Microsoft, the Ministry of Social Development and social equity business pAI2 have relaunched Te Heke Mai, a platform supporting people facing barriers to employment, now repowered with AI via Microsoft Azure.
Te Heke Mai is a coaching app developed by pAI2 to help people transition from benefits into long-term, stable employment. The redeveloped, AI-enhanced app adds new automated CV and AI coaching tools on top of functionality that has already helped more than 3000 New Zealanders into long-term work.
The platform, first developed as part of a 2018 partnership with MSD, empowers individuals with goal-setting tools, habit-building strategies, and personalised coaching to ensure they stay in work.
“Te Heke Mai exists to prevent people from entering unemployment,” pAI2 CEO Matt Owen said.
“It supports those who are not yet work-ready to become work-ready, helps work-ready participants move into employment, and provides support for those already employed but at risk of losing their job, helping to mitigate those risks before they become barriers.”
Microsoft’s Azure cloud enables remote support, making career coaching more accessible, flexible, and personalised.
Adding AI enhances, but does not replace, human coaching and also provides data-driven insights to help match participants with the right support.
The platform’s digital-first approach allows users to engage in coaching at their own pace, whether through in-app messaging, voice, or text.
