Careerforce scoops Excellence in Business Support Award

Careerforce scoops AUT Business School Excellence in Business Support Award

Bruce Johnson and Sandy Galland accept the award on behalf of Careerforce

New Zealand business has been celebrated in style as more than 600 guests from the government, academic and business sectors came together to honour the winners of the 2016 AUT Business School Excellence in Business Support Awards at a gala dinner at the Langham Hotel on 5 October.

Recognised for excellence in its support of the health and wellbeing sectors, Careerforce was named the winner of the Not for Profit category of the awards.

Careerforce Chief Executive, Ray Lind says the Industry Training Organisation continues to go from strength to strength and this is an opportunity to showcase its commitment to enabling the care and support workforces. “These are the people that are supporting some of our most vulnerable citizens. On a daily basis tens-of-thousands of people are working in vital roles across New Zealand looking after our aged, our sick, our disadvantaged and our injured people. Our role is to work with their employers to ensure they have the competence to do this safely, with confidence and in a way that places the person being supported, at the centre of their own support.

“Being selected as the winner when we were facing competition from three other prestigious companies is a chance for us to further highlight the work we do to support people across New Zealand. We are working tirelessly in the background to help make a difference in people’s lives and receiving this award recognises our unwavering commitment to our employers and trainees.”

Lind adds that with the expected rise of 50 to 70 percent over the next 15 years of people working in care and support roles, it is essential that this workforce has a plan to support our ageing and growing population, who increasingly present with more complex and/or multiple health needs.

“The Government has a desire for people to be cared for in their homes for longer and to be discharged from hospital earlier, freeing up hospital beds … for this to happen we must have more people, with more skills.”

Upskilling and enabling those that are already employed is the first step in this process. Attracting new people into these roles is also vital, says Lind.

In addition to the work Careerforce does as the Government appointed body that sets assessment standards within our sectors and support of workplace training, it works with multiple organisations and agencies to improve resources, visibility, skill and options for the health and wellbeing industries. Among these is the Kaiāwhina Workforce Action Plan, a joint initiative with Health Workforce New Zealand (HWNZ), an arm of the Ministry of Health. The plan is one of the six strategic priorities of HWNZ.

The AUT Excellence in Business Support Awards, now into their eleventh year, are the only national performance measure for New Zealand business support organisations.

AUT Business School takes great pride in these Awards which allow us to recognise and celebrate the best providers of business support in New Zealand, says Professor Geoff Perry, Dean of the AUT Faculty of Business, Economics and Law.

“Without business support organisations and individuals, the performance of businesses here would be greatly affected and it’s important that we acknowledge the very important work that they do. From sales and marketing, and helping behind the scenes with everything from compliance and logistics to administration and maintenance, these businesses help keep our New Zealand industries running effectively and efficiently.”

2016 AUT Business School Excellence in Business Support Winners:

AUT Business School Supreme Winner – Plant & Food Research

Category Award Winners:

IMNZ Business < $5M T/O Management Services – Advisory Works (previously Results Group)

ICG Business < $5M T/O Sales & Marketing – Mint Design

IBM Business $5M – $20M T/O – TRA

Fuji Xerox Large Business – Jasmax

Idealog Sustainability Support – Sustainable Business Network

Colab Design and Creative Technology Support – DNA

New Zealand Business Excellence Foundation Not for Profit – Careerforce

Drake New Zealand Government – Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority EECA BUSINESS

AUT International Business Export Support – NZECO (New Zealand Export Credit Office)

Fuji Xerox Leadership – Wayne Norrie

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