The New Zealand Tech Alliance is a group of independent technology associations from across New Zealand that work together to ensure a strong voice for technology.
Visit Tech Alliance
NZTech Inform – time to meet the challenge!
Kia ora,
Earlier this month, more than 300 rangatahi from high schools across Tāmaki Makaurau discovered the exciting world of tech at the Tech23 Tour at the Viaduct Events Centre. The Year 9-13 students met face-to-face with tech employers. During their tour they enjoyed augmented, virtual and mixed reality experiences, discovered robotics and more. They also saw holograms in action and were inspired to learn more about data and software.
A similar and equally exciting event, Working in the Cloud, was held in Wellington during Techweek23. It hosted over 800 Year 11-12 students to hear short talks by founders of some of Wellington’s most exciting companies including PikPok, Sharesies, Storypark and Cogo. It was an awesome way to ignite interest, raise awareness and understanding of tech career opportunities.
The aim was to inspire school leavers to join our fastest growing and highest paid sector! At events like these, we are able to show the variety of roles available and different pathways into tech. View the Tech23 video highlights here and check out the photo gallery.
Meanwhile, Microsoft’s #10KWāhine initiative aims to enable 10,000 women in New Zealand with new skills and help them secure digital roles. The programme is designed to deepen technical capability and provide pathways into careers. Employers are being asked to pledge job vacancies for part time, full time or fixed contract roles. Please encourage your organisation to support this #10KWāhine. Read more.
Initiatives like these are an important part of increasing our sector’s workforce, which in turn is critical for New Zealand’s prosperity. Work on the third edition of our Digital Skills Aotearoa report is well underway. Our early research suggests that little has improved during the past seven years. While there has been an explosion of effort to attract students into tech careers, the numbers taking relevant NCEA subjects and tertiary studies continues to decline. In addition, those who graduate are struggling to find entry level positions. The challenges are now clearly identified, so it is time for the industry and Government to step up, align, invest and collaborate. If our efforts remain fragmented, there will continue to be little change.
This week, I am in Taiwan as a guest of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office. I’m looking forward to learning more about their digital skills challenges and sharing insights. I will also be discussing our industry Code of Online Safety and Harms, AI strategies and visiting the Innovex event to see hundreds of AI and IoT companies pitching to over 200 global VC investors.
Ngā mihi nui
Graeme Muller
CEO
NZTech
PS: If you’re looking for support to grow your business or take your innovative idea to market, join the Callaghan Innovation Roadshow, as they mark their 10th birthday. Register for the event near you.
Read the full news here: NZTech Inform – time to meet the challenge!
