Waikato Regional Skills Leadership Group

The group is one of 15 Regional Skills Leadership Groups (RSLGs) in New Zealand, set up by the Government to identify and support better ways of meeting future skills and workforce needs in our region.

They are part of a joined-up approach to labour market planning which will see our workforce, education and immigration systems working together to better meet the differing skills needs across the country.  The group will provide independent advice which employers and government agencies can act on.

Interim Regional Skills Leadership Groups (iRSLGs) were formed in June 2020, with an immediate focus on Covid-19 impacts of regional workforce and labour market factors, providing valuable insights focused on helping re-employ, redeploy or retrain workers and entrepreneurs who have lost their jobs or closed their businesses. 

A permanent, future-focused, group has been established and will draw on the work of the interim group. 

The group will shortly commence the development of a Regional Workforce Plan, which will project labour supply needs, to ensure the regions have the right skills and workforce planning to seize local economic opportunities.

In developing Regional Workforce Plans, the groups will link to and coordinate with existing work underway in each region so that they don’t duplicate activity.

Membership

The Regional Skills Leadership Groups (RSLGs) will consist of 12 to 14 members, including the co-chairs. Each group has 2 co-chairs; 1 identified through a public Expression of Interest process and the other nominated by local iwi/Māori. Co-Chairs have been appointed by the Minister for Social Development and Employment.

Membership of the permanent Groups will vary by region but, in general, include:

• business representatives to reflect the views from the ‘demand’ side of the labour market;
• worker representatives, to reflect the ‘supply’ side of the labour market;
• a local government representative, who may be drawn from an Economic Development Agency;
• iwi/Maori representatives;
• community representatives to ensure diversity of experience and perspective around the table;
• and the relevant Regional Public Service Lead will also sit as a Group Member.

Local insights reports

Local insights reports have been produced by the interim RSLG, and are designed to provide a snapshot of the impacts of COVID-19 and identify the challenges and opportunities for the regional labour market. Reports are developed by Waikato Regional Skills Leadership Group members.

Contact us

WaikatoRSLG@mbie.govt.nz