Social Development Minister Anne Tolley and Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell today announced Project 1000; a scheme to provide 1000 new jobs for currently unemployed Hawke’s Bay workers over the next three years.
Project 1000 is part of Matariki – Hawke’s Bay Regional Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan 2016, which aims to accelerate job growth and raise incomes in the region.
“The Project 1000 initiative brings together businesses, iwi, local authorities, training providers, and central government to support the creation of 1000 new jobs for local people who are not currently participating in the Hawkes Bay economy,” Mrs Tolley says.
“Strong projected growth in several industries, such as manufacturing, infrastructure, horticulture and viticulture, will enable sustainable employment opportunities to be created for local workers.
“Unemployment in Hawke’s Bay is consistently higher than the national average, but there is a huge amount of activity in the region. Demand for exports in horticulture and viticulture are high. The manufacturing, infrastructure and food and beverage processing industries are thriving. This programme will provide skills training and job-matching to get local people into sustainable jobs.”
Mr Flavell says Project 1000 will bring together several employment-related initiatives for Hawke’s Bay.
“The Hawke’s Bay action plan has a strong focus on encouraging whanau to participate in the regional economy. Part of this is focussed on upskilling and providing pathways to permanent employment for rangatahi (young people),” Mr Flavell says.
“Project 1000 aligns well with He kai kei aku ringa, the Crown-Māori Economic Growth Partnership, and its goal to have a skilled and successful workforce contributing to Hawke’s Bay’s economic growth.”
“Over the next three years we will work to move 700 Ministry of Social Development clients into employment in the horticulture, viticulture and infrastructure industries to support projected industry growth. The remaining 300 jobs are expected to be filled by Hawke’s Bay people not currently participating in the labour market..”
Project 1000 is a key contributor to the overall employment goal of Matariki – which is to add 5000 more jobs in Hawkes Bay over the five years of the plan.
Matariki – Hawke’s Bay Regional Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan 2016 has been developed by the region with central government support. It forms part of the Government’s Regional Growth Programme.
For more information, visit the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment website
