HCLTech announces second batch of Rise at HCLTech apprenticeship program to bridge digital skills gap in New Zealand

First batch of participants join HCLTech as full-time employees

Supported by the Ministry of Social Development, Waikato, the program focuses on job-ready technology skills for secondary school graduates

HAMILTON, New Zealand and NOIDA, India, Nov 1, 2023—HCLTech, a leading global technology company, today announced plans to extend its apprenticeship program, Rise at HCLTech, to help close the digital skills gap in New Zealand.

Rise at HCLTech is an integrated learning and training program that equips secondary school graduates with the skills and experience they need to be job-ready, enabling them to start or fast-track a career in the technology industry. The paid apprenticeship program has special focus on women, Māori and Pacific peoples to support inclusive growth.

Having successfully completed the 12-month paid apprenticeship program, the first batch of 13 graduates from the program will now take up full-time employment at HCLTech’s New Zealand headquarters in Hamilton. The pilot was carried out jointly by HCLTech and the Ministry of Social Development, Waikato with support from the wider business and education sectors in Hamilton.

The company announced that a second pilot with secondary school graduates will commence in Hamilton in 2024. The program will cover various areas of skilling and training, such as cybersecurity, coding, data analytics and AI, all of which are skills currently required.

"Rise at HCLTech provides a solution to a real-world technology skills shortage problem. The program enables someone with limited technology skills to be job-ready within a year. This is a powerful proposition for our clients and partners in New Zealand,” said Michael Horton, Country Head for Australia and New Zealand, HCLTech.

“It’s great to have an opportunity with HCLTech for our people to engage, train and obtain mahi in an industry that needs more people to help close a skills gap. Congratulations to the participants that have been dedicated, committed and successful in completing their training. It’s great to see a company helping local people get jobs locally within the Waikato Region,” said Kristian Te Nana, Regional Labour Market Manager, Ministry of Social Development, Waikato Region.

“Tech skills have become increasingly critical for the future prosperity of Aotearoa. HCLTech is to be congratulated for launching a program that increases digital literacy and boosts the country’s productivity. Rise at HCLTech and TechBee serve as blueprints for other paid digital apprenticeship program that could be rolled out nationally,” said Graeme Muller, Chief Executive Officer at NZTech, an industry group working to help industry, education and the government collaborate to create a digital nation.

About HCLTech

HCLTech is a global technology company, home to more than 221,000 people across 60 countries, delivering industry-leading capabilities centered around digital, engineering, cloud and AI, powered by a broad portfolio of technology services and products. We work with clients across all major verticals, providing industry solutions for Financial Services, Manufacturing, Life Sciences and Healthcare, Technology and Services, Telecom and Media, Retail and CPG, and Public Services. Consolidated revenues as of 12 months ending September 2023 totalled $12.9 billion. To learn how we can supercharge progress for you, visit hcltech.com.

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