Ensuring that our region is ready for the Future of Work (FOW) with more skilled and better-paid jobs is our mission at Priority One. To achieve this, we are taking a strategic role to guide our members through the necessary transitions. Our ongoing efforts, supported by our member, have laid a strong foundation to date.

In October 2022, we completed our first Sector Talent Plan (STP) for Professional Services and Tech. To date, the 12 action points have either been delivered or ongoing. To continue industry talent support, our next priority sector was identified as Horticulture. Initial research was conducted in 2023, and then paused due to seasonal timing.

For the horticulture sector, like the tech and professional services sectors, we recognise the overlap of skilled roles across industries. To capitalise on this, we conducted a piece of research to understand Priority One’s role in supporting talent development and pipelines for the horticulture sector. Specifically, how might Priority One support our members with future talent needs. This was undertaken in the first half of this year and completed in July 2024. 

Member input has been critical for this research piece, alongside qualitative interviews with students and careers advisors, to ensure we had a 360 view on perceptions of horticulture careers in the Western Bay of Plenty. We would like to take this opportunity to thank those businesses that participated in the research inclusive of Zespri, NZKGI, HortNZ, Māori Kiwifruit Growers Inc, Fruitometry, NZ Avocado, Kiwifruit Breeding Centre and Southern Cross Horticulture.

Our research identified several key themes, including talent availability, education, talent pipelines, perception of horticulture careers, and industry cohesion. Confusion about responsibility for talent development and stretched resources present significant challenges for our horticulture sector.

Our role in connecting education to business is crucial, and we hope to leverage our programs inclusive of Instep, Future of Work and Ara Rau to support and enhance future skilled workforce pipelines for the horticulture sector. Critical to this is the revival of our horticulture careers experience for students, Cultivate your Career, which will be back in September of 2024.

Stay tuned for more updates and the release of our findings.