Focus area: Maximising our workforce
Maximising Te Tai Poutini’s workforce to meet our current and future skills and labour demands.
These are actions that will help fill the region’s current and future skills and labour shortages from our local population, including our priority groups.
Year 1 priorities (2022/2023)
Utilising our available workforce to meet regional demand
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Activities |
Suggested lead and partners |
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Build a more detailed regional picture of current and future labour and skills needs for Te Tai Poutini. |
WDCs, supported by RSLG, Upskill West Coast, Business NZ, businesses/sector leaders, iwi, DWC, local government/MTFJ, MBIE, MSD/Connected, DOC. |
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Support initiatives to retrain and redeploy workers into new businesses and industries. |
WDCs, supported by RSLG, Upskill West Coast, Business NZ, businesses/sector leaders, iwi, DWC, local government/MTFJ, MBIE, MSD/Connected, DOC. |
Years 2-3 (2023-2025)
Employment of our priority groups and underutilised people
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Activities |
Suggested lead and partners |
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Provide information to help employers develop, upskill, and reskill existing employees including: making our priority communities visible to employers, education around appropriate and inclusive recruitment practices, sharing good practice stories |
Upskill West Coast, supported by Businesses/ industry, TPP/Te Pūkenga, MOE/ Schools, MSD/ Connected, MBIE/RSLG. |
Workforce planning - forecasting demand for skills and labour
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Activities |
Suggested lead and partners |
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Encourage and support employers to develop workforce plans - including an assessment of current workforce age spread, skill levels, and anticipated future skills needs. |
Upskill West Coast, supported by Education to Employment Advisors, WDCs, Businesses and Sector leaders, MBIE, MPI |
Facilitate skills and jobs matching
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Activities |
Suggested lead and partners |
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Support and encourage business showcasing opportunities across the Coast – e.g., Youth Employment Success, speed dating, on the job training, and work experience. |
Vocational Coordinator, supported by Education to Employment Advisors, Upskill West Coast, Businesses/Sectors, MSD/Connected. MBIE/ SWEP, TPP/Te Pūkenga /schools, Local government/MTFJ, BullerREAP and WestREAP, Byte Mawhera and Epic Hubs. |
Bringing parties together for increased opportunities
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Activities |
Suggested lead and partners |
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Explore opportunities for group training to create efficiencies and cost savings for employer supported training and development |
Upskill West Coast, supported by Byte Mawhera and Epic Hub, DWC, TPP/Te Pūkenga, Businesses/industry associations, MBIE/SWEP. |
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Identify potential funding sources for new activities, including MSD/Connected government funding, employer investment and philanthropic support. |
Upskill West Coast, supported by Byte Mawhera and Epic Hub, DWC, TPP/Te Pūkenga, Businesses/industry associations, MBIE/SWEP. |
Years 4-10 (2025-2032)
Employment of our priority groups and underutilised people
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Activities |
Suggested lead and partners |
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Promote new ways of employment to keep our older workers engaged within the workforce for longer – eg work fewer hours, less physical roles |
Upskill West Coast, supported by Businesses/industry associations, TPP/Te Pūkenga, MOE/ Schools, MSD/Connected, MBIE. |
Workforce planning - forecasting demand for skills and labour
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Activities |
Suggested lead and partners |
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Encourage businesses to share workforce plans to inform future employment opportunities and skills requirements. |
Upskill West Coast, supported by Education to Employment Advisors, WDCs, Businesses & Sector leaders, MBIE, MPI. |
Facilitate skills and jobs matching
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Activities |
Suggested lead and partners |
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Encourage schools to respond to workforce planning insights. |
Vocational Coordinator, supported by Pathway Advisors, Upskill West Coast, Businesses/Sectors, MSD/Connected, MBIE/SWEP, TPP/Te Pūkenga /schools, Local government/MTFJ, BullerREAP and WestREAP, West Coast Trades Academy. |
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Support businesses to have an online presence including career opportunities and pathways including promotion of programmes such as Youth Employment Success, MTFJ, Think Rural and Upskill West Coast. |
Vocational Coordinator, supported by Pathway Advisors, Upskill West Coast, Businesses/Sectors, MSD/Connected, MBIE/SWEP, TPP/Te Pūkenga /schools, Local government/MTFJ, BullerREAP and WestREAP, West Coast Trades Academy. |
Bringing parties together for increased opportunities
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Activities |
Suggested lead and partners |
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Promote models of successful collaboration to grow employment. |
Upskill West Coast, supported by MBIE/SWEP, Byte Mawhera and Epic Hub, DWC, TPP/Te Pūkenga, Businesses/industry associations, MSD/Connected. |
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Develop an innovation and R&D hub to support key economic drivers and assist sectors dealing with real world problems and opportunities |
Upskill West Coast, supported by MBIE/SWEP, Byte Mawhera and Epic Hub, DWC, TPP/Te Pūkenga, Businesses/industry associations, MSD/Connected. |
Outputs and outcomes
- Improved workforce planning processes and increased understanding of training and skills needs
- Overall reduction in workforce skills gaps and vacancies
- More opportunities and employment for our priority groups
- Reduction in number of underutilised people
- Clear career pathways
- Enhanced support for jobs and skills matching services