Inspiring the next generation: whānau and rangatahi at Techweek25

As Aotearoa’s festival of tech and innovation returns for another year, Techweek25 is shining a spotlight on the next generation. From hands-on workshops and hackathons to inspiring career talks and digital skill-building sessions, this year’s programme offers a wide range of experiences designed to help rangatahi and their whānau explore the future of technology.

In today’s world, digital skills are essential—not just for future careers, but for understanding the evolving digital landscape. Whether you’re a curious young person, a parent supporting your tamariki, or an educator guiding future innovators, Techweek25 offers opportunities to learn, explore, and connect.

 

Discover Career Pathways in Tech

For rangatahi thinking about life after school, Techweek25 offers several events focused on tech career exploration. These sessions connect young people with professionals, educators, and employers working in Aotearoa’s growing digital economy.

In Wellington, Working in the Cloud – Tech Careers Event introduces students to cloud technology careers through interactive sessions with industry leaders and recent graduates. In Palmerston North, Techweek at UCOL gives ākonga the chance to explore tertiary pathways in IT through interactive exhibits and hands-on demonstrations.

For those in South Auckland, South Auckland to the Tech World is a community-driven event connecting local rangatahi with tech professionals who reflect their backgrounds and aspirations. Meanwhile, our friends at Media Design School are holding MDS Unleashed Open Day in Auckland offers an inside look at careers in creative tech—like game development, animation, and visual effects. Expect hands-on tech, games, and more.  

 

Hackathons & Career Planning with Deloitte

As Techweek25’s Principal Sponsor, Deloitte is offering a powerful suite of events that help rangatahi engage with real-world tech challenges and explore career planning.

At the Salesforce AgentForce Hackathon, attendees will team up to design Salesforce-based solutions—learning collaboration, business thinking, and digital skills along the way.

Own Your Path: Intentional Career Planning is a practical workshop for people navigating career choices, encouraging them to think purposefully about their futures, wherever they're at on their career journey.

In Christchurch, the Deloitte and University of Canterbury Hackathon challenges attendees to consider how technology can support people and the planet. Similarly, the Tech for Good Hackathon offers a full-day experience focused on solving social issues through tech innovation.

👉 View the full Deloitte event series here.

 

Build Skills & Explore Together

Many Techweek25 events are designed to support technical learning and digital exploration—not just for rangatahi, but for their whānau too. These sessions are hands-on, beginner-friendly, and often suitable for the whole family.

In Whanganui, Rangatahi Creative Tech offers a blend of creative digital tools and storytelling for young people aged 15-24. The STEAM-Ed Fun Robotics Challenge in Tauranga encourages tamariki, teens and their parents to work together on problem-solving, coding, and robotics.

Libraries are getting in on the fun too—Minecraft @ The Library in Whanganui brings digital play into a learning context, helping kids explore architecture, logic, and collaboration within a familiar game environment.

In Dunedin the Otago Rocketry Club is hosting a Build and Launch Workshop, where rangatahi 8 years and older can build and safely launch a small rocket. In Whangapāroa, Lights, Camera, Canva, is a creative workshop focused on video editing and storytelling that will no doubt appeal to school-leavers with a creative mindset. 

For kids who love to move, Sports Tech at MOTAT if a free event exploring how technology is changing performance, analytics, and health in the athletic world — featuring interactive displays and games, it's fun for the whole family! And if you’re after a low-key drop-in experience just out of Auckland, Brain Play STEM Stop-In at Whangapāroa library offers hands-on experiments in a relaxed, family-friendly environment.

Let’s Build the Future—Together

Techweek25 is more than a showcase of innovation—it’s a platform for inspiring and empowering the next generation. Whether it’s discovering future career options, building something cool, or simply having fun learning together, these events are designed to spark curiosity and confidence in rangatahi.

Let’s embrace the opportunity to explore, connect, and build a more digitally fluent, creative, and inclusive Aotearoa—together.

👉 Explore the full Techweek25 programme here