Te whai mahi me ngā huarahi ako | Career and learning pathways

Our industries, schools and training providers need to do a better job of communicating with people about the career and study pathways in Marlborough. A career pathway sets out how you can start in a lower-level job and then with more training and experience move into higher-skilled roles. This helps people to understand how they can progress and the opportunities if they begin at an entry level.

Our sectors, including wine, aquaculture and aged residential care, have identified that a lack of clear career pathways and good communication about career opportunities has resulted in recruitment difficulties. This is true for both people outside and those already working within these industries. We’ve heard from employers that people do not want to accept entry level roles because they do not understand the career pathways to move into more skilled and higher paid roles.

While there has been some mapping and pathway creation by industry, such as the Pathways into Primary Industry project, there is a need for increased promotion. The Primary Industries Project identified the need to “appeal to the hearts and minds of people outside the sector”. People do not necessarily know where to look for information, or do not actively seek it out due to their negative perceptions about opportunities.

Pathways into Primary Industry Project(external link) — Pathways into Primary Industries

If there are no mapped career pathways, or clear qualification frameworks and structures, this limits progression from unskilled to semi-skilled and onto high-skilled work, and in some areas, this has led to a high reliance on immigration to address the demand for skills.

“Many employees are not willing to accept entry level jobs because they are not aware of development opportunities within the organisation or industry and cannot see a career path where they will move out of entry level roles.”

Action for year one

Identify best practice examples for sharing career and learning pathways including the potential for creating centralised careers advisory service in Marlborough.

Connection to Te Tauihu Intergenerational Strategy

Pūtea – Economy: Developing new skills development and retraining people with a focus on building a more technologically literate workforce in health, education and entrepreneurship.

Tangata – People and Communities: Work force retraining, redeployment and lifelong learning initiatives.

How this contributes to our vision for the future of Marlborough

Outcome one: A resilient, sustainable economy and workforce

  • The workforce and local industry are multi-skilled and adaptable to change

Pathway one: Diverse opportunities for meaningful employment

  • Businesses offer career pathways and development supported by training options offered locally, either in person or online.

Pathway two: Equitable workplaces

  • Local employers are supported to invest in upskilling and retraining their workforce