4. The enablers: Confidence

4.3 Capability actions

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The government is responding to the capability challenges by:

Action Contributes to priorities Lead agency Timing Budget
Developing a unified skills strategy. Take a unified approach to ensure New Zealand individuals and organisations can develop and use the skills needed in the workplaces of the future. Work to date includes building firms’ capability to help managers and workers to increase their understanding of the benefits of ICT-enabled productivity and innovation and their capability to engage with and use ICT.  Equipping managers with the skills needed to engage with and use ICT to increase productivity and innovation
 Department of Labour and Tertiary Education Commission Discussion document will be released April/May 2008 Baseline
Implementing the National ICT Skills Collaboration (NISC) initiative. Collaborate with industry to deliver projects to reduce ICT skill shortages, including internships,
promote ICT careers, programmes to increase participation from under-represented demographics and improve communication between education providers and businesses.  		 Reducing shortages of skilled ICT practitioners
 Department of Labour

In 2008:
- a mechanism to ensure identified
and future priorities are resourced and delivered
- a national brand for ICT careers.

 Baseline
Sourcing talent for New Zealand’s ICT sector. Implement an action plan to enhance the ability of New Zealand ICT companies to recruit and retain skilled migrants.  Reducing shortages of skilled ICT practitioners
 Department of Labour 2008-09
 Baseline
Developing well qualified ICT professionals. Improve the professional standing of ICT careers and the competencies of ICT workers. This will ensure ICT qualifications meet international benchmarks, and all ICT employees in New Zealand have access to high-quality professional development and training. Reducing shortages of skilled ICT practitioners
 Department of Labour and Ministry of Education
 2008-09 Baseline
Reforming tertiary education. Ensure a tertiary education system that provides quality, relevant education and training that contributes to the government’s economic development goals.
Work with a selection of key organisations and businesses in the ICT sector to understand the sector’s training and education requirements. This will help ensure that tertiary education investment decisions align with the needs of the ICT sector.  		 Reducing shortages of skilled ICT practitioners Tertiary Education Commission From 1 January 2008
 Baseline
Implementing the Digital Technologies Framework. Deliver specialised and indepth digital skills to students in years 11 to 13. Provide teachers with appropriate resources and knowledge to ensure that more students leave secondary school with specialist digital technology skills, knowledge and credentials that are appropriate for tertiary institutions and the workforce.  Reducing shortages of skilled ICT practitioners Ministry of Education

60 schools in 2008.
120 schools in 2009

 $1.1 million, 2007-10 from baseline
Delivering the New Zealand Curriculum technology learning area (TLA). Enable students to develop a broad technological literacy, through the TLA (one of eight learning areas for schools), that will equip them to participate in 21st century society as informed citizens and give them access to technology-related careers. Developing digital literacy and confidence in the workforce and our communities. Ministry of Education 2008-10 Baseline
Applying Foundations for Discovery: Supporting Learning in Early Childhood through ICT: a framework for development.
Use ICT meaningfully in early childhood education services to help children grow up as competent and confident learners and communicators. 		 Developing digital literacy and confidence in the workforce and our communities. Ministry of Education 2007-09 Baseline
Implementing the Aotearoa New Zealand People’s Network.
Enhance New Zealand’s public library network by establishing free internet access via libraries – providing computer and ICT hardware, onsite support and skill building, tools to encourage users to create, access, share and preserve content and community digital storehouses for citizen-created content.		 Developing digital literacy and confidence in the workforce and our communities. National Library of New Zealand 2007-11 $4.4 million between 2007-11

 

 

6 Responses to "4.3 Capability actions"
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This section seems to have taken a massive backwards step from DS1. I was under the impression (having been involved in DS 1 and former Deputy Chair of DSAG) that the DS was for all New Zealander's... this reads like a business-focussed strategy. Where is strengthening community and digital culture in all of this. The free access in libraries should be taken as read yet it seems largely it.

There is little in here for civil society to cheer about, rather it seems to have been sidelined from the debate somewhat. As for Maori, I'm at a loss?

So far, someone has done an excellent job of turning a world-leading strategy into a rather bland statement of what's happening... I find it increasingly hard to use the word 'strategic' in the context of this document.
Andy Williamson
Thursday, April 17, 2008 9:50 PM
This appears to me like the strategy is to address the symptoms not the problem. There is nothing to support innovation and no removal of current barriers to achievement.

The problem from a business point of view is there is no incentive to make a special effort in terms of IT. There are no tax breaks for innovation, there is no real support for anyone trying to invent something new.

Its great teaching kids about IT, but there needs to be a real strategy to support and reward innovation not just "import people from overseas". Very disappointing.
Greg Day
Friday, April 18, 2008 12:02 PM
The aims and priorities are all very laudable - well done.
But there is a superfluity of buzzwords at the expense of a clear explanation of *how* the aims and priorities are going to be met. Phrases like "implement an action plan" mean absolutely nothing. And it shows.
I really think we need to do much better than this.
Graham Leech
Wednesday, April 23, 2008 1:03 PM
It is great to see mention of Early Childhood and Years 11-13 education. What about the schooling bit in the middle?We need to address digital literacy through all areas of the curriculum and at all year levels in our schools - not just start them off well, maintain it through one learning area (technology) and then finish them off with a flourish in Years 11-13. Digital technology is such a powerful way to connect and engage with learners of all ages.
Carolyn Stuart, Principal Tawa Intermediate School
Friday, April 25, 2008 10:28 AM
I agree both with the importance of educating school students in ICT and also with the comment about not looking enough at the idea of innovation. As such I am not convinced that a case is made here for 'reforming the tertiary sector'. Technological literacy is, of course, important, but it is just literacy. Being literate in reading and writing does not guarantee that you will become a Hone Tuwhare. Similarly, technological literacy is in no way a guarantor of innovation. As such, a too literal reform of the sector around economic development goals runs the risk of failure (albeit well-intentioned) if it does not also strengthen and support the tertiary sector to develop independent, questioning thinkers who challenge received wisdom and look at the world in unusual and original ways. Currently it seems to be getting harder to achieve this because students are burdened down with student loans and part-time jobs, and large chunks of what time they have left gets used on Facebook and Beebo....
I guess what I am saying is that at tertiary level we need to be focussing on getting students to be technologically cognisant thinkers rather than getting too hung up on the technologies themselves or how they fit too literally into a particular economic vision. If we get this wrong, we will end up with a lot of very good users of technology, but will we get the entrepreneurs, innovators and thinkers who can create the growth opportunities we need?
Peter Gilderdale
Friday, May 02, 2008 1:38 PM
Lead by example. Implement flexible working in government and record/research the productivity gains as a case-study for NZ business. Set some moderate stretch targets such as reduce government office floorspace 25-30%.
mike(p)
Thursday, May 15, 2008 2:53 PM