Saili Malo is a Samoan concept focused on attaining a "prosperous life" and often the journey to get there is supported by a plan that informs a pathway. The Saili Malo career resource Level Up! Prepare for your Future is a set of activity workbooks developed exclusively for Talanoa Ako partners and provides resources focused on career activities that learners of different ages and their parents can both engage in. The resource is made available (in electronic form) to schools and educators who will be able to embed careers into their teaching.

Presenter Bio: Andrew Tui

Andrew Tui is a career practitioner of Samoan-Chinese descent (villages of Afega and Fasito'o Uta), currently based in Auckland, New Zealand. He has worked in the careers industry for over 12 years, providing career services to clients and groups in the education and community sectors. He also has experience leading career and employability services teams.

Andrew completed a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Auckland, and The Graduate Diploma of Career Development from AUT University. He is a Professional Member of the Career Development Association of New Zealand, and a member of the Careers Aotearoa Professionals.

He currently manages a creative careers programme at Depot Artspace, and also runs his own business, Tui Career Consulting. His professional interests include digital technologies, content creation and personal wellbeing. Andrew created the podcast series 'Career Coffee Chats', featuring local and international guests from diverse backgrounds. Outside of work, Andrew plays in a ukulele band (amateur of course), enjoys spending time with his Godchildren and loved ones, and regularly supports art and cultural events.

Presenter Bio: Blake Wong-Li

Blake is of Niuean (Liku Tamahaleleka), Tongan (Fua’amotu), Samoan (Fogapoa and Fastito’o Tai) and Chinese descent and is a seasoned education professional with a background in career development, curriculum design, professional learning and stakeholder engagement. Over the past 10 years Blake has predominantly worked in the career education space working alongside educators to develop career programmes and initiatives for Year 7-13 students. This type of work has also given Blake experience in a range of project management roles across central government contracts both domestically in New Zealand and across the Pacific region.

His personal passions has also led to his involvement around Pacific language perseveration (with the Niue Youth Network and the Vagahau Niue Trust) and having served in a variety of governance roles with organizations like Inspiring Stories Trust, ACATE (Auckland Career Transition Educators Professional Association), APSTE (Association of Pacific Staff in Tertiary Education) and PILOT (Pacific Island Leaders of Tomorrow).

In more recent years Blake has worked in an external engagement and events management role with a Tertiary ITP and currently works as a Principal Advisor in the Ministry of Education (NZ) co-designing educational initiatives such as Talanoa Ako as part of the Ministry of Education’s efforts to build parents capability in better supporting their children’s educational journeys. Blake holds a Masters of Applied Indigenous Knowledge from Te Wananga o Aotearoa and a Bachelor of Social Services (with Distinction) in Career Practice from Otago Polytechnic.

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