August 05, 2013
Group looks to primary sector for jobs
The chair of a new group looking at where jobs may come for Māori in the future says its task will be to open the eyes of young people as to what is out there.
The Export Industry Skills Analysis Advisory Group was formed as part of Māori Economic Development Action Plan, and includes representatives from across New Zealand’s leading export industries.
Peter Douglas, the Chief Executive of Te Ohu Kaimoana Māori fisheries trust, says it is looking at what industries need, and what school leavers need to take advantage of the opportunities.
He says while the majority of Māori now grow up in cities, there is work available in primary industries for rangatahi who are prepared to travel and to prepare themselves, but they need to have some idea about what is available.
"Of the many hundreds or many thousands of young people who leave school each year, they are not all going to go to university, they are not all going to go into office jobs, and many of them might think that sort of work, 'I’d never thought of that, maybe it’s the sort of thing with a little bit of preparation, with a little bit of study in some of our technical institutes I might be able to find myself in that sort of work for a decent part of my career,'" he says.
Mr Douglas says many primary sector employers are hiring from overseas because they can’t find local workers.
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