Introduction - He kōrero whakataki

Te Tai Poutini West Coast Regional Workforce Plan (plan) is the region’s first focused labour plan for improving training and employment outcomes and ensuring our businesses have the people with the right skills they need to thrive.

This plan sets out our long-term vision, focus areas, priority groups and actions to build on the strengths of the current economy, with a focus on our regional labour force and future skills needs. It is aimed at supporting our people into training and work, as well as attracting and retaining talent within the region. It is also about encouraging businesses and employers, training providers, and others to work together to grow and support our workforce and economy. Effective workforce planning and development has never been more important, with a planned, rather than reactive, approach required to respond to current and future challenges.

Our Vision is adopted from the outcomes of the Te Whanaketanga Te Tai Poutini West Coast 2050 Strategy - the region’s economic strategy. This plan fully supports and aligns with its actions in terms of achieving the best outcomes for our people, their wellbeing, and our labour market.

In developing our approach, we have carried out a comprehensive review of our current and forecast labour market including our economy, education levels, workforce demand, and skill requirements. Most of this data and information is included in our RWP Supporting Document:

In terms of our economy, Te Tai Poutini West Coast has been doing well. It has grown, up 8.4% in the year to December 2021 compared to the national rate of 5.5%. Employment has increased over the same period, with over 680 new jobs created. The Government’s funding, including, the Provincial Growth Fund, Jobs for Nature, Mayors Taskforce for Jobs, Covid-19 response and infrastructure investments have played an important role in keeping the economy buoyant by creating and saving jobs and attracting workers and families to the region.

In the plan we have identified five key focus areas that are directly linked to our action plan and policy opportunities. Cross cutting, they benefit all sectors and groups in our community. They focus on ensuring that our people are aware of current and future job opportunities and have access to education and training.

To ensure that our plan represents all voices in our region, we have placed a spotlight on those groups that have traditionally found it difficult to fully participate in our labour market including Māori, youth, women, older persons, and disabled persons and/or persons with health conditions.

It is hoped this plan will help sectors, firms, and others to see their own roles more clearly in addressing their future skills and labour needs, including providing diverse, flexible, fairly paid, and decent work environments.

To be more productive our labour market needs to be capable of responding to change. It will require us to work smarter through innovation and the use of new technologies. whilst dealing with emerging issues and risks.

Connection across the region, between the labour and education systems is important to ensure we can resolve issues and drive meaningful change. This plan is intended to inform Government activities and decisions, including education, welfare, and immigration to ensure the right skills are developed and available to meet demand.

With a 10-year horizon, this plan is designed to be a living document that will evolve as actions are implemented, new opportunities arise, and our labour and skills requirements change.

The RSLG members see their role in this regional workforce plan as leaders and influencers of change through coordination and collaboration, as well as connection of the region with government.

This plan presents a genuine opportunity for Te Tai Poutini to look at what needs to be done, to take advantage of its natural West Coast strengths and to address some of our persistent challenges to create a labour market that works for everyone.

Our vision - Tā tātou whakakitenga

An innovative and resilient economy delivering opportunities and high-paying jobs for our community/hapori. Caring for our people and our environment is part of who we are and what we are known for.

He ōhanga e hihiri ana, e manawaroa ana e kōkiri ana i ngā āheinga me ngā umanga whai rawa ki tō tātou hapori. He wāhanga nō mātou, kua hau hoki tō mātou rongo mō te kumanu i ō tātou tāngata, i tō tātou hapori anō hoki.

Our vision originates from Te Whanaketanga Tai Poutini West Coast 2050 Strategy.

Te Whanaketanga Tai Poutini West Coast 2050 Strategy(external link) — tewhanaketanga.nz

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