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The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, or MBIE, led the programme with other government agencies in the hope of improving services and better reflecting the country's diverse population. MBIE's Chief Advisor Pasifika Matalena Leaupepe says the first intake proved successful.
"Now all the students are leaving with a lot of exposure, with networks that are greater than what they ever came in with and also with a passion for the public sector and the wish to work in policy."
Robyn Lesatele interned in MBIE's Auckland office and says the experience will help her explain to family and friends the benefits of working in policy.
"A lot of them don't really understand what policy is about and being able to explain to them what policy is, is hard but if we are able to engage more with our Pacific people about these other opportunities that are out there, we can really make a difference in relation to the decisions that are made about this country."
Ms Lesatele says she gained confidence through the programme.
"It is kind of intimidating meeting a whole lot of different people, particularly not Pacific. So confidence, talking to people of different cultures and also confidence to just get out there in the work-force. This is my last year at law school so I am definitely keen to get out there. After six years of study I am pretty excited."
Joanah Ngan Woo spent the summer at the NZ Qualifications Authority, helping inform Pasifika communities about STEM or Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, initiatives.
"I wasn't expecting to work on such important matters and to feel as if you contributions are positively impacting Pacific communities' involvement in New Zealand's education system are, I guess, a reward in its own."
Ms Ngan Woo says she learnt how collaborative government departments are in their efforts and has now been inspired to pursue her Masters in International Relations. Matalena Leaupepe says the various government agencies also learnt from the interns.
"There is not a lot of policy people across the public sector and because we spread all the students out, they were often the only Pacific person in those teams. So it was quite an eye opener for the teams to have a Pacific person in there and it really taught them to step out of their own comfort zones to learn about what it is like to work with a Pacific staff member."
Ms Leaupepe hopes to see the programme expand to include other government departments for the next intake.
