ICT grad school ‘excellent’ says Grow Wellington

The ICT graduate school planned for Wellington is an initiative that is much-needed in the capital city, says Grow Wellington, the regional development agency.

Announced by the Government this week, the graduate school will help to provide Wellington’s burgeoning tech industry with more skilled ICT staff. Grow Wellington estimates that the number of businesses in the city’s ICT sector is just over 3300, the highest concentration of web and digital-based companies per capita in New Zealand.

Grow Wellington is finalising a regional workforce strategy, focused on growing the city’s workforce in sectors such as ICT, where shortages currently exist.

“We’ve been working with tertiary education providers in the region – Victoria and Massey universities, Wellington Institute of Technology (WelTec), Whitireia and the Open Polytechnic – to respond to the industry’s needs for a skilled graduate ICT workforce,” Adrian Gregory, Grow Wellington’s General Manager of Innovation and Workforce, says.“Grow Wellington’s regional workforce strategy includes actions that will match our homegrown talent with demand for skills, and retain those skills in Wellington for the region’s businesses.”

The Government’s investment into ICT is also supported by WelTec.“We’ve seen very strong demand from local employers for our graduates but there is still more scope to meet the industry’s skills needs,” Linda Sissons, Chief Executive of WelTec says.

“We welcome this initiative and the opportunity to partner with other institutions under the auspices of Grow Wellington.”

The ICT graduate school will ensure that Wellington has the skilled workforce it needs, says Gregory.

“You’ve got the likes of Xero and Trade Me as well as a host of smaller firms in the region that are crying out for high-skilled people.

“The Government’s announcement of a grad school in Wellington is welcome news for the tech industry.”