Regional Skills Leadership Groups have launched their plans for skills and workforce development in our regions and cities with the healthcare and social assistance sector a key focus area. 

 

Regional Workforce Plans (RWPs) offer insights on regional labour market and skills issues and opportunities, and set out aspirations, priorities and actions for current and future workforce skills development. They are available on the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) website.

Actions to tackle skills shortages in healthcare, aged care and social assistance feature in many of the plans. These include building on the kaiāwhina health workforce that was pivotal during the height of the pandemic, improving access to training and linking schools, training providers and employers.

RWPs will influence regional projects and local action on labour market and skills matters and inform work at a national level. This is the first time workforce planning has been done in a systematic, regionally led way. Plans will be refreshed annually.

The 15 Regional Skills Leadership Groups (RSLGs) are independent advisory groups of regional leaders. The groups have worked with their communities to build a shared view of the local labour market and to identify the workforce challenges each region faces and the best ways to meet these, now and in the future. Workforce Development Councils and RSLGs are working closely on their respective plans.

MBIE is leading a cross-agency response to the themes raised by RSLGs and is working towards delivery of this by the end of 2022. The response will be published on the MBIE website.