Focus area: Telling our tech story

Context

Research and engagement around the draft ITP highlighted that international awareness of New Zealand as a source of technology and innovation remains relatively poor, with traditional sectors dominating, such as tourism and agriculture. This is despite strong growth and recent success in international markets.

Furthermore, within New Zealand, the advantages of the sector, and the potential for job creation and developing innovative solutions for current and future problems (e.g. related to the environment or wellbeing) is similarly relatively unexplored by those who are not active within the sector.

This points to a need to better tell the story of the digital technologies capabilities we have as a country, and to better inspire more New Zealanders to become part of this.

Initial ITP funding was provided for the development of Our Tech and Innovation Story (Tech Story). This work, which was led by NZTech with support from NZ Story and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), involved extensive consultation with industry, youth, Māori, government, and international stakeholders.

Activating New Zealand’s international tech story (funded)

$4 million over 2 years has been allocated for the international activation of the International Tech Story.

NZTech, NZTE and NZ Story will jointly work on the implementation phase for taking the 'See Tomorrow First' message to the world. The focus is to influence international perceptions of New Zealand’s technology and innovation capabilities and to associate it with an exciting culture of tech and creativity that people want to be a part of.

The Tech Story leverages the notion of a tomorrow that needs new ideas, new perspectives, and new ways of doing things. It notes that, in New Zealand, the tech communities are focused on meeting the challenges of the future, and together are building a tomorrow that future generations can thrive in.

This project will share our Tech Story with the world’s tech buyers, talent, and investors.

A joint project team is responsible for this implementation phase:

• NZTech is leading the activation and enablement of New Zealand tech businesses to use and engage with the Tech Story;
• NZTE is overseeing the activation of the story in high priority international markets, including the United States and South East Asia; and
• NZ Story is working to ensure that this Tech Story is consistent with and supports other sector stories shared internationally about New Zealand to manage a cohesive all-of-country positioning in overseas markets.

Developing a Domestic tech story (funded)     

This ITP has a focus on improving the diversity of the digital technologies workforce. Women, Māori and Pacific peoples are all under-represented in the sector and this has not improved in recent years. One reason is the low awareness of the positive aspects of the sector, including the variety of roles, the types of work and projects, the salary levels and the opportunities for progression. 

Funding of $1 million per annum for the next 4 years was allocated in Budget 2022 to develop a “Domestic Tech Story”. MBIE is leading this work, collaborating with interested stakeholders, including Te Puni Kōkiri, the Ministry for Pacific Peoples, the Ministry for Women, the Ministry of Education, and others. The core goals are to:

• inspire more New Zealanders, from a variety of backgrounds, to want to participate in digital careers, or other related endeavours. This includes prioritising primary and secondary school students, including girls, Māori, Pacific peoples, the neurodiverse and people with disabilities. Initiatives targeted at these groups should start early, then move from school onto pathways that transition into vocational education and training or university, and employment;
• showcase different pathways into the sector that will resonate with young New Zealanders and their whānau;
• create visibility of different role models who are not currently well represented or supported in the sector. This includes women, Māori, Pacific peoples, neurodiverse, people with disabilities, career changers and those who give them advice; and
• connect into existing resources as appropriate for stronger collective impact. These include the NZ Tech Story, Careers.govt.nz, the Tertiary Education Commission’s 'Inspiring the Future resource', and a proposed web-based resource for digital skills and talent.

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