Chris Hipkins meets with Auckland business bosses during his first outing as PM

[Oldfellah]

https://tinyurl.com/2nkdb3hv

Chris Hipkins has met with high-powered chief executives, during his first outing as prime minister.

On Thursday morning, Hipkins travelled to Auckland, where he assured business leaders he was aware of their concerns about skills shortages.

Simon Bridges, the chair of the Auckland Business Chamber and former National Party leader, organised the meeting and introduced Hipkins to a packed room of CEOs, including the bosses of Fonterra, NZME and TVNZ.

On labour market issues, Hipkins said he knew it was “the number one issue” impacting business – but he said opening immigration further was not the only solution.

So what is the solution except to bring in more immigrants to do the skilled and non skilled jobs that are not being filled by New Zealanders?

[zqwerty]

No do what they should have been doing and train apprentices as a matter of course not scrimp and save to get the last dollar, have no trained technicians coming up and then blame the Labour Government for the problem when it is all the money grubbing businessmens' problem which they caused in the first place by being too greedy.

[Lilith7]

"When Hipkins was first named as Labour’s pick to take over from Ardern, there were questions about whether he had deep enough connections to Auckland – being “a boy from the Hutt” and a career politician."


That isn't relevant; the PM is elected to do a job for the whole country rather than just one city.
I think addressing the cost of living makes good sense - assuming they can manage to actually make a difference.

[Zurdo]

There was a big push early in Covid with apprenticeships, basically making them free...which they were in the old days, sort of. So a lot of new trainees on board. Trouble is, trades are a little bit like too much work for young people today.

[Olive]

I think the restoration of the apprenticeship system was one of the best Labour initiatives, socially advantageous as well as a huge productivity boost.

For most of the 20th century (for young men) apprenticeships were the ticket to upward mobility. In my father's family the men moved up from being general labourers to agricultural workers, then my father, who left school at 14, became a carpenter because he was able to do an apprenticeship with NZ Rail. I am really grateful that these opportunities are not only being restored but also that they are now available to young women.

[Lilith7]

I think the restoration of the apprenticeship system was one of the best Labour initiatives, socially advantageous as well as a huge productivity boost.

For most of the 20th century (for young men) apprenticeships were the ticket to upward mobility.  In my father's family the men moved up from being general labourers to agricultural workers, then my father, who left school at 14,  became a carpenter because he was able to do an apprenticeship with NZ Rail.  I am really grateful that these opportunities are not only being restored but also that they are now available to young women.

Definitely agree - doing away with apprenticeships was a foolish & short sighted move.