Our approach - Tā mātou ara
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This plan is for all people of Te Tai Poutini West Coast. The actions aim to help ensure that we enable the right skills and access to training and resources to meet our future workforce needs, and that our people can enjoy fulfilling and secure work.
As we have worked to understand our region’s workforce and skills environment, we have heard from many people including iwi, employers, local and central government, industry groups, training providers, workers, communities, learners, and job seekers. Some of the challenges identified include:
- youth not always attracted back from study to work in the region
- low NCEA achievement rates, affecting job seeker’s ability to meet employer requirements
- lack of information about career pathways and available jobs/future opportunities
- workplaces that lack inclusivity and flexibility
- Māori, women, and those with disabilities/health issues are over-represented in lower skilled and poorly paid roles
- an aging workforce
- skills mismatches, where employers are looking for workplace experience/ soft skills
- shortage of housing and rental accommodation, public transport, childcare, health care, connectivity, and a lack of suitable work for other family members
- shortage of workers nationally, making it difficult to attract and recruit.
To view the full list of challenges and opportunities please see our RWP Supporting Document:
Te Tai Poutini West Coast Regional Workforce Plan: Supporting document [PDF 1.7MB]