New Initiatives
Global Executive Development Programme
18. The taskforce identified the single biggest constraint to the growth of New Zealand ICT companies as being the shortage of skilled leaders and marketing/sales executives with the appropriate experience for taking a global company through the sales barrier New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), after an RFP process, has already provided a grant of $0.100 million (GST not applicable) to the training company The Icehouse to develop a highly targeted Global Executive Development Programme in line with the taskforce's recommendation, with the first course to be run in November 2003. I propose further funding to support this programme be provided from the GIF Taskforce Contingency, including establishment of a CEO Online community to share experience and knowledge. It is expected that by 2006/2007 the programme will become fully self-funding. Refer Appendix A for detail. NZTE and TEC will work to ensure the experience gained from this programme is fed into the wider Entrepreneurship and Knowledge Transfer initiative proposed in Paper 2: Cross Sectoral Initiatives.
ICT Statistics
19. The taskforce placed high priority on the need for improved alignment and timeliness of ICT statistics, to track changes in the sector and to convey internationally a more complete picture of the New Zealand ICT sector (e.g. in OECD data). It is proposed that new ICT statistics be funded from the GIF taskforce contingency as part of a package of GIF related statistics initiatives (see also Paper 2: Cross Sectoral Initiatives). The new statistics will apply internationally accepted templates. These have been designed with a view to collecting information to give policy-makers a good basis for assessing the importance of the sector, its contribution to the economy and how it changes over time. They will also provide a basis for more in-depth evaluation of GIF related policies. Refer to Appendix B for details.
Futureintech Awareness Programme
20. The taskforce placed high priority on government and industry implementing a national awareness programme to encourage more secondary students into ICT careers and raise the profile of the sector generally. Such a programme, Futureintech, has been scoped by NZTE in association with the Institute of Professional Engineers (IPENZ), the Information Technology Association of New Zealand (ITANZ) and the New Zealand Computer Society. I propose that this be funded from the GIF taskforce contingency. Refer Appendix C for detail.
Education
21. The ability of the education system to respond to and deliver industry needs was a key concern of the taskforce. There have been a number of recent policy changes designed to produce greater alignment between industry needs and education and industry training outcomes. For these to be successful, ICT - as an emerging sector - needs to build the necessary capability to engage effectively. To address this the Ministry of Education and the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) have developed a package of initiatives designed to better meet the needs of GIF sectors generally, including facilitating meaningful engagement between the sectors and the education system. This package is explained in Paper 2: Cross-Sectoral Initiatives.
22. In addition, the following two ICT-specific initiatives are noted. Firstly, NZTE in association with the ICT implementation body once established (see below) will jointly organise a workshop of public and private sector stakeholders, including TEC and the Department of Labour, to identify how best to address the skills and training issues raised by the taskforce. This will take place by December 2003.
23. Secondly, the taskforce identified as a key issue the need for research on future skill requirements of the ICT sector. The Department of Labour will begin work by December 2003 with the ICT implementation body (once established) on how best to address this issue.
Immigration
24. The taskforce identified the ability to easily recruit skilled ICT workers from offshore as important to growing and maintaining the skill base in New Zealand. In the 2003/2004 Budget, the Government allocated GIF funding of $33 million operating and $16 million capital funding (over four years) to Vote Immigration for targeting potential migrants with key skills. The Talent Visa policies introduced in 2002 also enable ICT employers to recruit offshore more easily.
Government Procurement
25. The taskforce identified a concern that New Zealand-owned ICT companies were not always given fair and equal opportunity to bid for government contracts. In response, I propose that the government do more to ensure its procurement policy is effective, including education initiatives aimed at building both vendor and purchaser capability and awareness and improved monitoring processes. The Ministry of Economic Development (MED) will convene an ICT procurement working group including government buyer and industry representatives, to examine and make suggestions to Ministers on further steps, including procurement process improvements and supplier capability development.
26. MED and NZTE are tasked to jointly report within twelve months to the Associate Minister of lnformation Technology, the Minister for Economic Development and Associate Minister of Commerce on the implementation and effectiveness of the foregoing steps. MED's Statement of Intent will include continuing responsibility for monitoring and advising Ministers on the effectiveness of government procurement policy in general.
Back to Top