

Kaua e whakamā. Tono mai

Work rights

The opportunity is available to applicants in any of the following categories.

Work light flag
New Zealand
New Zealand Citizen

Qualifications & other requirements

You should have or be completing the following to apply for this opportunity.

Degree or Certificate
Qualification level
Qualification level
Bachelor or higher
Study field
Study field (any)

Hiring criteria

  • Experience requirementNo experience required
  • Working rights
    New Zealand Citizen
  • Study fields
    Business & Management
  • Degree typesBachelor or higher
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Reviews

user
Graduate
Wellington
6 months ago

Note taking, email correspondence, attending meetings, assessing policy and internation standards for trade.

user
Graduate
Wellington
6 months ago

Day to day responsibilities is heavy on reporting and writing responses to OIA's and Ministerial. Could do with more work specific on briefings etc.

user
Graduate
Wellington
6 months ago

I find my day-to-day responsibilities to be quite light and oftentimes find myself bored. I would prefer to be a lot busier

Show all reviews

About the employer

logo-ministry-of-foreign-affairs-and-trade-480x480-2022.jpg

Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade

Rating

3.8

Number of employees

1,000 - 50,000 employees

Industries

Government & Public Service

Let MFAT introduce you to the world of policy, and we'll show you how you can make a difference for Aotearoa's place in the world.

Pros and cons of working at Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade

Pros

  • The ability to have a tangible impact on the world and for people, for example helping partner countries reduce their carbon emissions and develop their renewable energy sector.

  • The diversity and pace of work. Every day is different and the work changes quickly. It makes it difficult to be bored.

  • The team culture and rewarding work.

  • Plenty of opportunity to progress career with a range of amazing opportunities and the ministry shows a commitment to expanding our knowledge and experiences to make us better all-round foreign policy officers.

  • We had an 8-week induction program, where we learnt core writing skills, completed foundational courses about key topics, and learnt the systems we use on a day-to-day basis.

Cons

    • It generally takes 4-6 years to go on posting.

    • The pressure and demands of the work. Often longer hours are needed to get the work done.

    • There is a strong culture of overwork.

    • Lack of social connectedness in the workplace, very hard to start work here with so much institutional knowledge.

    • The level of support from your team varies throughout the ministry.