Workforce planning and job growth in Southern Auckland
Tātaki Auckland Unlimited commissioned BERL to produce a demand assessment and analysis of the employment and skills that will be needed in Drury and Southern Auckland over the next 30 years. Part of this analysis included developing a good understanding of what expansions and new developments are taking place in the area.
Drury and the wider Southern Auckland region of Franklin and Papakura are experiencing substantial development activity and, consequently, job creation. Our research maps the workforce needs, employment opportunities, and skills and training needs for developments taking place in Southern Auckland.
Attention has been paid to the nature of jobs, the volume of jobs across time, and the skills and qualifications required for future job needs. Particular attention was also paid throughout the research to Māori and Pacific Peoples employment in the region.
Estimates existing prior to our report were that 40-50,000 jobs would be created in the region over the next 20 years. As part of this research, BERL conducted targeted interviews with selected Southern Auckland developments to understand future employment and skills requirements.
Approximately 90,300-102,700 new full-time equivalent jobs (FTEs) will be generated because of the new developments and population growth
This number comprises around 33,550–45,935 new direct jobs over the next 30 years. Based on the direct job needs, estimates suggest that these developments combined will also generate around 36,300 new indirect jobs and 20,500 new induced jobs throughout the wider Auckland region. According to Statistics New Zealand, the Auckland region currently provides jobs for 868,800 people.
Figure 1 Map of developments in Southern Auckland
Source: BERL analysis
Increasing the population of an area from 5,140 people to 60,000 requires significant physical and social infrastructure
The report findings show that population growth alone will not be enough to fill the workforce needs for Southern Auckland in the future. The projected population boom in Southern Auckland presents a unique opportunity. With large population growth come further requirements for teachers, doctors, and nurses to support that population.
Our research also found that the construction sector, education sector, and healthcare sectors all have significant struggles training, sourcing, and retaining staff. This is a shortage that is only going to grow if swift, targeted action is not taken. The growing Māori and Pacific Peoples population further enhances the need to address the underrepresentation of Māori and Pacific Peoples in key occupations and sectors.
Opportunity exists to increase the representation of Māori and Pacific Peoples in industries key to Southern Auckland’s growth
If steps are taken to facilitate this uptake—via targeted upskilling, training, and workforce planning—so that Māori and Pacific People are equally represented, it would increase the available Auckland workforce for these industries by:
- 10,240 Māori and 9,270 Pacific Peoples in the professional, scientific, and technical services industry
- 430 Māori and 2,520 Pacific Peoples in the education and training industry
- 28,750 Māori and 28,100 Pacific Peoples in professional and management occupations.
At a high level, the findings explored in this report include that, if both the gaps in pay and representation were closed for Auckland’s Māori and Pacific Peoples in the key industries integral to Southern Auckland’s growth, it would inject around $1.8 billion into Auckland’s economy each year. The key industries explored are health, education and training, construction, and professional, scientific, and technical services.
We also researched workplace-based learning (apprentices and trainees), current qualifications, and fields of study of the Auckland region and New Zealand population, with a particular focus on the relevant qualifications in education, healthcare, trades, building and construction, and engineering.
Our research for Tātaki Auckland Unlimited creates a jumping-off point from which to bridge the gap between the training, employment, and wages of Pākehā and Māori and Pacific Peoples in the region. The report is designed to better enable engagement between Auckland Council and the region, particularly with Māori and Pacific Peoples communities. Read the full report here.