Workforce Development Plan 2022

Ko ngā pae tawhiti, whāia kia tata. Ko ngā pae tata, whakamaua kia tina

The potential for tomorrow is determined by what we do today.

For many people and businesses – particularly those within the Service sector – the past two years have been incredibly challenging with significant job losses, disruptions, and wider economic challenges.
It is more important than ever before for businesses to actively focus on developing their workforce.
We have an opportunity to rethink what the Service sector workforce could look like now and in the future.

The Service sector is essential to the economy

924,000

people employed by the Service sector in 2021 – over one-third of all workers in New Zealand.

$100b+

per year to New Zealand’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by the Service sector, or just over 30% of the total GDP.

292,000

Service sector businesses in New Zealand, representing around half of all businesses in the country.

EXPLORE OUR SECTOR

A male technician wearing safety glasses and a blue work uniform uses a tool to repair or assemble a large piece of industrial machinery. He works in a spacious workshop with visible tools, parts, and equipment in the background.

A woman with long dark hair gestures as she speaks during a discussion. She is wearing a white blouse with black polka dots. A smiling man with a white shirt listens attentively in the background, with large windows showing a modern building exterior.

A cleaning professional wearing a navy-blue uniform and gloves operates a yellow floor cleaning machine in a brightly lit hallway. Cleaning supplies on a trolley are visible in the background, indicating a professional cleaning environment.

A person with a headset sitting behind a desk with a computer on it.

Two people sitting in an office. There is a large glass door in front of them.

A person making coffee. They are wearing a barista uniform. In the background it a large window.

Several people in an empty apartment building. One looks like they are a real estate agent. The other two look like they are viewing the place.

Two people in a shop. One person looks like they work there. The other is buying flowers from the shop.

A person with their back away from the camera. The back of their top reads security. In the background is a person walking towards then and a carpark.

Several people standing in the front of a Māori cultural building called a Mara.

Our approach

This initial Workforce Development Plan presents a high-level summary of the people working in the Service sector today, the factors shaping the workforce in the coming years, and the actions we could take to develop the future workforce together.

As our first plan, it is based on readily accessible, quantitative information, and qualitative insights gleaned from the many early conversations we’ve had with people from the sector.

A double-page spread of a Workforce Development Plan for Ringa Hora Services. The left page features an image of a smiling female café worker holding an

Workforce Development Plan 2022

What’s inside?

A spotlight on our kaimahi – Māori, Pacific, women, disabled people, and rangatahi
The state of vocational education in the Service sector
Snapshots of our ten industry groupings
Major factors shaping the sector
Key focus areas and a proposed framework for actions to be co-created with all those involved within the sector

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Where to from here?

Through to early 2023, we want to know how much of what we’ve shared here resonates with you. We encourage you to read, share and challenge our plan.

• What do you agree or disagree with and why?
• Is there anything we’ve missed?
• What actions do you think would make a difference?
• What things could you or your organisation do?

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