The Auckland City Rail Link’s Progressive Employment Programme is an example of social procurement in action. It provides Māori and Pacific peoples aged 16 to 25 with on-thejob training over a 16-week period and ideally full-time roles on the project at the end of the programme. The intention is for them to be work ready at the end of the 16 weeks.

The introduction to employment is progressive. Participants start at 10 hours a week and build to 28 hours a week for the last four weeks of the programme, this lets the young people adapt to the working environment. As well as undertaking real jobs within the project, the young people learn about employment contracts, KiwiSaver and budgeting.

Of the 12 young people who’d completed the programme as at March 2021, 10 are now in stable employment and six with the City Rail Link. Five more young people are currently engaged in the programme.