Skills Active shine light on partnership and innovation

Skills Active shine light on partnership and innovation

Industry training organisation, Skills Active Aotearoa, has launched a range of useful resources and innovative tools to meet the needs of the sport, recreation and performing arts industries.

At the Fuelling the Fire Launch Event on February 8, industry partners gathered to learn more about Skills Active's vision for 2018 and celebrate the release of the 2018 Skills Active Workforce Scan, Tōu Aratika – a digital career pathway tool, and the website re-development project.

In launching these products, Skills Active Chief Executive, Grant Davidson, discussed the importance of innovation within the industries.

"Our industries are constantly changing, so it's crucial that we focus on innovating, in order to continue to meet the needs of our industries, and help give direction to the passionate workers within them."

One such innovative new tool responds to a key issue highlighted in the 2018 Skills Active Workforce Scan – the annual research document about the sport, recreation and performing arts industries. The need for increased visibility of career pathways was identified across all of these industries. In response to this, Skills Active has developed Tōu Aratika – a digital career pathway tool, which provides information about the wide range of fulfilling careers, and showcases the exciting pathways people can take in each industry.

The event brought together a broad cross-section of stakeholders to celebrate the strength of partnership and the message that, in working together, they can make a real impact on the workforce and a real impact on the wellbeing of New Zealand.

According to the 2018 Workforce Scan, the sport, recreation and performing arts industries employ over 100,000 people, and are supported by more than a million volunteers. In 2016, these industries contributed $6.9 billion to New Zealand's economy.

Grant emphasised the impact that the industries had on New Zealand, but acknowledged that this value was not always recognised.

“Our industries have an amazing effect on the wellbeing of New Zealanders, and that's what we are here to support. Our industries are often undervalued and undersupported, but I take my hat off to everyone here, because we are all passionate about what we do. We are stronger by working together," Grant said.

This sentiment was echoed by the event's guest speaker, Steve Gibling, Establishment Manager for the Metropolitan Sports Facility at Christchurch City Council. Steve discussed the benefits of working in partnership with Skills Active to support the development of his staff.

With the development of a $400 million dollar sport and recreation facility on the cards for Christchurch City Council, their number of paid and unpaid employees is expected to double to almost 800 sport and recreation staff.

Steve highlighted the importance of training and supporting all staff, and said that’s where the Council's relationship with Skills Active is really valuable.

It’s the structure and certainty of Skills Active’s nationally-recognised qualifications and high quality assessment and moderation systems that empower workplaces to train their own staff and fuel the fire of capability within them.

"Skills Active has access to a whole lot of information and resources that we will never have the ability to manage and maintain. The support from Skills Active is key for us to deliver a great service to the community."

Steve encouraged Skills Active to "keep innovating, and keep pushing workplaces to do better for their people, because our industries need that challenge."

It’s working together with industry that has allowed Skills Active to produce fresh research and innovative digital tools that are relevant to the needs of the industries they serve.

About Skills Active
Skills Active Aotearoa is the industry training organisation for the sport, recreation and performing arts industries.

We develop world-class on-job qualifications that provide passionate people with the opportunity to upskill, and enjoy thriving careers in our industries.

Our industries positively impact the wellbeing of New Zealanders. A strong industry depends on a skilled workforce, and our goal is to fuel the fire within workplaces to develop these skilled workers, who will add value to these vital industries.

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