First Canterbury workforce plan aims for collective change

The Canterbury Regional Skills Leadership Group (RSLG) launched Canterbury’s first Regional Workforce Plan in Christchurch at Enterprise Precinct and Innovation Campus (EPIC) on the 14th of July 2022.

The Regional Workforce Plan has an initial focus on rangatahi as a key labour market demographic and on digital technology, manufacturing, and healthcare and social assistance as key sectors.

Canterbury RSLG Co-chair Karena Brown said it aimed to stimulate a regionwide conversation on “how Canterbury can work collectively to change the way we develop and support our workforce – now and in the future”.

Key priorities in the plan include a focus on actions to address labour and skills shortages and to improve access to career development support – particularly for the region’s rangatahi.

The RSLG is an independent advisory group of community leaders with representatives from both the supply and demand sides of Canterbury’s diverse labour market. The Regional Workforce Plan’s development involved extensive community engagement.

“We view this inaugural Canterbury Regional Workforce Plan as a plan for the region, by the region,” Karena Brown said. “It will support our education, welfare and immigration agencies to be better connected through Canterbury’s labour market planning and delivery, and reflect kaupapa Māori views in its actions.”

Work on the Canterbury Regional Workforce Plan began in 2020 with analysis undertaken by the interim RSLG, which was stood up to support the initial response to COVID-19 and its impact on the regional labour market. The permanent RSLG has then built upon this work since being appointed in 2021.

“The process of developing this strategy has been one of partnership and collaboration. We are extremely grateful to the many colleagues from industry, the education and training sector, rangatahi, unions, and business who have participated in the development of our areas of focus and actions,” said RSLG Iwi Co-Chair Liz Brown.

The Regional Workforce Plan will be refreshed annually, and the group will continue to work within the community to ensure it captures the views and priorities of the region. The Canterbury Regional Workforce Plan is available on the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment website, at mbie.govt.nz/canterbury-rslg.