Kaye Avery Memorial Scholarship
Our mum, Kaye Avery. Founder of Career EQ.
She believed every person has a contribution they were born to make. She spent more than 20 years helping people find it. A career is not just a job. It's a journey that encompasses life, learning and work.
Her work continues through us.
Jonathon, Kristy, Kathryn & Jessica
"Empowering individuals to make the contribution
they were born to make.”
Why did we create this scholarship?
Mum built CareerEQ around a single conviction: a career is more than a job, it’s a journey that weaves life, learning and work together. She believed every person carries a unique contribution they were meant to make, and that a good coach’s role is to help them discover it. That conviction guided everything she created: the assessments, the coaching practice and the values embedded in the business.
When our team and coaches met for the first time, we wanted to honour that legacy in a way that kept her work alive and accessible. Out of that meeting came the Kaye Avery Memorial Scholarship, a practical expression of the belief that more people should be able to access high-quality career support. Not everyone can afford coaching or the clarity that comes from structured guidance. This scholarship is one way we can change that, extending the chance to find purpose, develop skills and move forward with confidence to those who need it most.
Individual Stream
Each year, three students will receive:
• Three career coaching sessions with an experienced CareerEQ practitioner
This will be an annual scholarship, as long as CareerEQ can sustain it.
To apply, complete the form provided below. We will ask you to tell us about the school and why it should be selected.
Applications close: Friday, 21 March, 2026
Schools announced: Monday, 31 March, 2026
If you know a student who is trying to figure out their next step, or if that person is you, we would like to hear from you.
To apply, complete the form provided below.
Applications close: Friday, 21 March, 2026
Recipients announced: Monday, 31 March, 2026
School Stream
We are offering three schools:
• CareerPlanet training for the school
• 50 CareerPlanet Assessments for students
Schools that apply but are not selected will be entered into a random draw for one of 10 free UN SDG Career Card Packs.
About CareerEQ's Assessments
Together, these tools support people at every stage of their career journey, and all three flow from the same belief: that career development is about identity, and that the real work is helping people find the alignment between who they are and how they contribute.
CareerPlanet
CareerPlanet is a career inquiry tool for students aged 15 and up. It contains the UN Sustainable Development Goals and is built around a shift in thinking that was central to Mum's philosophy: instead of asking "What do I want to be?", it asks "What do I want to be part of?" It maps motivations, interests and characteristics into a visual mind map of career preferences, helping young people connect their career choices to something bigger than themselves.
CareerIntelligence
CareerSmart is for students from Year 12 through university. It integrates values, culture, whānau background and career motivators into a holistic self-evaluation, helping students imagine a world they would want to work in.
CareerSmart
CareerIntelligence is for working adults. It supports career transitions and alignment by helping people connect with their motivations, assess their skills and interests, and find clarity on purpose, direction and development.
Kaye's values
Mum embedded these values into CareerEQ. They are in Te Reo Māori because that reflects how she understood the work, as a relationship with people, with community, and with the world.
Whakawhanaungatanga
Building relationships founded on mutual respect, understanding, and trust is at the heart of what we do.
Ako
We are committed to lifelong learning and professional growth.
Manaakitanga
We care deeply for the individuals and organisations we work with.
Whakahoahoae
We strive to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and engage as equal partners.
Hanga rerekētanga
We are driven to make a positive difference in the lives of people and the world we share.