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Workhere tackles tech talent shortage with recruitment event
Workhere tackles tech talent shortage with international recruitment event
The New Zealand ICT industry has the fastest growth index of any industry in the country and is expected to be the leading export earner within 6 years, but a serious skill shortage is now threatening to bring New Zealand’s rapidly growing tech sector to a halt.
The Government is working on promoting tech careers to entice future tech graduates but this is a long term solution. Luckily, one company has been working on a more immediate solution.
Workhere New Zealand is focused on connecting Kiwi employers with highly skilled offshore talent and recently partnered with Immigration New Zealand and the NZ Tech Industry Association (NZTIA) to showcase the Kiwi tech scene to a global audience through TechConnect – an online recruitment event.
More than 30 New Zealand ICT companies signed up for the event, offering over 150 roles to tech talent all around the globe. The event included a panel with representatives from NZTIA, Air New Zealand, IAG, Orion Health, Xero and Unleashed Software, and also included a live Q&A with official advice from Immigration New Zealand.
Candace Kinser, CEO of the New Zealand Tech Industry Association started off the panel by introducing the Kiwi tech scene and the challenge it faces.
“It will be the largest industry for New Zealand in 2020, which bodes really well for everybody who’s in the sector but it’s also one of the crunch points in terms of trying to generate that growth but not having enough people in the country to actually ensure that we can get there.”
The event led to over 2,500 applications and over 1,200 questions were answered directly, ranging from which skills are in demand and work visa advice, through to questions about the cost of living and opportunities for family members.
The Q&A is now closed but you can still watch the event interviews on the Workhere New Zealand event page.
For more information and to join other leading Kiwi tech companies that have already signed up for the Workhere initiative, visit www.workhere.co.nz.
TechConnect
Panel
• Andrew Patterson, Broadcaster for RadioLive
(MC)
• Candace Kinser, CEO for NZ Tech Industry
Association
• Julia Raue, CIO for Air New
Zealand
• Kevin Angland, CIO for IAG
• Ian McCrae,
CEO for Orion Health
• Andrew Tokeley, Product Manager
for Xero
• Gareth Berry, CEO for Unleashed
Software
• Carl Andrews, Relationship Manager for
Immigration New Zealand
Tech Connect event
stats:
• 5,291 people registered their interest in
the event
• 1,125 people watched the event
live
• Over 3,500 people have watched the event
since
• Approximately 1,200 candidate questions were
answered
• 157 ICT job opportunities were advertised
during the event
• More than 2,500 job applications
were generated as a
result
ENDS
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