Le Va knows renewed Pacific leadership in the workforce will lead to greater health and wellbeing for all Pacific families. Support from Futures that Work will go a long way to helping Jordan Maea and Elizabeth Tiumalu achieve their aspirations to be part of New Zealand’s health workforce.
As President of the Student executive for MAPAS (the University of Auckland’s Maori and Pacific Admissions Scheme), Jordan Maea is already displaying the leadership qualities she plans to put into use in the medical profession. The 21-year-old, whose parents came from Lefaga and Magiagi in Samoa, always wanted to be a doctor. The Pacific health workforce awards under Le Va that she has received during her medical studies has made the goal achievable. “My parents were very supportive of me wanting to continue my education at university after leaving school (Auckland Girls Grammar),” she says. “But I definitely don’t come from a rich family, so the financial support is invaluable.” Jordan’s workplace experience in hospitals has her excited about the prospect of working in the medical profession.
“While I can’t speak Samoan – I’m jealous of those that can and it’s something I’m trying to learn – a big part of our culture is understanding the etiquette and mannerisms,” she says.
A requirement of retaining her workforce award is maintaining her grades. The consequences of failing to do so is incentive enough for her to stay focused especially if she is wants to access other support services offered as part of the Futures that Work programme. She admits at first undergoing six intensive years of studying seemed daunting, but passing the halfway mark this year without any debt accrued 
is significant for her.
“I know students who do have debt and the pressures it can bring. I’m so glad I don’t have that, but I also know what I have to do to maintain that.”
While it’s understandable her success is attributed to being intelligent, she modestly prefers to put it down to hard work and being passionate. “My teachers at school would be amazed at what I’m doing, considering my grades were far better in history than science or medicine. But I always wanted to be a doctor and always knew the passion and commitment needed to achieve it.”
As the eldest of eight children, Elizabeth Tiumalu knows what it’s like to be expected to shoulder the demands of leadership. But the 25-year-old New Zealand born Samoan (from Vaigaga and Faleula) is more than happy to accept it. She is studying for a three-year Bachelor of Nursing degree at the Manukau Institute of Technology, with one year to go. “None of us [family] have degrees or other qualifications gained after school, so I believe it’s up to me to change that. I want to make it seem normal and achievable for my brothers and sisters,” she says. “It’s made one of my brothers really keen to get good grades so he can join the police force.” Coming from a working class family and growing up in Otara, her studies were expected to end when she left school. And they did, working as a lab assistant until she knew she wanted more. “I realised that with no papers or a degree to my name, I was probably going to earn the same pay for the rest of my life,” she says. Although nursing didn’t initially appeal, she knew there was a shortage of skilled Pacific people employed in the profession. After her first workplace experience, she knew it was what she wanted. “There was a Samoan patient who needed an endoscopy to look at his intestines. My Samoan was good enough to talk to him and understand the pain he was under. He said he just didn’t feel comfortable communicating with them,” she says. “Working at Middlemore Hospital made me understand the high needs we Pacific people have for medical attention. So we need more of our faces for them to communicate with. Like Jordan she says achieving her degree wouldn’t be possible without the workforce awards and scholarships provided through Le Va. Maintaining her grades to ensure she retains her award and place on the Futures that Work programme means she will be linked to potential employers, and that is ample motivation for her to prove her leadership not only to her family but to the Pacific community.
Meeting our community needs
Monique Faleafa, Le Va’s National Manager, states that in 2026 Pacific people will make up 12% of the country’s workforce and a third of Auckland’s. Therefore she adds that it’s important we ensure we have the right Pacific people, with the right skills, in the right places if we want a better future for our Pacific communities.
“If we are to accelerate the growth of our Pacific health workforce, more than financial support is needed to ensure our students advance each year and get a job that is right for them,” she says.
“Our Futures that Work connectors are an exciting group of people who we have brought together, who are fresh, relevant, innovative and real movers and shakers in their own fields. Our students will be exposed to the likes of Mr Jeremy Stanley, Dr Fa’afetai Sopoaga, Denise Kingi, Hilda Fa’asalele, Siloma Masina and many others in a range of health roles that are crucial to improving the health of our Pacific people”.
Faleafa adds that being part of our Futures that Work connectors group and programme will provide our young leaders with an opportunity to engage with a diverse range of people from clinicians, researchers, funders and planners, policy makers, key decision-makers, and communities. They get to experience how to engage effectively with Pacific and non-Pacific people – a valuable skill they can take with them to any job.
“Giving back to our Pacific communities is a key focus for Futures that Work, as is ensuring our communities get to know and be proud of claiming their own,” she says.
“Look out for community events that we are part of. It’s an opportunity for you to meet our leaders of tomorrow.”