Tairāwhiti CARE Regional Skills Leadership Group

Toitū Tairāwhiti!
Tama tu, tama ora; tama noho, tama mate kai
(The industrious will thrive while the idle die in need)

The Tairāwhiti CARE Regional Skills Leadership Group (RSLG) is one of 15 RSLGs set up to identify and support better ways of meeting future skills and workforce needs in our regions and cities.

RSLGs are part of a joined-up approach to labour market planning that sees our workforce, education and immigration systems working together to better meet the differing skills needs across the country. Find out more about the RSLG kaupapa:

Regional Skills Leadership Groups

In Tairāwhiti, we care about having a skilled workforce and established a regional forum in April 2019 called CARE – Commitment, Action and Reciprocity resulting in sustainable Employment (CARE). As it already fulfilled many of the functions of an RSLG, Cabinet made the decision to designate CARE as the Regional Skills Leadership Group for Tairāwhiti.

This recognises that CARE is the regional umbrella for all workforce matters in Tairāwhiti and the RSLG is a subset of CARE. CARE is the Tairāwhiti Regional Workforce forum and is a part of the Rau Tipu Rau Ora regional infrastructure, established to promote and deliver regional priorities. 

Tairāwhiti CARE RSLG

The Minister for Social Development and Employment designated the Co-Chairs of the CARE Forum as the Co-Chairs for the Tairāwhiti RSLG. Cabinet’s decision to designate CARE as the Tairāwhiti RSLG means that its membership largely comprises CARE’s existing members. The RSLG is co-chaired by Richard Searle and Alex Hawea.

Read more about RSLG membership

Regional Workforce Plan

The Tairāwhiti CARE RSLG released its Regional Workforce Plan in mid-2022. The plan sets out regional aspirations, priorities and actions for current and future workforce skills development in the region. It builds on the foundation set by Tini ngā hua maha ngā huarahi Creating Pathways: Workforce Development Plan 2021.

The Regional Workforce Plan is about people. It looks at work in Tairāwhiti through the lens of kaimahi, employers and whānau and promotes better access to skills and training opportunities that are directly relevant to local industry and employment prospects.   

The plan mainly focuses on regional solutions to regional problems but will also suggests actions at a central government level where regional solutions may not be possible or the challenge or opportunity is a national one.

Tairāwhiti Regional Workforce Plan

Local insights reports

RSLGs are the eyes and ears on the ground in each region when it comes to labour market planning. Their regular insights reports are based on qualitative intel from stakeholders and partners about the local labour market.

You are welcome to quote from any report below – please attribute the Tairāwhiti CARE Regional Skills Leadership Group, an independent advisory group on regional skills and workforce development. ​

Local insights report: November 2022

Previous local insights reports(external link)

Updates and other information

Progress reports on RWP actions

Advice for the Tertiary Education Commission

More information on the establishment of RSLGs including background documents can be found on the general Regional Skills Leadership Groups page:

Regional Skills Leadership Groups

Contact us

TairāwhitiRSLG@mbie.govt.nz