In this series, we are introducing you to some of the awesome people who work for the Skills Active Aotearoa Group, either at Te Mahi Ako or at Skills Active.
Jonathan is an IT developer at Skills Active Aotearoa.
It’s no understatement to say that IT services form the backbone of modern culture, so we’re very lucky as an organisation to have someone like Jonathan – whose IT career began in the early days of the web – on board. He brings with him a wide range of developer experience, drawing on his time in fintech, the public sector, advertising and printing, and tutoring.
After eight years in the public sector, Jonathan wanted to get back to doing what he loved, “making websites with great user experiences.” That, ultimately, led him here, and he couldn’t be happier in his new role: “I was thrilled to land a job at Skills Active, getting to focus once more on web development, and learn more about Māori language and culture. Company culture and ethics are important to me which also makes this organisation a great option.”
His team’s mission is to deliver great IT services to staff, ākonga| learners, and the general public, while embedding principles of equity, company kaupapa, and tikanga in our systems. He’s proud of the way Skills Active and Te Mahi Ako support and enable ākonga to upskill in areas that are great for people’s wellbeing. Towards that end, Jonathan – alongside our senior developer Wez Hind – is hard at work on a new website for Te Mahi Ako, which Jonathan wants to reflect “the excellence and values of the organisation.”
Not to be pinned down by any outdated stereotypes about IT staff, Jonathan enjoys recreation time at the gym and occasionally with snow sports. He also recently got a new mountain bike to take advantage of Wellington’s great mountain biking tracks. “I enjoy the excitement of activity (not so much for the gym!) and the positive effects on my general wellbeing.”