Advice to the Tertiary Education Commission

Regional Skills Leadership Groups (RSLGs) are part of a joined‐up approach to labour market planning that will see our workforce, education and immigration systems working together to better meet the differing skills needs across the motu. They are a fundamental part of the drive to build productive, inclusive, sustainable and resilient regions.

RSLGs have the ability to inform the TEC investment of tertiary education organisations in 2024 through the provision of specific regional advice. This document is the vehicle for this advice.

About this advice

Broadly, the advice in this document will include:

• key labour shortages in Tairāwhiti
• an overview of current engagements with relevant Workforce Development Councils and Tertiary Education Organisations around tertiary education related activities
• tertiary education specific advice for TEC as it relates to direct investment.

This document is in support of the Regional Workforce Plan, which identifies the following 8 focus areas for the CARE‐RSLG:

Tairāwhiti Regional Workforce Plan

• Manufacturing
• Digital and technology
• Vertical construction
• Horticulture
• Forestry
• Civil construction
• Tourism
• Transport and logistics

The release of the 2023/24 Regional Workforce Plan will cover the additional areas of the Health workforce and the Taiao sector. This release is expected in July 2023 and will include further advice on training provision needs in these 2 areas.

In 2022, Tairāwhiti had an estimated workforce of 24,650 people and a regional growth rate of 2.9% compared to a national growth rate of 3%. Through the CARE‐RSLG’s mahi, we seek to support fair, equitable and inclusive employment and training opportunities for all who call, or seek to call, Tairāwhiti home. Compared to other regions, Tairāwhiti has high youth not in employment, education or training (NEET) rates of over 13.2% annually. This means that many young people have periods in their life where they are not engaged in mahi, school or training. Studies show that those with longer terms as ‘NEET’ often struggle to re‐join the workforce or education system.

Cyclone Gabrielle

Tairāwhiti is facing significant challenges due to Cyclone Gabrielle and the impact it has had on:

• infrastructure
• housing
• marae
• businesses
• education providers
• wellbeing of people

As a region there will be a significant focus on recovery and rebuild over the next few years that will require peaks in short term skills and labour needs. However, on a longer timeline consideration needs to be given to how the economy can rebuild in a way that is underpinned by more technology, higher skills, and better productivity rather than high labour, low skill approaches.

Skill Shortages in Tairāwhiti >