Workforce capability strategy project

Water New Zealand will be kicking off a project in 2018 to develop a sector workforce capability strategy and we’d like your input.

The sector currently has an aging workforce and limited succession planning. We need to attract people into the sector and retain them but, in general, the sector is not as attractive or competitive as other sectors that compete for similar skill sets. The sector’s capability needs are also changing in response to tougher environmental standards, greater assurances required around public health and safety, as well as efforts to lift the bar on asset management practices across the country. Some organisations are tackling these issues and there is an opportunity to share these learnings through greater industry collaboration. Vocational education and training will need to evolve in response to all of this.

The project will explore these challenges and develop a plan of action to resolve them. This will first involve understanding where the sector is now (develop a workforce profile) and how it is changing (scan of the issues and trends affecting the sector). There is already a lot happening around the sector on capability but there is not yet a clear picture of all the work. A stock take of relevant initiatives will be undertaken.

Details and timing for the project will be developed early in 2018. In the meantime, please get in touch if you are interested in this work, can contribute in some way (in-kind or funding), or just want to let us know about initiatives you are aware of that we should take into account.

The contact for this project is charlotte.cudby@waternz.org.nz