Work Force Development Strategy

The EDA has facilitated the Work Force Development Strategy for the region since August 2003.   The strategy aims to ensure businesses have access to suitably skilled staff and that people are able to access appropriate employment opportunities.

The key focus areas of the strategy are:

• Having accurate knowledge of the labour market and skill shortages
• Ensuring an appropriate labour market supply
• Ensuring training is meeting industry need
• Communicating relevant labour market information to employers, the labour force and training providers
• Promoting the region as an attractive place to want to come to work
• Raising workplace productivity levels
• Promoting work life balance
• Addressing regional infrastructure issues that inpact on the labour market.

Click here for a summary of the 2008-2009 Nelson Regional Work Force Development Strategy

The key aims are:

• Improved competitive position of the region in national and international employee markets
• Minimal impact of seasonality on availability of an appropriately skilled work force to meet industry need
• Better match created between workers' skills and industry, and regional needs
• Education and training provision meets regional industry needs
• Young people are encouraged and supported to increase their skills, engage in relevant training, remain in or return to participate in the region's work force
• Older workers remain in and contribute to the region's work force.

This future regional Work Force Development Strategy reflects the objectives of the New Zealand Skills Strategy Action Plan's 2008 action areas:

• Improve management and leadership capability in organisations to better develop and use skills
• Increase literacy, language and numeracy skills of the work force
• Create a better match between workers' skills and industry, and regional needs
• Support young people currently in the work force to increase their skills and engage in relevant training.

Click here for more information on workforce - employment profiles, access to training, training recognition, work life balance, seasonal work and the new migrant database.