Paid summer internships to kick-start your career in data analytics or research

Applications are open from Monday the 7th July until 11.59 pm on Sunday the 3rd of August. Click here to register interest 

ARG Internship Programme

The ARG internship programme is a12-week paid internship opportunity, placing interns within a government agency alongside some of Aotearoa’s leading data analysts and researchers: working on real data and looking for real insights.

The programme will help you identify and hone your strengths, provide you with a window into a career working in data analytics or research, and provide an unparalleled opportunity to contribute to Aotearoa.

Each project is carefully developed to allow you to learn and grow.

We have a broad range of projects on offer every year. Previous projects include….

  • Undertaking a search of research literature in the kaupapa Māori space and writing evidence briefs to support the development of policies and programmes that focus on the wellbeing of whānau.

  • Spatial analysis to understand more about driving distances between a child's primary home address and where they are placed in Oranga Tamariki care, to inform the potential impact on visiting rights with whānau.

  • Redeveloping the Tourism Evidence & Insights Centre dashboard to provide more efficient and intuitive insights to organisation staff and industry professionals.

  • Construction of a model to project the amount of debt owed by recipients of legal aid grants over time, to test the consequences of changes in impositions and interest rates on the amount owing in future years.

  • Analysis of a dataset from Police and Ministry of Justice data,  to explore ethnicity, gender, and age of victims and how their victimisations progressed through the criminal justice system, including the various outcomes at the Police investigation stage, and any outcomes in court.

What Agencies are Involved?

Each intake has a unique set of supporting agencies. Current and previous agencies involved include:

Key Dates and Details

Applications for our 2025/2026 internship programme are open from Monday the 7th July until 11.59 pm on Sunday the 3rd of August. If you would like to be notified once applications are open, please register your interest here.

ARG internships are currently based in Wellington. If you normally live outside Wellington, you’ll be expected to cover the costs of your transport and accommodation for the Wellington based internship.

Our recruitment process involves an online application, a video interview, and an interview with a placement agency (either online or in person).

If you identify as a person with a disability, or someone who may need extra support, please let us know how we can help you throughout the recruitment process (support@talentsolutions.co.nz).

Interested in hearing about internships beyond 2026? Please register your interest here register interest for future intakes here.

  • Applications for our 2025/2026 internship programme are open from Monday the 7th July until 11.59 pm on Sunday the 3rd of August.

  • If your application has been successful up to this point, more details will be provided at this stage.

    You will be invited to an in-person interview or interview via Zoom/Teams. This interview will be with a specific agency participating in the ARG Internship Programme.

    Video interviews are expected to take place in early September 2025.

  • If your application has been successful up to this point, more details will be provided at this stage.

    You will be invited to an in-person interview or interview via Zoom/Teams. This interview will be with a specific agency participating in the ARG Internship Programme.

  • The ARG internship programme is a 12-week opportunity which will take place from 17 November 2025 to 5 February 2026. This is typically inclusive of a two-week unpaid Christmas break. If there are any public holidays during this time, you will be paid for them.

  • Successful applicants are employed by a host agency for the duration of the programme.

    The programme includes an opening day, centralised induction and shared cohort learning, along with a presentation day on completion of the internship.

    Participating agencies of the ARG programme pay the living wage.

Who Should Apply?

The ARG internship is open to anyone who has a passion for data, analysis or research.

  • Traditionally, applicants have come from universities, studying relevant bachelor degrees at second year or higher, but we are open to hearing from all those who believe they would be ready for and would benefit from an internship.

  • Understanding programming languages is useful but not mandatory for internship positions.

  • Upon receiving your application, we will match you to the internship that is the best fit for your study, skills and experience.

 
 

We evaluate candidates based on our programme competencies and the key skills we believe determine success, including:

 

  • ANALYSIS AND PROBLEM-SOLVING
    Accurately identifies and uses a range of data and methods to critically analyse information.

  • DECISION-MAKING AND EXECUTION

    Plans and organises their work and produces quality outputs.

  • COLLABORATION

    Builds long-lasting relationships, and supports their team.

  • MOTIVATION

    A genuine interest in the work of government and the public sector.

  • CHANGE AND RESILIENCE

    Learns from mistakes and perseveres when faced with challenges.

  • GROWTH MINDSET

    Takes ownership of their development and demonstrates curiosity in their work.

  • COMMUNICATION

    Communicates clearly both verbally and in writing.

 3 of the 5 eligible 2024 ARG interns successfully obtained a graduate role as a direct outcome of their participation in the programme

“ I was able to learn a lot in a range of areas, was given the independence to solve problems, while still managing to successfully fulfil the requirements of the project.“