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.
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NZTech Inform – securing our future
Another NZTech year finishes this week, with our Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Thursday. Twelve years ago, NZTech was launched by 40 leading tech firms. Today, we have multiple associations in the NZTech Group, with over 1600 members who employ more than 10 percent of the New Zealand workforce. According to recent data sourced from StatsNZ for our annual report, the tech sector now has 23,229 firms who generated $8.6 billion in exports in 2020 and employed 111,760 people, paid a median salary of $95,000.
We won’t be live streaming our AGM, but if you are in Auckland please come along. It’s members only for the AGM, but non-members can join from 5pm for our entertaining debate. We all know there is a digital skills shortage but we have asked our teams if it is better to reskill staff or employ trained youth and graduates? Debaters include Rosanne Ellis, Victoria Keiller and David Downs taking on Milan Brown, Bryan Chen and Claire Thomas. Each team will put forward their best and most entertaining argument to win audience approval.
This week, another great event is tomorrow’s Tech Users Day in Auckland. The event will be opened by Minister Clark and will focus on how to move New Zealand into the top 10 digital ready nations.
Last week, I expressed some frustration at the lack of response from the Government regarding the economic damage being inflicted on all sectors that rely on digital skills as demand continues to grow and supply is frozen due to border closures. A growing concern is the number of jobs we are seeing being sent out of New Zealand. Unlike the apple growers, for example, who have to bring the people to the work, tech work can go anywhere. Personally, the last thing I want to see is New Zealand’s tech being delivered from all around the world and Kiwi’s missing out on their future. Hopefully, this week we will get to discuss our recommendations with the Minister.
Ngā mihi
Graeme Muller
CEO
NZTech
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