George Makapatama

I come from a village that raised me. Born and raised in Vaiea village, Niue, by my grandparents, I instinctively learned to contribute as part of a collective. I migrated to New Zealand in the 1980s with my grandparents and sisters in search of education and new opportunities.

First and foremost, I am a Tagata Fakafekau, a servant. My love and passion for serving, and my desire to positively impact people and communities, has led me to a lifelong career in Fakafekauga – servantship – in areas such as social services, education, community development, and systems change.

Throughout my journey, I have continued to sharpen my saw and filling my kete matauranga with degrees in Social Work, Public Policy, Business Administration, and Māori Development. I am also on pause from completing a doctorate in Fakafekauaga/Servantship in leadership through the University of Otago.

When I heard about the opportunity to join ConCOVE and use my lifelong trade as a servant to help transform and reimagine clear, equitable, and supported career pathways within the construction and infrastructure sectors, I knew it was too good to resist. This is my chance to make a meaningful impact in the community and I am eager to take it on with passion.