Mentorship Power: Real Stories from the Tech Waka Community
episodeWhat happens when you give experienced mentors and ambitious tech professionals a space to connect, reflect, and grow together? In this episode, we hear from Barbara and James, two participants in the first Tech Waka Mentorship cohort. From overcoming self-doubt and navigating job transitions to finding clarity on their leadership paths, their stories highlight the true impact of mentorship. They share candid reflections on how structured support, community connection, and a bit of courage can unlock new opportunities. If you’re on the fence about joining the next cohort — this episode might be the nudge you need.This podcast episode is sponsored by Wires Uncrossed, Lifting the standard of software engineering in New Zealand, Australia and beyond.
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How Summer of Tech is Changing Tech Careers in New Zealand with Ruth McDavitt
In this episode of Tech Waka, host Jakub Jurkiewicz sits down with Ruth McDavitt, CEO of Summer of Tech — the platform that’s been helping thousands of students transition into paid tech internships across New Zealand since 2006.Ruth shares the story behind Summer of Tech’s founding, the evolution of the program beyond just code and Wellington, and why internships are still essential for both students and companies — especially in the age of AI and economic uncertainty.We discuss:What companies gain from hosting internsHow AI is disrupting junior hiring — and where opportunities still lieTips for students to stand out and land rolesThe role of mentorship in developing future tech leadersWhether you’re hiring, mentoring, or just curious about the future of NZ’s tech workforce, this episode is full of insight and inspiration.This episode was kindly sponsored by Wires Uncrossed.
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Shadow AI: The Invisible Risk Already Shaping Your Business, with Ben Mosier
Shadow AI is already in your organization — but can you see it?In this special Tech Waka episode, we share a live recording from a recent Tech Waka Leadership Collective meetup featuring Ben Mosier, a strategy teaming consultant who helps leaders align around complex challenges.Ben takes us deep into the world of Shadow AI — the unsanctioned, often invisible use of generative AI tools like ChatGPT inside organizations. You’ll also hear directly from meetup participants as they weigh in on:Why copy-paste AI use is not human judgmentWhere Shadow AI poses real risk to your brand, systems, and customersThe legal and ethical gray areas many teams are sleepwalking intoHow to map your organization’s value chain to identify where human oversight matters mostThe surprising pressure to automate — and why resisting it is leadershipThis is not your typical panel or interview. It’s a real-time, thoughtful community conversation — and part of our ongoing effort to make Tech Waka more dynamic, relevant, and grounded in real-world challenges NZ tech leaders face.🎧 Listen in — and ask yourself: Where is AI making decisions in your org without anyone noticing?Big thanks to Wired Uncrossed for sponsoring this episode.
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The Hidden Value of Delay with Joshua Arnold
In this episode of Tech Waka, we sit down with Joshua Arnold, a seasoned product and technology leader who’s worked across the UK, Europe, and New Zealand. Joshua dives deep into the concept of Cost of Delay and how it can transform the way we prioritize work — not just for efficiency, but for impact.We explore: • The CD3 method: Cost of Delay divided by Duration • Why most teams overestimate effort and underestimate value • Lessons from Maersk, Pearson, and Kiwi financial services • The reverse Anna Karenina effect in broken software teams • How GenAI is accelerating product discovery and prototypingIf you’re in product, engineering, or tech leadership — or you’re just tired of shipping features no one needs — this episode is for you.This episode is sponsored by Wires Uncrossed — helping teams across New Zealand, Australia, and beyond untangle software delivery and build systems that truly perform.
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The Hierarchy of Engineering Needs with Myles Henaghan
What do high-performing engineering teams really need to thrive?In this episode, I talk with Myles Henaghan, Managing Director at Wires Uncrossed and former GM of Engineering at Xero. Myles shares the backstory and structure of the Hierarchy of Engineering Needs — an open-source framework inspired by Maslow’s pyramid and grounded in real-world delivery challenges. We unpack how this model helps tech leaders identify systemic bottlenecks, enable effective ownership, and make smarter strategic trade-offs.Whether you’re leading one team or many, this conversation will give you a fresh lens for diagnosing delivery constraints and unlocking flow.🔗 Explore the model: engineeringneeds.io
Tech Waka Podcast: Journeys of New Zealand Tech Leaders.
Here we dive into the stories of New Zealand's top tech leaders. Your host, Jakub Jurkiewicz, brings you conversations with CTOs, CIOs, and tech innovators from across Aotearoa. Join us as we uncover the experiences, challenges, and successes that shape our tech community.
This is where New Zealand's technology journey unfolds.
New Zealand