Our focus areas

1. Maximise workforce

Maximising the available workforce to meet regional demand. This means actions that will help fill current and anticipated skill shortages in the region from our local population, including people in our priority communities. It could include actions that open doors for people, increase hours for people who want them, see people step up into better paid jobs.

2. Skills development

Improving awareness of, and access to, relevant skills development. This means actions that improve equitable access to skills development (such as better knowledge and information of opportunities, options for training delivery) and to the development of skills that are relevant to our region’s current and future needs, including consideration of Mātauranga Māori. These actions will begin to build clearer pathways to a skilled workforce.

3. Build connections

Building connections between employers, educators and workers. This means actions that bring labour market participants together to increase communication, build collaboration and foster solutions to current and future workforce challenges.

4. Thriving workplaces

Building workplaces that are worker-friendly, inclusive and where workers thrive. This means actions that influence awareness and understanding of the diverse workers in our workforce, worker voice, worker well-being and retention.

5. Supporting young people

Supporting employment initiatives for young people. This means actions that target the particular needs of youth and people up to the age of 30. It recognises the importance of youth and rangatahi in existing Iwi and community plans.

As well as our focus areas and priority communities we have identified seven priority sectors: construction, infrastructure, health (kaiāwhina to nursing), digital technologies, visitor sector, manufacturing and primary. You can find out more about these sectors in Appendix One.

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