Skills are critical to the growth of any sector, especially in high-skill and high complexity sectors such as digital and information technology.
There are long-standing gaps of specific skills within the digital technologies sector. One key factor is a mismatch between the skills industry needs vs the skills available in New Zealand. Through the Industry Transformation Plan, we have an opportunity to tackle the entire pipeline and transform our sector.
With this in mind, we would like to invite you to participate in some essential hui over the next few weeks, exploring different aspects of the skills pipeline and what we can collective do to progress them.
What are these Hui?
These are not talk-fests. We know you’re busy and nobody likes those day-long workshops, often high on talk and low on action. So we’ve condensed these to 2-hour initial exploratory meetings, intended for those who already possess a strong background in that area.
They are outcomes-focused and based on evidence about the underlying issues of skills in the digital tech sector. Our collective job is to come up with concrete actions that will address challenges in each area and together, transform skills in our sector.
These hui form part of the Skills Workstream of the Digital Technologies Industry Transformation Plan currently being put together by Government and Industry. IT Professionals NZ is leading the Skills Workstream.
Please read this backgrounder [pdf] for more information about the what and why.
Objective of the Exploratory Hui
Our intention is to bring together a group of experts in each area to help formulate the part of the Industry Transformation Plan that relates to that area, and ensure that what is being considered is appropriate.
The intention is for each group to come up with a small list of specific actions that can be taken to drive us towards the overall outcome, given the assumptions. We are looking for the 2-3 highest priority actions in each area.
We are not going to solve everything in these meetings. They are intentionally short and sharp, to enable key approaches to be tested and good ideas float to the top. Further discussion and exploration will happen afterwards. Think of it as the brain-storming part.
Assumptions and Statements
We have a set of assumptions and considerable work has gone into ensuring a strong evidentiary basis for these. Therefore, we take them as read and debating them is outside the scope of these workshops.
These are in a separate document and will help steer the direction of discussion.
What and When
The 8 initial exploratory hui will take place over Zoom as follows:
1. Māori and Iwi Engagement
Explore how we can ensure a greater level of Māori and Iwi engagement in all aspects of the Skills Plan, including these exploratory huis, to ensure this is both a genuine partnership and respects Kaupapa Māori. This should be by Māori, for Māori, to Māori.
22 March 2021, 2pm-4pm
Lead: Rata Kamau
2. Disability and Bridging
How can we encourage and assist employers to remove barriers for disabled workers, while also supporting the disabled community to work within the digital tech industry?
24 March 2021, 10am-12pm
Lead: Chandra Harrison
3. Workplace-based Learning
Given relevant industry experience is core to the transition to work, what are some key actions that should be taken to provide greater industry-led workplace-based learning opportunities?
24 March 2021, 2pm-4pm
Lead: Malcolm Fraser
4. Skill definitions frameworks
How can we accelerate understanding of skills (vs roles) in industry, greater focus on skill frameworks such as SFIA, and support wider adoption of skills-based assessment and development?
25 March 2021, 1pm-3pm
Lead: Daniel Merriott
5. Schooling System
What needs to occur within the schooling system (Years 1-13) to help achieve our objectives, given the assumptions? How do we get more school students excited about careers in tech, what existing programmes should be supported and what new initiatives are required?
29 March 2021, 2pm-4pm
Lead: Paul Matthews
6. Government as an Employer
Given the Government is the largest employer of tech talent in New Zealand, what should Government do “as an employer”? Which agency should take ownership and how do we enable a cross-agency response?
31 March 2021, 10am-12pm
Lead: Paul Matthews
7. Diversity and Inclusion
Given the assumptions and outcomes, how do we ensure all actions also support the objective of improving diversity and inclusion in the digital technologies industries, and reduce the perception (and sometimes reality) of an industry less welcome to diversity?
Specific focus on gender, Māori and pacifika and ensuring equal opportunities for everyone.
31 March 2021, 2pm-4pm
Lead: Kate Pearce
8. Upskilling and Reskilling
How can we achieve a coordinated national approach to upskilling and reskilling, catalyse, fund and support initiatives in this space, and achieve greater industry buy-in to investing in upskilling existing workers?
1 April 2021, 1pm-3pm
Lead: David Glover
Registration
You may register for 1 or more of the hui, and each is a standalone event (so you can attend any of them without problem). Please only attend those where you have some existing background expertise.
Please register here
All will be held online via Zoom. Full connection details will be sent to those who have registered.
More Information
Please read this backgrounder [pdf] for more information about the what and why.
Otherwise, email skills@itp.nz for more information.
We hope you can attend the hui for your area of expertise and look forward to seeing you then.