Maraea Winterburn Anaru

Maraea Winterburn Anaru is a 21 year old mother and student pursuing the Certificate in Information Technology & Client Support Level 5 after completing Levels 3 & 4 last year with the goal of progressing to Level 7 Information Technology then securing a good job.

Because Maraea didn't have access to the necessary technologies as a child and because her family didn't place a high value on education or going to university, she was always content to get by with what she had. If there was a malfunctioning, slow computer, she would be fascinated and would try to repair the internal hardware. She has grown to appreciate sharing her skills and assisting others with their computer issues.

A highlight for Maraea includes returning to high school at 18 with a one-year-old baby after leaving as a 16-year-old. As a new mum, it was really daunting taking that first step and going back to school. She only had NCEA Level 1 but was determined to further her education for herself and her daughter.

She’s already proven to herself and others that māmā’s can overcome any barriers if you put your mind and heart into it. Being a māmā has expanded her sense of purpose, increased her compassion, and improved her ability to set priorities and complete tasks quickly.

With a little bit of effort and time management, Maraea thinks it is doable to be a fantastic IT Technician as well as a fantastic hands-on māmā.

Although the Tech sector is a growing industry, she feels women & Māori are hugely under-represented. As a young Māori woman, she feels there is a real need for more in this space because diversity can only impact positively on the Hi-Tech industry and community.

Maraea is aware of how technology will affect every industry in her daughter's future. She hopes to be able to provide her daughter with possibilities that she did not have as a child and to share her knowledge with her as well.